προαμαρτάνω (G4258) — Greek Lexicon

προαμαρτάνω

proamartánō

G4258 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To have sinned beforehand, to commit wrongdoing or error in advance (of a specific point in time). The primary lexical sense is to sin previously, especially in relation to a later event such as judgment, accusation, or an act of repentance. Emphasizes the prior occurrence of the sinful act in contrast to another temporal reference point.

Semantic Range

to have sinned previously, to have committed wrongdoing beforehand, to have erred earlier, to have transgressed before a certain time

Root / Etymology

From the preposition πρό ('before, earlier') and the verb ἁμαρτάνω ('to sin, to err, to miss the mark'). The word is a compound formation common in Koine Greek, signifying a temporal aspect of the act of sinning.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The compound προαμαρτάνω appears rarely and is attested in the New Testament only in 2 Corinthians 12:21 and 13:2, where Paul refers to persons who 'have sinned previously' (i.e., before his arriving and before corrective community action or discipline). The term emphasizes the timing of sin in relation to a subsequent evaluation or response. The use of the prefix προ- is common in Greek to indicate priority or precedence in time. The base verb ἁμαρτάνω retains its broad meaning of 'to do wrong, to err morally, to transgress,' and the compound restricts this specifically to actions that have occurred prior to a referenced event or time. English Bible translations often render it 'have sinned previously' or 'sinned earlier,' but older versions may use phrases like 'heretofore sin.' Outside the New Testament, the form is scarcely attested; similar compounds with προ- exist to provide a temporal nuance. The word has no significant shift in meaning between its rare New Testament usage and other extant Koine or Christian Greek texts, due to limited occurrence.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from πρό and ἁμαρτάνω; to sin previously (to conversion):--sin already, heretofore sin.

Root Family

προαμαρτάνω (proamartanō) — to sin, to commit a moral offense, to err beforehand

Root ἁμαρτ- to sin, to commit a moral offense, to err

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G4258-01`	προημαρτηκόσιν	proemartekosin	`V PRF ACT PTCP DAT M PL`	who have sinned before	to those having previously sinned	to those having previously sinned	1
`G4258-02`	προημαρτηκότων	proemartekoton	`V PRF ACT PTCP GEN M PL`	who have sinned before	of those having previously sinned	those having previously sinned	1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G4258-02`	2 Corinthians 12:21	προημαρτηκότων	proemartekoton	`V PRF ACT PTCP GEN M PL`	who have sinned before	of those having previously sinned	those having previously sinned
`G4258-01`	2 Corinthians 13:2	προημαρτηκόσιν	proemartekosin	`V PRF ACT PTCP DAT M PL`	who have sinned before	to those having previously sinned	to those having previously sinned

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