"pr. a stumbling aside, a false step; in NT a trespass, fault, offence, transgression, Mt. 6:14, 15; Mk. 11:25, 26; Rom. 4:25; a fall in faith, Rom. 11:11, 12"
Definition and meaning
pr. a stumbling aside, a false step; in NT a trespass, fault, offence, transgression, Mt. 6:14, 15; Mk. 11:25, 26; Rom. 4:25; a fall in faith, Rom. 11:11, 12
In the original Greek the word is written: παράπτωμα
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of paraptoma (G3900) across the King James Bible.
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
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Common questions
Strong's G3900 (paraptoma) is a Greek word that means: pr. a stumbling aside, a false step; in NT a trespass, fault, offence, transgression, Mt. 6:14, 15; Mk. 11:25, 26; Rom. 4:25; a fall in faith, Rom. 11:11, 12 It appears 20 times in the King James Bible.
The word paraptoma (G3900) appears 20 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G3900 is paraptoma, a Greek word defined as: pr. a stumbling aside, a false step; in NT a trespass, fault, offence, transgression, Mt. 6:14, 15; Mk. 11:25, 26; Rom. 4:25; a fall in faith, Rom. 11. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
paraptoma is a Greek word found in the New Testament.