venal vs venial
Definitions
adjective
- capable of being corrupted
Examples
Virtually all of the clergy are portrayed as venal and conspiratorial.
A short autobiography is prefixed to the 1827 edition of Juvenal.
At school, like my peers, I was indoctrinated in the mysteries of original and venal sin, virgin birth, the respective criteria for entry to limbo, purgatory, and heaven.
Definitions
adjective
- warranting only temporal punishment
- easily excused or forgiven
Examples
I dont know whether i will laugh at myself when i am old, overlook myself just for venial things.
If a lie in itself only constitutes a venial sin, it becomes mortal when it does grave injury to the virtues of justice and charity.
The difference can not be the same as betwixt sins that are called venial and mortal: for he says, that if a man pray for his brother, who commits a sin that is not to death, life shall be given him: therefore such a one had before lost the life of grace, and been guilty of what is commonly called a mortal sin.
