The 7 deadly sins are a classic Christian list of core vices: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth, seen as roots from which many other sins and harmful behaviors grow.

What are the 7 deadly sins?

These sins are often called capital or cardinal sins because they “give birth” to other sins and vices.

  • Pride – An exaggerated sense of self-importance or superiority, placing the self above others and even above God.
  • Greed (avarice) – An excessive desire for money, possessions, or power, going beyond what is truly needed.
  • Lust – Disordered or excessive desire for sexual pleasure, treating others as objects rather than persons.
  • Envy – Sadness or resentment at another’s good, talents, or success, wanting what they have or wanting them to lose it.
  • Gluttony – Overindulgence in food, drink, or consumption in general, beyond what is reasonable or healthy.
  • Wrath (anger) – Intense, uncontrolled anger, hatred, or a desire for revenge that leads to harm.
  • Sloth (acedia) – Spiritual or moral laziness; failing to do the good one ought to do out of apathy or indifference.

Where did this list come from?

  • The list developed in early Christian tradition rather than appearing in a single Bible verse.
  • It was shaped especially by writers like Evagrius Ponticus and John Cassian, and formally listed by Pope Gregory the Great in the 6th century, then taken up by later theologians such as Thomas Aquinas.

Why are they considered “deadly”?

  • They are seen as “deadly” or “capital” because they are root vices : many other sins and destructive habits flow from them.
  • Each one directly opposes a key virtue (for example, pride vs. humility, greed vs. charity, lust vs. chastity, envy vs. kindness, gluttony vs. temperance, wrath vs. patience, sloth vs. diligence).

Mini forum-style angle & today’s relevance

In modern discussions (from theology blogs to Reddit threads and YouTube explainers), people often talk about the 7 deadly sins less as “church rules” and more as a kind of psychological map of self-destructive tendencies.

You’ll see questions like:

“If pride is the root of all sins, is social-media flexing just modern pride in disguise?”

and debates over which sins feel most “normalized” today—greed in consumer culture, envy in social media comparison, or sloth in endless scrolling.

Simple HTML table (for your blog)

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Sin</th>
      <th>Short definition</th>
      <th>Opposing virtue</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Pride</td>
      <td>Excessive self-importance and superiority.[web:1][web:5]</td>
      <td>Humility.[web:1][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Greed (Avarice)</td>
      <td>Excessive desire for wealth or possessions.[web:1][web:5]</td>
      <td>Charity / Generosity.[web:1][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Lust</td>
      <td>Disordered desire for sexual pleasure.[web:1][web:5][web:9]</td>
      <td>Chastity.[web:1][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Envy</td>
      <td>Sorrow or resentment at another’s good.[web:1][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>Kindness.[web:1][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Gluttony</td>
      <td>Overindulgence in food, drink, or consumption.[web:1][web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>Temperance.[web:1][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Wrath (Anger)</td>
      <td>Uncontrolled anger, hatred, or desire for revenge.[web:1][web:3][web:7]</td>
      <td>Patience.[web:1][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Sloth (Acedia)</td>
      <td>Moral or spiritual laziness; neglect of duty.[web:1][web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>Diligence.[web:1][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.