Hebrew and Greek words of the Bible
English carries Scripture well, but some words hold more than any one translation can. These are the ones worth knowing in the original: what they mean, how they come into English, and where they appear.
Hebrew
- Chesed חֶסֶדsteadfast love, covenant loyalty, mercy
- Shalom שָׁלוֹםpeace, wholeness, well-being
- Ruach רוּחַspirit, wind, breath
- Nephesh נֶפֶשׁsoul, life, living being
- Lev לֵבheart, mind, the inner person
- Torah תּוֹרָהinstruction, teaching, law
- Berit בְּרִיתcovenant
- Mishpat מִשְׁפָּטjustice, judgment, what is right
- Tsedaqah צְדָקָהrighteousness, right conduct
- Kavod כָּבוֹדglory, honour, weight
- Qadosh קָדוֹשׁholy, set apart
- Qodesh קֹדֶשׁholiness, what is sacred
- Emet אֱמֶתtruth, faithfulness, firmness
- Emunah אֱמוּנָהfaithfulness, steadiness
- Aman אָמַןto believe, to be firm, to trust
- Batach בָּטַחto trust, to feel secure
- Qavah קָוָהto wait for, to hope in
- Yeshuah יְשׁוּעָהsalvation, deliverance
- Ga'al גָּאַלto redeem, to act as kinsman-redeemer
- Kaphar כָּפַרto atone, to cover
- Shuv שׁוּבto return, to turn back, to repent
- Yada יָדַעto know
- Shama שָׁמַעto hear, to listen, to obey
- Barak בָּרַךְto bless, to kneel
- Halal הָלַלto praise
- Chen חֵןfavour, grace
- Ahavah אַהֲבָהlove
- Ahav אָהַבto love
- Avon עָוֹןiniquity, guilt
- Pesha פֶּשַׁעtransgression, rebellion
- Chattat חַטָּאתsin, sin offering
- Selah סֶלָהa pause or lift in the Psalms
- Bara בָּרָאto create
- Reshit רֵאשִׁיתbeginning, firstfruits
- Mashiach מָשִׁיחַanointed one, messiah
- Shem שֵׁםname, reputation
Greek
- Agapē ἀγάπηlove
- Agapaō ἀγαπάωto love
- Phileō φιλέωto love as a friend, to have affection for
- Charis χάριςgrace, favour
- Logos λόγοςword, message, reason
- Rhēma ῥῆμαa spoken word, a saying
- Pistis πίστιςfaith, trust, faithfulness
- Pneuma πνεῦμαspirit, breath, wind
- Psychē ψυχήsoul, life, self
- Kardia καρδίαheart
- Sarx σάρξflesh, human nature
- Dikaiosynē δικαιοσύνηrighteousness, justice
- Dikaios δίκαιοςrighteous, just
- Hamartia ἁμαρτίαsin, missing the mark
- Doxa δόξαglory, splendour
- Hagios ἅγιοςholy, a saint
- Eirēnē εἰρήνηpeace
- Chara χαράjoy
- Elpis ἐλπίςhope
- Zōē ζωήlife
- Alētheia ἀλήθειαtruth
- Ekklēsia ἐκκλησίαchurch, assembly
- Euangelion εὐαγγέλιονgospel, good news
- Basileia βασιλείαkingdom, reign
- Metanoia μετάνοιαrepentance, a change of mind
- Metanoeō μετανοέωto repent, to change one's mind
- Sōtēria σωτηρίαsalvation, deliverance
- Sōzō σῴζωto save, to heal, to rescue
- Dynamis δύναμιςpower, ability, miracle
- Exousia ἐξουσίαauthority, right
- Koinōnia κοινωνίαfellowship, sharing, partnership
- Parakaleō παρακαλέωto encourage, to comfort, to urge
- Hypomonē ὑπομονήendurance, patient perseverance
- Eleos ἔλεοςmercy
- Orgē ὀργήwrath, settled anger
- Aphesis ἄφεσιςforgiveness, release
- Makarios μακάριοςblessed, happy
- Mathētēs μαθητήςdisciple, learner
- Apostolos ἀπόστολοςapostle, one who is sent
- Baptizō βαπτίζωto baptize, to immerse
- Kosmos κόσμοςworld, order
- Kyrios κύριοςLord, master
- Christos ΧριστόςChrist, the anointed one
- Amēn ἀμήνtruly, so be it
- Ginōskō γινώσκωto know, to come to know