ABSTRACT
In the Bible, sin is understood as a transgression of God’s decree. In Biblical Hebrew the word het means ‘to miss’ or ‘to fail’. Here sin is conceived as a failing, a lack of perfection in carrying out one’s duty. The term peshah means a ‘breach’; it indicates a broken relationship between human beings and God. The word avon expresses the idea of crookedness. Thus according to Biblical terminology, a sin is characterized by failure, waywardness, and illicit action. A sinner is one who has not fulfilled his obligations to God.
