How many times is sinner mentioned in the Bible?
The word sinner appears 21 times in the King James Version, in 21 verses. Counting every form (sinner, sinners), it appears 69 times in 67 verses across 19 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses sinner 22 times (71 with every form).
Sinner in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of sinner counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| sinner | 21 | 22 |
| sinners | 48 | 49 |
| Total | 69 | 71 |
Which books mention sinner most
Sinner appears in 19 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Luke has the most (17), then Psalms (6) and Proverbs (6).
Also in: 1 Samuel (1), Amos (1), 1 Peter (1), Jude (1).
First and last mention of sinner
But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
The verse that uses it most is Mark 2:16, 2 times (tied with Luke 6:34):
And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
Where the two translations differ
2 verses match in the KJV but not in the World English Bible, and 4 verses match only in the World English Bible, usually because the other translation chose a different word there.
Numbers 16:38: counted in the KJV only
The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
even the censers of those who sinned against their own lives. Let them be beaten into plates for a covering of the altar, for they offered them before Yahweh. Therefore they are holy. They shall be a sign to the children of Israel.”
Luke 13:4: counted in the KJV only
Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them; do you think that they were worse offenders than all the men who dwell in Jerusalem?
1 Corinthians 5:9: counted in the World English Bible only
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners;
1 Corinthians 5:10: counted in the World English Bible only
Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with idolaters; for then you would have to leave the world.
Verses with sinner on our topic pages
18 verses that use sinner in the World English Bible are in our topic collections.
But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
On: Love, Forgiveness, Salvation, Grace
But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
On: Idolatry, What Does the Bible Say About Lying? 28 Verses, What Does the Bible Say About Halloween? 24 Verses, What Does the Bible Say About Witchcraft? 25 Verses
I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
On: Joy, Repentance, Evangelism
Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”
On: Joy, Angels, Repentance
Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers;
On: Blessings, What Does the Bible Say About Meditation? 29 Verses
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous.
But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
On: Mercy, Repentance
Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.
On: Guidance
Don’t let your heart envy sinners; but rather fear Yahweh all day long.
On: Jealousy
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
On: Repentance
The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
On: Alcohol
Common questions
How many times is sinner in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 25 of the 69 uses are in the Old Testament and 44 in the New Testament. Sinner appears in 19 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Luke has the most (17), then Psalms (6) and Proverbs (6).
Where is sinner first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is Genesis 13:13: "But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly." The last is Jude 1:15.
More word counts: saint, redemption, atonement, Gentiles, giant, Easter, Selah, behold, or all 253 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-05.