Confessing Your Faults or Sins?

According to the Authorized King James Version (AV), Christians are to confess their faults to each other:

“Confess your faults (paraptoma) one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16

Other translations, however, render the Greek term as sins:

“Therefore acknowledge ye each to other your sins, and pray ye each for other, that ye be saved [Therefore acknowledge ye one to another your sins, and pray ye for each other, that ye be saved]. For the continual prayer of a just man is much worth.” Wycliffe (WYC)

Still other versions employ a different Greek critical text that contain a different word, the one which typically means sins/transgressions:

“Therefore, confess your sins (hamartias) to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

The question before us is, can and does the term, which the Textus Receptus (“Received Text”) that underlies the AV, mean sins?

The answer is a resounding yes since it appears elsewhere in the New Testament, and in many of those places the AV renders the Greek word as sins/transgressions!

I now cite these texts. Keep in mind that all of them use a form of the exact same phrase paraptoma:

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses (paraptomata), your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses (paraptomata), neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (paraptomata).” Matthew 6:14-15

“So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses (paraptomata).” Matthew 18:35

“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 (paraptomata). But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses (paraptomata).” Mark 11:25-26

“who was delivered for our offences (paraptomata), and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:25

“But not as the offence (paraptoma), so also is the free gift. For if through the offence (paraptomati) 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 (paraptomaton) unto justification. For if by one man’s offence (paraptomati) 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 (paraptomatos) 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… Moreover the law entered, that the offence (paraptomatos) might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:” Romans 5:15-18, 20

“I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall (paraptomati) salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.” Romans 11:11

“to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses (paraptomata), unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:19

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault (paraptomati), ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” Galatians 6:1

“in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins (paraptomaton), according to the riches of his grace;” Ephesians 1:7

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses (paraptomasin) and sins (hamartiais);” Ephesians 2:1

“Even when we were dead in sins (paraptomasin), hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” Ephesians 2:5

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses (paraptomata);” Colossians 2:13

As the foregoing examples demonstrate, the Greek term rendered as faults does not simply refer to mistakes but to serious transgressions that, if left unconfessed and unrepentant, will lead to God’s wrath and judgment.

Further Reading

PUBLIC CONFESSION OF SINS

EARLY CHURCH ON SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

EARLY CHURCH ON PUBLICLY CONFESSING SINS