Guilt

Guilt is the state of having broken God's law and being liable to judgment. All people are guilty before God, and guilt is taken away through confession, atonement and forgiveness.

All are guilty before God

• Romans 3:19
  Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
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• Romans 3:23
  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
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• James 2:10
  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
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The weight of guilt

• Psalm 38:4
  For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are a burden too heavy to bear.
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• Psalm 32:3-4
  ³When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. ⁴For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat. Selah
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• Psalm 51:3
  For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
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Guilt taken away

• Isaiah 6:7
  And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.And with it he touched my mouth and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your iniquity is removed and your sin is atoned for.”
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• Psalm 32:5
  I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
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• Psalm 103:12
  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
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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.If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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Cleansed through Christ

• Isaiah 53:5-6
  ⁵But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. ⁶All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.
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• Romans 8:1
  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
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• Hebrews 9:14
  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
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• Hebrews 10:22
  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
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Conscience

• Acts 24:16
  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.
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• 1 John 3:20-21
  ²⁰For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things. ²¹Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God,
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See also

• Shame
• Confession
• Forgiveness
• Atonement

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.