In the Scriptures we find:
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:28-29, NAB)
The liturgy renders it:
“Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis” (Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us)…
Peccata, being plural; singular would be peccatum.
Properly speaking, Jesus Christ died to take away the sin (in general) of the world. As mediator between God and man, Jesus was able by his sacrifice to satisfy the wrath of God for the sinful state of man that placed an obstacle between God and man. This, of course, includes the actual sins each of us has commited, but it is wrong to say that Jesus came to take the penalty for each and every one of our sins. That would be what is known as *substitutionary atonement *which is a Calvinist Protestant error which has been condemned by the Church.
