The Seven Deadly Sins

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

In Christianity, the seven deadly sins are considered “deadly” because it is believed they can do terrible damage to the soul. The now-famous list does not appear in the Bible and may have been formulated by Gregory the Great (540–604). The deadly sins are sometimes known as “capital” or “cardinal” sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and sloth.