The meaning of Fault in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

folt (chaTa'; aitia, memphomai): Implies defect, of less moral weight than crime or sin. It is the translation of chaTa', "error," "failure," "sin" (Exodus 5:16); of cheT', same meaning (Genesis 41:9, "I do remember my faults this day"); of 'awon, "perversity," "iniquity" (II Samuel 3:8; Psalms 59:4); of rish'ah, "wrongness," "wickedness" (Deuteronomy 25:2, the Revised Version (British and American) "wickedness"); of shechath (Aramaic) "corruption" (Daniel 6:4 twice); me'umah, "anything" (I Samuel 29:3, "no fault in him," literally, "not anything"); of aitia, "cause," "case," "guilt," (John 18:38; John 19:4, John 19:6; Pilate of Jesus, "I find no fault in him," the Revised Version (British and American) "no crime"; the same word is rendered "accusation," i.e. 'legal cause for prosecution,' Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26; compare Acts 25:18, Acts 25:27); of aition, same meaning (Luke 23:4, Luke 23:14; Luke 23:22, aition thanatou "cause of death"); of hettema, "a worse condition," "defect" (I Corinthians 6:7, the Revised Version (British and American) "a defect," margin "a loss to you"); of paraptoma, "a falling aside" (Galatians 6:1, "If a man be overtaken in fault," the Revised Version (British and American) "in any trespass," margin "by"; James 5:16, "Confess your faults one to another," the Revised Version (British and American) "Confess therefore your sins one to another"); hamartano, "to miss," "err," "sin," is translated "your faults" (I Peter 2:20 the Revised Version (British and American), "when ye sin"); memphomai, "to blame," is translated "to find fault" (Mark 7:2 omitted the Revised Version (British and American); Romans 9:19; Hebrews 8:8); elegcho, "to convict," "to tell one's fault" (Matthew 18:15, the Revised Version (British and American) "show him his fault"); amomos, "without blemish," "spotless," is translated "without fault" (Revelation 14:5, the Revised Version (British and American) "without blemish," "faultless"; Judges 1:24, "able to present you faultless," the Revised Version (British and American) "without blemish"); amemptos, "blameless," "without reproach" (Hebrews 8:7, "for if that first covenant had been faultless"). "Faulty" is the translation of 'ashem, "guilty" (II Samuel 14:13, "as one which is faulty," the Revised Version (British and American) "guilty"); of 'asham, "to be or become guilty" (Hosea 10:2, Revised Version "guilty").

W. L. Walker

DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.