Have you ever found yourself searching for a clear-cut list of rules in the Christian faith? A simple checklist of “dos and don’ts”? Many people do. It’s a natural human desire to want clarity, especially when it comes to something as important as our relationship with God. This often leads people to ask, what are the 12 sins in the Bible?
It’s a question I’ve wrestled with myself. When I first started taking my faith seriously, I wanted a map. I thought if I could just know the exact list of things to avoid, I’d be set. But the more I studied the Bible, the more I realized it doesn’t really work that way.
The truth is, the Bible never gives a definitive list of exactly “12 sins.” Instead, it gives us something far deeper: a rich understanding of sin as a condition that affects the human heart. It provides foundational laws, wisdom about sinful patterns, and, most importantly, a path to forgiveness.
This article is for anyone who has asked that same question. We’re going to dive into what the Bible actually says. We’ll look at the most famous lists, like the Ten Commandments and the Seven Deadly Sins, and explore the heart of what sin truly is.
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Key Takeaways
- No Official List of 12: The Bible does not contain a single, numbered list of “12 sins.” This is a common misconception.
- The Ten Commandments: This is the most direct set of prohibitions from God in the Bible and serves as a foundation for understanding sin as disobedience.
- The “Seven Deadly Sins”: This is a traditional list created by early Christian leaders to categorize sinful patterns, but the list itself is not found in the Bible.
- Sin is More Than Actions: The Bible teaches that sin is a condition of the heart, a “missing of the mark,” that separates us from God, not just a list of bad deeds.
- Jesus Focused on the Heart: Jesus taught that our internal thoughts and intentions (like lust or anger) are just as significant as our outward actions.
- Hope and Forgiveness: The central message of Christianity is not the list of sins, but the good news of grace and forgiveness available through Jesus Christ.
What Does the Bible Actually Say About Sin?
Before we can list different sins, we have to understand what the Bible means by the word “sin.” It’s a term that gets thrown around a lot, but its biblical meaning is incredibly specific and profound.
Is Sin Just About Breaking Rules?
Many of us grow up thinking of sin as breaking a rule, like a divine traffic law. While disobedience is certainly part of it, the main idea is much deeper. The most common word for sin in the New Testament is the Greek word hamartia, which literally means “to miss the mark.”
Imagine an archer aiming for the center of a target. The goal is the bullseye. Sin is anything that causes the arrow to miss that target. It’s not just about doing bad things; it’s about falling short of the good and perfect design God has for our lives. It’s a failure to be who we were created to be.
Where Did Sin Even Come From?
The Bible traces the origin of sin back to the very beginning, with the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). They were given one command from God, and they chose to disobey it. That one act of rebellion introduced sin into the world, creating a separation, a broken relationship, between humanity and God.
This is often called “original sin.” It’s not just about what they did; it’s about the state of being that resulted from it. Ever since, that tendency to “miss the mark” has been a part of the human experience. As the Apostle Paul puts it in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Are the Ten Commandments the Main List of Sins?
If we’re looking for the closest thing to a foundational “sin list” in the Bible, the Ten Commandments are the place to start. This is not just a suggestion list; it was a direct series of commands from God to His people, establishing the core principles of their covenant with Him. They are found in Exodus 20.
They represent God’s standard for holiness and righteousness. Breaking any of them is, by definition, a sin.
What Are the Ten Commandments?
Here is the list of commandments that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai:
- You shall have no other gods before me.
- You shall not make for yourself an idol.
- You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
- Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet.
How Do These Commandments Apply to Us Today?
These ancient laws are just as relevant now as they were thousands of years ago. They cover our relationship with God (the first four) and our relationships with other people (the last six).
They challenge us to look at our own lives. For instance, making an “idol” today might not mean carving a statue. It could mean putting money, career, relationships, or personal ambition in the place that only God should have in our hearts. Likewise, Jesus would later teach that the command “you shall not murder” also applies to the anger and hatred we hold in our hearts.
Where Does the List of “Seven Deadly Sins” Come From?
This is another famous list that many people associate with the Bible. You’ve heard of them: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. But here’s a surprising fact: this exact list is not in the Bible.
It was first compiled by a Christian monk named Evagrius Ponticus in the 4th century and later popularized by Pope Gregory I. The goal was not to list the worst sins, but to identify the root attitudes or capital vices that are the starting point for so many other sinful actions. They are “deadly” because they can poison a person’s soul and lead to spiritual death.
While the list itself isn’t in Scripture, the concepts absolutely are. Proverbs 6:16-19 gives a similar list of things God hates, including “haughty eyes” (pride) and “a heart that devises wicked schemes.”
What Are the Seven Deadly Sins?
Here is the traditional list that has been used in Christian teaching for centuries:
- Pride: An excessive belief in one’s own abilities; the root of all other sins.
- Greed: An intense and selfish desire for wealth, power, or material possessions.
- Lust: An intense craving for sexual or other forms of pleasure.
- Envy: The desire for others’ traits, status, abilities, or situation.
- Gluttony: The overindulgence and overconsumption of anything to the point of waste.
- Wrath: Uncontrolled feelings of anger, rage, and even hatred.
- Sloth: A spiritual laziness or apathy; failing to do what one should do.
Why Are These Considered “Deadly”?
Think of these not as single actions but as deep-seated patterns of the heart. For example, a single act of anger is one thing, but a life defined by uncontrolled wrath is something else entirely. These seven sins are seen as gateways. Pride can lead to disobedience. Greed can lead to theft and deception. Lust can lead to adultery. They are the sources from which countless other sins flow.
So, How Can We Create a Biblical Sin List?
Even though there isn’t one official list of 12, we can look at the major themes in the Bible to create a comprehensive picture of sin. By combining the principles of the Ten Commandments, the wisdom of the Seven Deadly Sins, and teachings from the rest of Scripture, we can identify major areas of sin that the Bible warns us about.
Here is a look at 12 major categories of sin that cover these biblical ideas.
1. Sins Against God’s Sovereignty (Idolatry)
This is the first and greatest commandment. Idolatry is putting anything or anyone in God’s place. It’s about where we place our ultimate trust and worship.
2. Sins Against God’s Name (Blasphemy)
This involves using God’s name in a disrespectful, empty, or profane way. It’s not just about cursing; it’s about treating God’s holy name with a lack of reverence.
3. Sins Against Life (Murder and Hatred)
The Bible is clear about the sanctity of human life. This sin includes physical murder but also, as Jesus taught, the internal attitudes of hatred and wrath against others, which are the roots of murder.
4. Sins of Sexual Immorality (Adultery and Lust)
This includes any sexual activity outside of the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. Jesus expanded this to include lustful thoughts, showing that sin begins in the heart.
5. Sins Against Property (Stealing and Greed)
This is about taking what doesn’t belong to you. But it’s also about the underlying attitude of greed—an insatiable desire for more that is never satisfied.
6. Sins of Deception (Lying and False Testimony)
God is a God of truth, and so his people are called to be people of truth. This category includes everything from small “white lies” to outright perjury and slander that can destroy a person’s reputation.
7. Sins of Desire (Coveting and Envy)
This is a sin of the heart. It’s the resentful desire to have what someone else has—their possessions, their life, their relationships. It’s the root of so much discontent and can lead to actions like theft or adultery.
8. Sins of Self-Obsession (Pride)
Often called the original sin, pride is the act of placing ourselves at the center of the universe instead of God. It’s a refusal to acknowledge our dependence on Him and others.
9. Sins of Excess (Gluttony)
This isn’t just about overeating. Gluttony is the disordered desire for more of anything—food, entertainment, comfort—to the point that it controls us and leads to waste.
10. Sins of Apathy (Sloth)
This is not just physical laziness. Spiritual sloth is a deep-seated apathy toward our spiritual responsibilities. It’s a failure to love God and neighbor because it’s just too much trouble.
11. Sins Against Others (Unforgiveness)
The Bible is radical in its call to forgive. Holding onto bitterness, resentment, and a desire for revenge is presented as a serious sin that harms our own souls and our relationship with God.
12. The Sin of Unbelief
Ultimately, the Bible presents unbelief as the most fundamental sin. This is not about intellectual doubt; it’s about a settled refusal to trust in God and accept His offer of forgiveness through Jesus. It’s the one sin that cuts us off from the remedy for all other sins.
What Did Jesus Teach About Sin?
When Jesus came, He didn’t get rid of the law; He fulfilled it. He took the understanding of sin to a whole new, deeper level—from our outward actions to our inward motivations.
Did Jesus Simplify the Law?
In a way, yes. A religious leader once asked Jesus what the most important commandment was. His answer was profound. He said in Matthew 22:37-40:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Every other command is an expression of this. If you truly love God, you won’t worship idols. If you truly love your neighbor, you won’t steal from them or lie to them.
How Did Jesus Talk About Sins of the Heart?
In his famous Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus showed that God’s standard goes far beyond our actions.
- He said that if you are angry with someone, you’ve committed murder in your heart.
- He said that if you look at someone with lust, you’ve committed adultery in your heart.
For Jesus, sin wasn’t just a matter of external behavior. It was a matter of internal character. He was showing us that the real problem is not the sinful fruit (our actions) but the sinful root (our hearts).
Is There Hope After We Sin?
After reading all of this, it can feel overwhelming. If the standard is that high, who can possibly measure up? No one. And that is the entire point.
The Bible’s teachings on sin are meant to do two things: show us God’s perfect holiness and help us realize our own desperate need for a savior.
What Is the Christian Answer to Sin?
The Christian faith does not end with a list of sins. It begins there, but it leads to the glorious news of grace. The central message of the Bible is not our sin, but God’s solution to it. Understanding this theological concept of sin is so important. Scholars at institutions like Princeton Theological Seminary have written extensively on how sin is fundamentally a broken relationship that requires a divine solution.
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived a perfect, sinless life. He then died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. He took our “missing the mark” upon Himself.
Romans 6:23 puts it perfectly: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Sin earns death and separation. But God offers a free gift of forgiveness, grace, and eternal life to anyone who puts their faith in Jesus. All we have to do is accept it.
A Final Thought
So, we started by looking for a list of 12 sins. What we found was something far more challenging but also infinitely more hopeful.
The journey of faith isn’t about perfectly following a checklist of rules. That’s impossible. Instead, it’s about recognizing that we all “miss the mark.” It’s about humbly admitting our need for forgiveness and turning to the one who offers it freely. The focus shifts from our performance to Christ’s perfection. And in that shift, we find true freedom and peace.
Frequently Asked Questions – What Are the 12 Sins in the Bible
What is the danger of sin in the Bible, and how are we saved from it?
The ultimate danger of sin is spiritual death and separation from God, as Romans 6:23 states, ‘the wages of sin is death.’ However, God provides a solution through Jesus Christ, who lived a sinless life and paid the penalty for our sins through His death on the cross. Salvation is received by faith in Jesus, not by works, offering forgiveness and eternal life.
What is the relationship between the ‘works of the flesh’ and the 12 sins in the Bible?
The ‘works of the flesh,’ as listed by the Apostle Paul in Galatians 5:19-21, include sins such as sexual immorality, idolatry, hatred, discord, drunkenness, and orgies. These acts reflect sinful tendencies that lead us away from living according to the Holy Spirit and are closely related to the list of 12 sins, emphasizing the dangers of uncontrolled passions and behaviors.
How do the Ten Commandments relate to the 12 sins in the Bible?
The Ten Commandments serve as a moral foundation for understanding sin, divided into duties to God (commands 1-4) and duties to others (commands 5-10). Violating these commandments involves sins like idolatry, blasphemy, dishonoring parents, murder, adultery, theft, lying, and coveting, which align with the list of 12 sins.
What are the 12 sins in the Bible according to scripture?
The 12 key sins in the Bible include Pride, Idolatry, Blasphemy, Murder, Adultery and Sexual Sin, Theft, Lying and Deceit, Coveting and Envy, Witchcraft and Sorcery, Drunkenness and Gluttony, Strife and Division, and Unbelief. These sins are repeatedly warned against in Scripture and break God’s heart.
What is the true meaning of sin in the Bible?
Sin in the Bible is best understood as ‘missing the mark,’ which means falling short of God’s perfect goodness. It also involves the brokenness of our hearts that leads us to do wrong, stemming from a deceitful heart that only God can change with a new one. Ultimately, sin is choosing our way over God’s way, beginning with the first rebellion of Adam and Eve.
