Quotes About Sin for Sermons on Confession and Grace
Scripture on sin honestly named, plus Augustine and Luther on the specific, personal shape it takes.
Scripture does not treat sin as an abstraction: it names specific acts, and it consistently pairs the naming with the offer of forgiveness in the very next breath. The quotes below try to hold both halves together, since either one alone drifts into something scripture does not teach.
Two Reformation-era quotes are included for how personal and specific they are: Augustine's prayer for chastity, which he later reflects on with some embarrassment, and Luther's famous line to Melanchthon, whose exact context (a 1521 letter) is well documented and worth knowing before quoting it.
Quotes about sin
Scripture is quoted from the World English Bible (public domain). Every non-scripture quote names its specific source so you can verify it before you preach it.
“For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”
Paul — Romans 3:23 (WEB)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Paul — Romans 6:23 (WEB)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
John — 1 John 1:9 (WEB)
“All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way.”
Isaiah — Isaiah 53:6 (WEB)
“Behold, I was born in iniquity. In sin my mother conceived me.”
David — Psalm 51:5 (WEB)
“Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.”
Augustine — Confessions, Book VIII (c. 397)
“Sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly.”
Martin Luther — Letter to Philip Melanchthon, August 1, 1521
Using these quotes in preaching
- 1Augustine's "not yet" is often used as a punchline about human weakness, but he tells the story on himself with real regret. It works best as an honest confession of divided will, not a joke.
- 2Luther's "sin boldly" line is frequently quoted out of context as license. In the letter itself, it follows an argument that no sin can separate a believer from grace, and Luther is arguing against scrupulosity, not for carelessness, worth explaining if you use it.
- 3Psalm 51:5 is one of the harder texts in this list to preach gently; it is worth pairing with the rest of Psalm 51, which moves immediately from this confession toward "create in me a clean heart."
- 4Romans 6:23 is a single sentence with two halves that are easy to separate in preaching but were not written separately: the wage and the gift are stated in the same breath for contrast.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common Bible verse about sin?
Romans 3:23 ("all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God") and Romans 6:23 ("the wages of sin is death...") are the two most frequently quoted, largely because they are commonly paired in gospel presentations.
Did Luther really say "sin boldly"?
Yes, in a 1521 letter to Philip Melanchthon. The phrase is often quoted without its context, where Luther is arguing that believers should trust grace more firmly than they fear their own weakness, not encouraging deliberate sin.
What does 1 John 1:9 promise?
That confessed sin is forgiven and the believer cleansed "from all unrighteousness": it is commonly paired with an assurance in worship because it states both the condition (confession) and the result (forgiveness) in one sentence.
Preached it? Keep a record of what you actually said.
A quote is one line of a sermon. Transcribe the whole thing and build a searchable archive your congregation can go back to — the Church Plan is $19/month for as many sermons as you preach.
Related quote themes
Quotes about Hypocrisy
Jesus's own words on hypocrisy, sharper and more specific than almost anything said about it since.
Quotes about Good Friday
Scripture from the cross itself, plus two hymns whose words have carried Good Friday services for three centuries.
Every quote theme
More sermon resources
- Worship liturgy library: benedictions, calls to worship, and every other part of the service.
- Sermon illustrations by topic: honestly sourced, with the point each one lands.
- Sermon resources for all 66 books: themes, famous chapters, and preaching notes.
- Sermon outline generator: turn a text and a big idea into a preaching outline.