ANSWER: As admirable as the King James Version of the Bible is in many respects, yet this translation is very faulty here. It gives a totally incorrect idea of what sin is. Furthermore, if this translation were true, it would be in flat contradiction to a verse in Romans 54And patience, experience; and experience, hope: (Romans 5:4): "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression." Adam was given a specific law: "Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat." He broke that law; he transgressed the commandment, and death was his portion. But this 14th verse of Romans 5 informs us that death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had broken no law like Adam did. The ten commandments were not given until Moses's day. But men sinned, and death was their portion when there was no law. It is not merely that they died because their father Adam sinned, but because they were sinners by practice as well as by nature. Therefore we can see at once how very faulty the King James translation of 1 John 3:44Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (1 John 3:4) is.
It may be well to call attention here to the fact that this error has been perpetuated by a footnote in the C. I. Scofield reference Bible. Under Romans 34God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. (Romans 3:4), the note says: "Sin is the transgression [italics theirs], an overstepping of the law, the divine boundary between good and evil." Luke 15:2929And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: (Luke 15:29) is cited as a proof text; it reads that the elder brother said to his father, "Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment." Now this statement was a plain falsehood, and is a false idea of every Pharisee. The elder brother could say with another Pharisee, "God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men," and be none the better for it; he added a lie to his many sins. The correct translation of 1 John 3:44Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (1 John 3:4) is: "SIN IS LAWLESSNESS"—man doing his own will and going his own way without regard to his Creator. The elder brother, even as he made protestations of innocence, was longing for the kid that he might make merry with his friends. His father was not in his thoughts, and so man lives today. God is not in his thoughts. The prodigal was enjoying the fatted calf with the father, and with those whom the father sat down at the table with him. The father said, "Let us eat, and be merry." The elder brother wanted a calf to make merry with his friends, apart from his father.
The Scofield note says of trespass that it is "the intrusion of self-will into the sphere of divine authority." Let us read a few verses from the book of Leviticus: "If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: and he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest.... If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbor in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbor; or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering. And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flock with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD." Lev. 5:15; 6:2-715If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the Lord; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the Lord a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: (Leviticus 5:15)
2If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbor in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbor; 3Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: 4Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, 5Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering. 6And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: 7And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein. (Leviticus 6:2‑7).
Here we learn that "trespass" is connected with a case wherein God is dishonored, even though it may be a mere man who was defrauded. Nor is it sufficient that a sacrifice be offered to God, but the wrong done to man was to be repaid, and that not only in full, but according to the estimation of the value by the priest, one-fifth more was to be added to the amount of recompense.
Now if we turn to the 69th Psalm, we have the Lord Himself prophetically speaking, "then I restored that which I took not away." This is another aspect of the sin offering. The trespass offering takes account of damage that accrues to one through another's sin. And if we consider how sin dishonored God, the reproach cast upon Him by man's sin, we see how the Lord not only suffered in the sinner's stead on the cross for his sins, but He glorified God in all the reproach and dishonor brought to Him by sin. The Lord Jesus Christ not only answered to God for man's sins, but He brought glory and honor to God, so that (speaking reverently) God's nature has been glorified, and the fifth part has been added thereto so that God is richer than if sin had never intruded on His fair creation. At the cross of Christ we see how God's holiness-intrinsic holiness-His righteousness, His grace, His love, and all His attributes meet. Truly He has been glorified!
"Iniquity" was often connected with sin in relation to the "holy things." Our Great High Priest bears the iniquity of our holy things (Exod. 28:3838And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord. (Exodus 28:38)). How much of self and of pride and fleshly satisfaction enter into our worship which should be in spirit and in truth! Therefore we need the gracious office of our Great High Priest, which we have, according to Heb. 10:2121And having an high priest over the house of God; (Hebrews 10:21).