26 Bible Verses about Sin, Nature Of

I will get up and go to my father and say to him, Father, I have sinned against [the God of] heaven and against you.

But the person who has doubts about eating [a certain food] is self-condemned if he [goes ahead and] eats it, because his action is not based on faith [i.e., if he lacks the conviction that he is doing what is right]. And whatever is not done with such a conviction is a sin.

And unless one has faith, it is impossible for him to be pleasing to God, for the person who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.

Now this is [how God's] judgment [works]: The Light [See 1:5-9] has come into the world, but people loved darkness [i.e., sin] rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil. For every person who practices evil things hates the light [of truth] and does not come to it, for fear of having his deeds exposed [as sinful].

The good person produces good things from his storehouse of goodness. But the evil person produces bad things from his storehouse of evil.

The good person produces good things from the goodness stored up in his heart. And the evil person produces bad things from the evil [stored up in his heart]. For his mouth speaks what his heart is filled with.

We [also] know this: Law [or, "the law of Moses"] is not intended for a righteous person, but for lawbreakers and rebels, for ungodly people and sinners, for unholy and irreverent people, for people who kill their parents, for murderers,

Every person who practices a life of sin is also breaking [God's] law, for sin is law-breaking.

You boast about having the law of Moses, [but] do you dishonor God by breaking that law?

For the law brings [God's] wrath [i.e., because of man's failure to obey it perfectly], but where there is no law, there is no [responsibility for] sin.

Yet [physical] death ruled [over mankind] from the time of Adam to Moses, even over those people who had not sinned the way Adam did. [Now] Adam prefigured the coming of Jesus. But the free gift [of salvation through Christ] is not [exactly] like the sin [of Adam]. For if many people died [physically] because of the sin of the one man [i.e., Adam], how much more did God's favor abound by [providing] His gracious gift [of salvation] to many people because of the one man, Jesus Christ. And the gift [of salvation] is not like [the effect of] one man's sin [i.e., Adam's], for [God's] judgment of condemnation came [upon mankind] through one man [i.e., Adam], but the free gift [of salvation] came as the result of [the] many sins [of mankind] and [it] made people right with God.read more.
For if [physical] death ruled [over mankind] because of the sin of the one man [i.e., Adam], how much more will those who receive the abundance of God's unearned favor, and the gift of being right with Him, rule in [never ending] life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

For, whoever observes the entire law [of God] and yet breaks one requirement [of it], becomes guilty of [breaking] all of it. For God, who said [through Moses, Ex. 20:13f], "You must not be sexually unfaithful to your mate," also said, "You must not murder." Now if you are sexually faithful to your mate and yet murder [someone], you have become a lawbreaker.

And forgive us of the wrongs we have done to others, since we have also forgiven the wrongs done to us.

Then Peter came and said to Jesus, "Lord, how often must I forgive my brother when he sins against me? As many as seven times?" Jesus replied, "I tell you, not [just] up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven [i.e., a large indefinite number of times]. "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is similar to a certain king who decided to settle his account with his servants.read more.
When he began figuring, one of his servants, who owed him a huge sum of money [Note: The amount is variously estimated to be as much as $50,000,000 in 1994], was brought to him. But since he did not have enough [money] to pay [what he owed], his master ordered that he, his wife, his children and all his possessions be sold [in order] to pay [his debt]. The servant then fell to the ground [before his master] and humbly implored him, saying, 'Master, [please] be patient with me and I will repay you everything [I owe].' And the master of that servant felt deep pity [for him], so released him [from custody] and canceled his debt. But that [same] servant went out and found one of his fellow-servants who owed him a small sum of money [Note: The amount was about days of a farm laborer's pay or about $7,000 in 1994]. He grabbed him by the throat, saying, 'Pay [me] what you owe.' His fellow-servant fell [on the ground before him] and begged him, saying, '[Please] be patient with me and I will repay you [all I owe you].' But he would not do it. Instead, he took him and had him thrown into prison until he paid [him] all he owed. When his fellow-servants saw what he had done, they were very upset and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then his master called for him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I canceled all of your debt because you begged me to. Should you not also have had pity on your fellow-servant just as I pitied you?' His master then became furious and turned him over [to the authorities] to be punished until he paid all that he owed. In the same way my heavenly Father will also deal with you [i.e., punish you] unless every one of you forgives his brother from the heart."

for everyone has sinned and falls short of God's glory [i.e., His approval, or His perfect character].

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Holy Spirit [or, His eternal Spirit] offered Himself without [moral] blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from deeds which lead to [spiritual] death to serve the living God?

So, the person who knows the good [he ought] to be doing, but is not doing it, is sinning.

"It is too bad for you hypocritical experts in the law of Moses and [you] Pharisees! For you give a tenth of your mint, dill and cumin [i.e., small garden herbs used for seasoning or fragrance], and [yet] neglect the heavier responsibilities required by the law, [such as] justice, mercy and faith. You should have done these ["lighter"] things and not neglected to do the other ["heavier"] things [as well].

"But it is too bad for you Pharisees! For you give a tenth of your mint, rue and every [other] herb [Note: These were small garden plants used for seasoning or medicine] and [yet] neglect [demonstrating] justice and the love of God [toward others]. But you should have done these things and not neglected to do the other things [as well].

Then the Lord will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, since you did not do it for one of these least [significant brothers of mine], you did not do it for me.'

And that slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not make preparations [i.e., for his master's return], or do what his master wanted, will be whipped with many lashes.

These people know that God's decrees require that those who practice such things deserve to die [i.e., either spiritual or temporal punishment], yet they not only do the same things [themselves], but even approve of other people who practice them.

But the one who did not know [i.e., what his master wanted], yet did things deserving of punishment, will be whipped with few lashes. And to the person who has been given much [responsibility], there will be much required [of him]. And to whom people entrust much [responsibility], they will ask [much] more from him.

"And now brothers, I know that [both] you and your [Jewish] rulers acted in ignorance [of what you were really doing].

[even] though I had previously spoken against Christ, and persecuted [Christians] and acted outrageously. However, I obtained mercy because I acted out of ignorance, not believing [in Christ].