# Guilty

The words “guilty” and “guilt”  are used to talk about someone who sinned or did something wrong. 

A person sometimes has a legal trial. This happens when someone else says a person has done something wrong. The person goes in front of a judge. If the judge says that the person did something wrong, then the person is guilty (see: Matthew 5:22; James 2:10). 

The opposite of guilty is innocent. 

See: [Ancient Trials (Lawsuit)](../articles/ancienttrials.md); [Judge (Judgment)](../articles/judge.md);[Innocent](../articles/innocent.md)

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In the Bible, “sin” and “guilt” are similar things. Every person has sinned against God and is guilty (see: Romans 3:23; 5:12-14). David wrote that he was guilty even before he was born (see: Psalm 51:5). David said this to talk about how it is impossible for people not to sin against God. All people deserve to be punished by God because they are all guilty. Only by God’s grace and mercy can a person no longer be guilty. This is because God sent Jesus to die for people’s sins (see: John 1:29; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 7:27). God forgives those who believe in Jesus. God no longer considers them guilty of sinning against him.

See: [Sin](../articles/sin.md); [Sinful Nature](../articles/sinfulnature.md); [Punish (Punishment)](../articles/punish.md); [Grace](../articles/grace.md); [Mercy](../articles/mercy.md); [Atone (Atonement)](../articles/atone.md); [Forgive (Forgiveness, Pardon)](../articles/forgive.md); [Faith (Believe in)](../articles/faith.md)