A Bible study on the theme of 'Total Depravity'.
This passage confronts humanity with a stark and sobering reality: the pervasive wickedness of the human heart and the utter inability to seek God or do good apart from divine intervention. It underscores the depths of sin, highlighting that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The biblical narrative reveals that, left to our own devices, our inclinations are towards evil, leading to a state of spiritual death. Yet, in the midst of this bleak picture, there shines a ray of hope in the promise of reconciliation through Christ. Only through His grace can we be revived from our spiritual deadness and made new, illustrating the profound truth of our dependence on God's mercy and the transformative power of His love.
Core Bible study
Genesis 6:5
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Original language
וַיַּ֣רְא יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכָל־יֵ֙צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃
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No cross-references
Commentary
No commentary
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Psalms 14:2
The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
Original language
יְֽהוָ֗ה מִשָּׁמַיִם֮ הִשְׁקִ֢יף עַֽל־בְּנֵי־אָדָ֥ם לִ֭רְאוֹת הֲיֵ֣שׁ מַשְׂכִּ֑יל דֹּ֝רֵשׁ אֶת־אֱלֹהִֽים׃
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No cross-references
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No commentary
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Psalms 14:3
They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Original language
הַכֹּ֥ל סָר֮ יַחְדָּ֢ו נֶ֫אֱלָ֥חוּ אֵ֤ין עֹֽשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב אֵ֝֗ין גַּם־אֶחָֽד׃
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No cross-references
Commentary
No commentary
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Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Original language
וְאֵין־קוֹרֵ֣א בְשִׁמְךָ֔ מִתְעוֹרֵ֖ר לְהַחֲזִ֣יק בָּ֑ךְ כִּֽי־הִסְתַּ֤רְתָּ פָנֶ֙יךָ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וַתְּמוּגֵ֖נוּ בְּיַד־עֲוֺנֵֽנוּ׃
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Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Original language
עָקֹ֥ב הַלֵּ֛ב מִכֹּ֖ל וְאָנֻ֣שׁ ה֑וּא מִ֖י יֵדָעֶֽנּוּ׃
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No commentary
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Romans 3:10
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Original language
καθως γεγραπται οτι ουκ εστιν δικαιος ουδε εις
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No commentary
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Romans 3:11
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Original language
ουκ εστιν ο συνιων ουκ εστιν ο εκζητων τον θεον
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No commentary
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Romans 3:12
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Original language
παντες εξεκλιναν αμα ηχρειωθησαν ουκ εστιν ποιων χρηστοτητα ουκ εστιν εως ενος
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Romans 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Original language
δια τουτο ωσπερ δι ενος ανθρωπου η αμαρτια εις τον κοσμον εισηλθεν και δια της αμαρτιας ο θανατος και ουτως εις παντας ανθρωπους ο θανατος διηλθεν εφ ω παντες ημαρτον
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Romans 5:13
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Original language
αχρι γαρ νομου αμαρτια ην εν κοσμω αμαρτια δε ουκ ελλογειται μη οντος νομου
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Romans 5:14
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
Original language
αλλ εβασιλευσεν ο θανατος απο αδαμ μεχρι μωσεως και επι τους μη αμαρτησαντας επι τω ομοιωματι της παραβασεως αδαμ ος εστιν τυπος του μελλοντος
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Ephesians 2:1
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Original language
και υμας οντας νεκρους τοις παραπτωμασιν και ταις αμαρτιαις
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No commentary
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Ephesians 2:2
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Original language
εν αις ποτε περιεπατησατε κατα τον αιωνα του κοσμου τουτου κατα τον αρχοντα της εξουσιας του αερος του πνευματος του νυν ενεργουντος εν τοις υιοις της απειθειας
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No commentary
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Ephesians 2:3
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Original language
εν οις και ημεις παντες ανεστραφημεν ποτε εν ταις επιθυμιαις της σαρκος ημων ποιουντες τα θεληματα της σαρκος και των διανοιων και ημεν τεκνα φυσει οργης ως και οι λοιποι
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No commentary
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Colossians 1:21
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Original language
και υμας ποτε οντας απηλλοτριωμενους και εχθρους τη διανοια εν τοις εργοις τοις πονηροις νυνι δε αποκατηλλαξεν
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No commentary
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1 John 1:8
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Original language
εαν ειπωμεν οτι αμαρτιαν ουκ εχομεν εαυτους πλανωμεν και η αληθεια ουκ εστιν εν ημιν
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No commentary
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1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Original language
εαν ομολογωμεν τας αμαρτιας ημων πιστος εστιν και δικαιος ινα αφη ημιν τας αμαρτιας και καθαριση ημας απο πασης αδικιας
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No commentary
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1 John 1:10
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Original language
εαν ειπωμεν οτι ουχ ημαρτηκαμεν ψευστην ποιουμεν αυτον και ο λογος αυτου ουκ εστιν εν ημιν
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No commentary
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Jeremiah 13:23
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Original language
הֲיַהֲפֹ֤ךְ כּוּשִׁי֙ עוֹר֔וֹ וְנָמֵ֖ר חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑יו גַּם־אַתֶּם֙ תּוּכְל֣וּ לְהֵיטִ֔יב לִמֻּדֵ֖י הָרֵֽעַ׃
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No commentary
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James 1:14
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Original language
εκαστος δε πειραζεται υπο της ιδιας επιθυμιας εξελκομενος και δελεαζομενος
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James 1:15
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Original language
ειτα η επιθυμια συλλαβουσα τικτει αμαρτιαν η δε αμαρτια αποτελεσθεισα αποκυει θανατον
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Titus 1:15
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Original language
ειτα η επιθυμια συλλαβουσα τικτει αμαρτιαν η δε αμαρτια αποτελεσθεισα αποκυει θανατον
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Titus 1:16
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Original language
θεον ομολογουσιν ειδεναι τοις δε εργοις αρνουνται βδελυκτοι οντες και απειθεις και προς παν εργον αγαθον αδοκιμοι
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No commentary
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Romans 7:18
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Original language
οιδα γαρ οτι ουκ οικει εν εμοι τουτ εστιν εν τη σαρκι μου αγαθον το γαρ θελειν παρακειται μοι το δε κατεργαζεσθαι το καλον ουχ ευρισκω
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No commentary
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Romans 7:19
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Original language
ου γαρ ο θελω ποιω αγαθον αλλ ο ου θελω κακον τουτο πρασσω
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No commentary
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Romans 7:20
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Original language
ει δε ο ου θελω εγω τουτο ποιω ουκετι εγω κατεργαζομαι αυτο αλλ η οικουσα εν εμοι αμαρτια
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Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Original language
τη ελευθερια ουν η χριστος ημας ηλευθερωσεν στηκετε και μη παλιν ζυγω δουλειας ενεχεσθε
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No commentary
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