The sin of the world

Gospel of John

There is no question that "sin" is in the singular in John's Gospel, from which we derive the title, "Lamb of God."

"The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world'" (Jn 1:29).

Greek

Τῇ ἐπαύριον βλέπει τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει· ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοὺ θεοὺ ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοὺ κόσμου.

New Translation of the Liturgy

Gloria

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;

Lamb of God

Latin

The Latin texts for the Mass are definitely the plural of "peccatum":

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

English

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Ecce Agnus Dei

Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

Other Scriptures

"Sin and Sins"

“Sin” in singular number: Matt.12.31; John 1.29; 8.34 (twice), 46; 9.41 (twice); 15.22 (twice), 24; 16.8,9; 19.11; Acts 7.60; Rom. 3.9,20; 4.8; 5.12 (twice), 13 (twice), 20,21; 6.1,2,6 (twice), 7,10,11,12,13,14,16,17,18,20,22,23; 7.7 (twice), 8 (twice), 9,11,13 (thrice), 14,17,20,23,25; 8.2,3 (mg., thrice), 10; 14.23; 1 Cor. 15.56 (twice); 2 Cor. 5.21 (twice); 11.7; Gal. 2.17; 3.22; 2 Thess. 2.3; Heb. 3.13; 4.15; 9.26,28 (the second “sin”); 10.6,8,18; 11.25; 12.1,4; 13.11; James 1.15 (twice); 2.9; 4.17; 1 Peter 2.22; 4.1; 2 Peter 2.14; 1 John 1.7,8; 3.4 (twice), 5 (the second “sin”), 8,9; 5.16 (twice), 17 (twice).

“Sins” in plural number: Matt. 1.21; 3.6; 9.2,5,6; 26.28; Mark 1.4,5; 2.5,7,9,10; Luke 1.77; 3.3; 5.20,21,23,24; 7.47,48,49; 11.4; 24.47; John 8.21, 24 (twice); 9.34; 20.23; Acts 2.38; 3.19; 5.31; 10.43; 13.38; 22.16; 26.18; Rom. 4.7; 7.5; 11.27; 1 Cor. 15.3,17; Gal. 1.4; Eph. 2.1; Col. 1.14; 1 Thess. 2.16; 1 Tim. 5.22,24; 2 Tim. 3.6; Heb. 1.3; 2.17; 5.1,3; 7.27; 8.12; 9.28 (the first “sins”); 10.2,3,4,11,12,17,26; James 5.15,20; 1 Peter 2.24 (twice); 3.18; 4.8; 2 Peter 1.9; 1 John 1.9 (twice); 2.2,12; 3.5 (the first “sins”); 4.10; Rev. 1.5; 18.4,5.

Interpretations

Edward Pothier.

"Sin (in the singular) would be the state of rebellion against and separation from God while sins (in the plural) would be thoughts, words, or actions resulting from that rebellion and separation. Thankfully, it can be said that the Lamb of God takes away both, but the origin of the plural is curious."

Guesses:

• Sin = "The totality of all sins."

Links

• Agnus Dei (liturgy)".