Those Transliterated Words

Are there Greek words in your English Bible?

By Harley Pinon

We've all heard the expression, "It's all Greek to me!" The question is, how many Greek words are there in your English Bible? There are many words in your English Bible that are basically Greek words. They are what are called transliterated words.

A transliterated word is one that comes to us from Greek, but was never really translated, it was just transliterated. This is done by basically changing the Greek letters into our English letters, and then perhaps smoothing up the pronunciation a bit.

It has been my feeling that generally when this is done, one of two things may happen. Either it is confusing, or we would have done better had we had the translation.

What are the words? That's a good question, and I don't claim that this is the complete list, but let me share a few with you.

Amen

Amen is an interesting word. Sometimes it is translated, sometimes it is not. Let's look at the Greek:

αμήν amēn Thayer Definition: 1) firm 1a) metaphorically faithful
2) verily, amen 2a) at the beginning of a discourse - surely, truly, of a truth
2b) at the end - so it is, so be it, may it be fulfilled. It was a custom, which passed over from the synagogues to the Christian assemblies, that when he who had read or discoursed, had offered up solemn prayer to God, the others responded Amen, and thus made the substance of what was uttered their own.

Amen probably doesn't cause us much trouble even though when it appears as Amen we probably don't think of it as Greek, perhaps it helps to know that it means "so be it," or "may it be fulfilled"

Sometimes it is translated as For "verily" I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Mat 5:18 KJV), or "For "assuredly," I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. (Mat 5:18 NKJV) or "For "truly" I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished. (Mat 5:18 NASB) And you've just seen three translations of "Amen."

Angel

We all know what an angel is right? Have you ever checked the definition?

αγγελος, aggelos Thayer Definition: 1) a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God.

The double g in Greek is pronounced as "ng" that gives us angelos. Very close to angel. Look at the definition. Now look at this verse.

Rev. 2:1 "Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write;" How is John, who is on earth supposed to get this message to an angel in heaven? Doesn't it make a lot more sense to think he was to get it to the "messenger" for the church?

Apostle

We all know there were 12 apostles, but what is an apostle?

απόστολος, apostolos: Thayer Definition: 1) a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders 1a) specifically applied to the twelve apostles of Christ 1b) in a broader sense applied to other eminent Christian teachers 1b1) of Barnabas 1b2) of Timothy and Silvanus

one sent forth with orders: I think that adds something. Add a delegate, sent forth by Christ with a mission. An ambassador if you will.

Baptism

βάπτισμα, baptisma, Thayer Definition: 1) immersion, submersion 1a) of calamities and afflictions with which one is quite overwhelmed. How much confusion might have been spared had the word been translated instead of transliterated. It means 1) immersion, submersion

Blaspheme

We all have an idea of blaspheme, but what is the definition?

βλασφημέω, blasphēmeo, Thayer Definition: 1) to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile, calumniate, blaspheme 2) to be evil spoken of, reviled, railed at

Hades

αδης hadēs Thayer Definition: 1) name Hades or Pluto, the god of the lower regions 2) Orcus, the nether world, the realm of the dead 3) later use of this word: the grave, death, hell The real meaning of the word is "the grave." "Hell" came into use later by the Greeks and their concepts of the place of the dead. The old King James often translates the word as "hell" while the New King James translates it as Hades, again a transliterated word, but an improvement over hell.

Hypocrite

Most of us have figured out by now what a hypocrite is, but I just like the definition of a hypocrite.

υποκριτής, hupokritēs Thayer Definition: 1) one who answers, an interpreter 2) an actor, stage player, 3) a dissembler, pretender, hypocrite

I just like the definition. An actor, a pretender, a stage player. I just think it adds a bit.

Mammon

Matthew 6:24: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." But what is mammon? Once again, it is basically a Greek word. Here it is in Greek, and its definition:

μαμμωνας, mammōnas, Thayer Definition: 1) mammon 2) treasure 3) riches (where it is personified and opposed to God) Notice that if you take off the "as" at the end of the Greek word, you are left with "mammon." Probably most of us have figured out what the word meant from the context, but I think it's nice to know.

Mystery

μυστήριον, mustērion Thayer Definition: 1) hidden thing, secret, mystery 1c1b) of God: the secret counsels which govern God in dealing with the righteous, which are hidden from ungodly and wicked men but plain to the godly I find it interesting that God's plans are to be plain to the godly.

Raca

Matthew 5:22, ". . .whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council:" But what does Raca mean?

ρακά, rhaka (Aramaic transliterated into Greek) Thayer Definition: 1) empty, i.e. a senseless, empty headed man 2) a term of reproach used among the Jews in the time of Christ.

Do you remember when "air head" was a popular expression with young people? What is an air head? Is Raca the same thing?

Satan

Look at the Greek word for Satan:

Σατανας, Satanas Thayer Definition: 1) adversary (one who opposes another in purpose or act), the name given to 1a) the prince of evil spirits, the inveterate adversary of God and Christ Take off the "as" on the end of the Greek word and you have Satan. I just think it's interesting to know that had it been translated, we would have "adversary." He is our adversary.

Words I wish they had left untranslated!

How about "ethnic" groups?

That may sound strange, but let me share these with you.

(Mat 24:7 NKJV) "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

The word for nation is: έθνος, ethnos from which we get ethnic, or ethnic groups. How many wars or disturbances of various kinds have been one ethnic group against another? Thayer Definition: 3) a tribe, nation, people group

How about "drugs"?

(Rev 9:21 NKJV) And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

The word for sorceries is: φαρμακεία, pharmakeia, Now may I transliterate this one? How about pharmacy? Drugs! Now I refer you to the Thayer Definition: 1) the use or the administering of drugs, 2) poisoning, 3) sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it. Why did we get the #3 definition instead of #1. Now let's retranslate Rev 9:21, "And they did not repent of their murders or their drugs or their sexual immorality or their thefts." Now does it sound even more like today?

One to Ponder

μαρτύριον, marturion, Thayer Definition: 1) testimony [translated: witness]

Ponder? I find it interesting that had this word been transliterated we would probably get martyr. Obviously not all witnesses were martyr but was their a connection?

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