# How many sins are there in the Bible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 13, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sins-are-there-in-the-bible/284504 "2005-01-13T04:29:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sins-are-there-in-the-bible/284504/1 "2005-01-13T04:29:36Z")
OK, the topic may be more suited for gd, but it is a factual question I’m asking. Has anybody ever enumerated all the activities the Bible prohibits (i.e. sins)? Is there a master list of thou shalt nots anywhere? I doubt it, but it would be interesting if there were and I’m curious if anybody’s ever heard of such a thing. And if so, just how many sins are there? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sins-are-there-in-the-bible/284504/2 "2005-01-13T04:42:39Z")
In the Talmud, Jewish scholars reckon that the Torah (Law) enumerates 613 _mitzvot_ or commands that bind the covenant between the Jews and God. There are also the seven Noachide Laws that are reckoned to govern the behavior of Gentiles (although each of the seven duplicates one or more of the 613). I do not know whether there has been more splitting beyond that point to distinguish multiple “sins” within the 613 _Mitzvot_. Certainly the seven Noachide laws are broad enough to cover a multitude of sins. [List of the 613 Mitzvot](http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm) [Noachide Laws](http://www.ahavat-israel.com/ahavat/am/goyim.asp) Depending on one’s interpretation, the New testament does or does not “add” laws with the commands to Love God and Love one’s neighbor (clearly found in the Torah), to do unto others as one would have them do to oneself, or a few other declarations. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sins-are-there-in-the-bible/284504/3 "2005-01-13T04:54:59Z")
Of course, no one could violate all 613 _mitzvos_. Some only apply to men, some only to women, some only to _kohanim_, some only to Levites and/or Israelites, some only in certain circumstances, etc. And, as **tomndebb** pointed out, non-Jews are not required to perform them (aside from the seven Noahide commandments) anyway. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sins-are-there-in-the-bible/284504/4 "2005-01-13T05:09:43Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > I do not know whether there has been more splitting beyond that point to distinguish multiple “sins” within the 613 _Mitzvot_. No splitting, but one can violate the same sin for different actions. For example, there is a _mitzvah_ not to perform work on _shabbos_. Work, however, is broken down into 39 different categories. So, for example, one who writes, lights a fire and builds a tent on _shabbos_ violates the same commandment three times with three different actions. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sins-are-there-in-the-bible/284504/5 "2005-01-13T13:00:52Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > [List of the 613 Mitzvot](http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm) OK, I just have to question the translation on 604-607, regarding the treatment of female captives of war. Specifically, the qualifier of ‘beautiful’ applied in each case. Does that mean what it sounds like? Can you do whatever you want with the _ugly_ women? Just curious … ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sins-are-there-in-the-bible/284504/6 "2005-01-13T15:08:47Z")
There is apparently a good sized list of sins that rate the death penalty. In an NPR story about Sister Helen Prejean’s new book, she says she is often confronted by people who quote Exodus in order to justify capital punishment for murder. > **[Prejean Discusses 'The Death of Innocents'](https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4280885)** > > In a new book, Sister Helen Prejean, a Roman Catholic nun whose story was told in the film 'Dead Man Walking,' says a man was wrongly executed for a Louisiana woman's stabbing death. She replies that nearby passages also talk of the death penalty for children sassing their parents, and over 30 capital sins. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sins-are-there-in-the-bible/284504/7 "2005-01-13T17:06:16Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Depending on one’s interpretation, the New testament does or does not “add” laws with the commands to Love God and Love one’s neighbor (clearly found in the Torah), to do unto others as one would have them do to oneself, or a few other declarations. Wouldn’t it also generally be considered (by christians) to remove some of the older pronouncements? Often WHICH is the source of much debate IME. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sins-are-there-in-the-bible/284504/8 "2005-01-13T17:33:41Z")
It may be worth pointing out that no serious moral theologian would define “sin” as “activity which the Bible prohibits.” (How they _would_ define it is probably a matter for GD.) ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sins-are-there-in-the-bible/284504/9 "2005-01-13T19:10:30Z")
Slight hijack: The list of given laws: > [@tomndebb](#): > > [List of the 613 Mitzvot](http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm) includes: #72 That a bridegroom shall be exempt for a whole year from taking part in any public labor, such as military service, guarding the wall and similar duties (Deut. 24:5) (negative). So my question is: Are newly married men (and women) in Israel exempt from military service?