Greek word · G4258

προαμαρτάνω

proamartanō

to sin beforehand

To sin earlier or previously. In the NT it occurs only here and in 13:2 (τοῖς προημαρτηκόσιν). It is rare elsewhere and appears in later Greek writers.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 23, 2026

What it means

προ-αμαρτάνω

to sin before: 2 Corinthians 12:21 13:2.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 2 Corinthians 12:21

Range of meaning: To sin earlier or previously. In the NT it occurs only here and in 13:2 (τοῖς προημαρτηκόσιν). It is rare elsewhere and appears in later Greek writers.
Against the English: KJV has 'sinned already', BSB 'sinned earlier', WEB 'sinned before now'. These are all reasonable. 'Earlier' blurs the perfect tense, which says the sinful condition still holds.
Used elsewhere in the period: The phrase in 13:2 is the same and refers to the same people: Paul warned them on his second visit and now warns them again. Classical and later Greek have occasional uses meaning 'to offend first'.

From the study of 2 Corinthians 13:2

Range of meaning: To sin beforehand, to have sinned previously. The word is rare. In the New Testament it occurs only here and in 2 Cor 12:21.
Against the English: "Those who sinned earlier" (BSB) is accurate. The KJV's "which heretofore have sinned" is also accurate, though archaic. The perfect participle carries a nuance English can lose: these are people whose past sinning remains unresolved, as 12:21 says they "have not repented."
Used elsewhere in the period: Outside the NT the word is uncommon in Koine Greek. Its meaning is plain from its parts: προ- ("before") + ἁμαρτάνω ("to sin, miss the mark"). Paul's use in 12:21 defines its content in this letter: impurity (ἀκαθαρσία), sexual immorality (πορνεία) and open debauchery (ἀσέλγεια).

Where it appears

2 Corinthians · 2

2 Corinthians 12:21 προημαρτηκότων having sinned before

I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery.

Here: 'Who sinned earlier and are still in that state.' The perfect tense marks past sin whose effects continue. 'Earlier' most likely means before Paul's last visit or his earlier letters.
2 Corinthians 13:2 προημαρτηκόσιν having sinned before

I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone,

Here: "Those who sinned before," the same group named in 12:21. They had sinned before his last visit and had still not turned from impurity, sexual immorality and debauchery. The perfect tense suggests their sinning is an unresolved, standing condition.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.