A WORD A DAY

Christian Words to Live By

The early Church spoke Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and Aramaic. Their words still shape ours. A small dictionary of the heart.

Agape

ἀγάπη (Greek)

Self-giving love that wills the good of the other — the love God shows His household.

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind."

— 1 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV)

Shalom

שָׁלוֹם (Hebrew)

Wholeness, completeness, the deep peace of restoration.

"The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."

— Numbers 6:26 (KJV)

Hesed

חֶסֶד (Hebrew)

Steadfast covenant-keeping love. 'Lovingkindness' in the KJV.

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever."

— Psalms 136:1 (KJV)

Logos

λόγος (Greek)

Word; the eternal expression of God revealed in Christ.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

— John 1:1 (KJV)

Amen

אָמֵן (Hebrew)

So be it. A pledge of agreement — God is faithful and true.

"Surely I come quickly. Amen."

— Revelation 22:20 (KJV)

Hosanna

הוֹשַׁע־נָּא (Hebrew)

Save now! A cry for help that became a shout of praise.

"Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."

— Matthew 21:9 (KJV)

Maranatha

מָרַנָא תָא (Aramaic)

Our Lord, come.

"If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha."

— 1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV)

Selah

סֶלָה (Hebrew)

A pause to consider — let the heart catch up to the words.

"Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah."

— Psalms 3:2 (KJV)

Pneuma

πνεῦμα (Greek)

Spirit, breath, wind — the moving of the Holy Spirit.

"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof."

— John 3:8 (KJV)

Theos

θεός (Greek)

God — the supreme Being.

"And the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

— John 1:1 (KJV)

Christos

Χριστός (Greek)

The Anointed One — translation of the Hebrew Messiah.

"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."

— Matthew 16:16 (KJV)

Messiah

מָשִׁיחַ (Hebrew)

The Anointed — the promised deliverer.

"Unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks."

— Daniel 9:25 (KJV)

Sabbath

שַׁבָּת (Hebrew)

Rest. A day set apart for worship and renewal.

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."

— Exodus 20:8 (KJV)

Hallelujah

הַלְלוּ־יָהּ (Hebrew)

Praise ye the LORD!

"Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God."

— Revelation 19:1 (KJV)

Abba

אַבָּא (Aramaic)

Father — the household name a child uses.

"Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

— Romans 8:15 (KJV)

Eucharist

εὐχαριστία (Greek)

Thanksgiving — the church's term for the Lord's Supper.

"When he had given thanks, he brake it."

— 1 Corinthians 11:24 (KJV)

Doxa

δόξα (Greek)

Glory — the visible weight of God's presence.

"We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father."

— John 1:14 (KJV)

Pistis

πίστις (Greek)

Faith — trustful confidence in God.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

— Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

Elpis

ἐλπίς (Greek)

Hope that does not disappoint.

"Hope maketh not ashamed."

— Romans 5:5 (KJV)

Charis

χάρις (Greek)

Grace — unearned favour from God.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith."

— Ephesians 2:8 (KJV)

Soter

σωτήρ (Greek)

Saviour — one who rescues.

"Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour."

— Luke 2:11 (KJV)

Kyrios

κύριος (Greek)

Lord — the One who has authority.

"Every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."

— Philippians 2:11 (KJV)

Doulos

δοῦλος (Greek)

Bondservant — belonging entirely to another.

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ."

— Romans 1:1 (KJV)

Ekklesia

ἐκκλησία (Greek)

The called-out assembly — the Church.

"Upon this rock I will build my church."

— Matthew 16:18 (KJV)

Adam

אָדָם (Hebrew)

Man — the earth-creature breathed into by God.

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground."

— Genesis 2:7 (KJV)

Ruach

רוּחַ (Hebrew)

Breath, wind, Spirit — moving and life-giving.

"The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."

— Genesis 1:2 (KJV)

Yahweh

יְהוָה (Hebrew)

The covenant name of God.

"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM."

— Exodus 3:14 (KJV)

Adonai

אֲדֹנָי (Hebrew)

My Lord — used in reverent address to God.

"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name."

— Psalms 8:1 (KJV)

El

אֵל (Hebrew)

God — the mighty One.

"I am the Almighty God."

— Genesis 17:1 (KJV)

Emmanuel

עִמָּנוּאֵל (Hebrew)

God with us.

"They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

— Matthew 1:23 (KJV)

Jubilee

יוֹבֵל (Hebrew)

The year of release and freedom.

"Ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land."

— Leviticus 25:10 (KJV)

Halleluyah

הַלְלוּ־יָהּ (Hebrew)

Praise to Yah.

"Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD."

— Psalms 150:6 (KJV)

Tsedakah

צְדָקָה (Hebrew)

Righteousness — right living within covenant.

"The righteous LORD loveth righteousness."

— Psalms 11:7 (KJV)

Mishkan

מִשְׁכָּן (Hebrew)

Tabernacle — the dwelling place of God among His people.

"Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them."

— Exodus 25:8 (KJV)

Kavod

כָּבוֹד (Hebrew)

Glory — weighty presence.

"The heavens declare the glory of God."

— Psalms 19:1 (KJV)

Tsion

צִיּוֹן (Hebrew)

Zion — the dwelling place of God's people.

"By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion."

— Psalms 137:1 (KJV)

Manna

מָן (Hebrew)

Bread from heaven — daily provision.

"It is manna: for they wist not what it was."

— Exodus 16:15 (KJV)

Pesach

פֶּסַח (Hebrew)

Passover — the night the angel of death passed over.

"It is the LORD'S passover."

— Exodus 12:11 (KJV)

Mitzvah

מִצְוָה (Hebrew)

Commandment, good deed.

"This commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee."

— Deuteronomy 30:11 (KJV)

Berakah

בְּרָכָה (Hebrew)

Blessing.

"I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing."

— Genesis 12:2 (KJV)

Avodah

עֲבֹדָה (Hebrew)

Service, worship, work.

"Ye shall keep this service."

— Exodus 12:25 (KJV)

Halal

הָלַל (Hebrew)

To shine forth, to praise.

"Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD."

— Psalms 113:1 (KJV)

Yashar

יָשָׁר (Hebrew)

Upright, straight.

"The integrity of the upright shall guide them."

— Proverbs 11:3 (KJV)

Tov

טוֹב (Hebrew)

Good — beautiful, useful, fitting.

"God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good."

— Genesis 1:31 (KJV)

Aleph

אָלֶף (Hebrew)

First letter of the Hebrew alphabet — the head of all things.

"Blessed are the undefiled in the way."

— Psalms 119:1 (KJV)

Omega

Ω (Greek)

The last letter — Christ as the End.

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending."

— Revelation 1:8 (KJV)

Sophia

σοφία (Greek)

Wisdom — skill in living well.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God."

— James 1:5 (KJV)

Phos

φῶς (Greek)

Light.

"The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."

— John 1:5 (KJV)

Zoe

ζωή (Greek)

Life — the unending life that comes from God.

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

— John 10:10 (KJV)

Soma

σῶμα (Greek)

Body — the church as Christ's body.

"For as the body is one, and hath many members."

— 1 Corinthians 12:12 (KJV)

Kerygma

κήρυγμα (Greek)

Proclamation, preaching.

"It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."

— 1 Corinthians 1:21 (KJV)

Koinonia

κοινωνία (Greek)

Fellowship, sharing.

"They continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship."

— Acts 2:42 (KJV)

Diakonia

διακονία (Greek)

Service, ministry.

"We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word."

— Acts 6:4 (KJV)

Episkopos

ἐπίσκοπος (Greek)

Overseer, bishop.

"If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work."

— 1 Timothy 3:1 (KJV)

Presbuteros

πρεσβύτερος (Greek)

Elder.

"Let him call for the elders of the church."

— James 5:14 (KJV)

Apostolos

ἀπόστολος (Greek)

One sent out.

"Now the names of the twelve apostles are these."

— Matthew 10:2 (KJV)

Euangelion

εὐαγγέλιον (Greek)

Good news — the gospel.

"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

— Mark 1:1 (KJV)

Soteria

σωτηρία (Greek)

Salvation, deliverance.

"It is the power of God unto salvation."

— Romans 1:16 (KJV)

Hagios

ἅγιος (Greek)

Holy, set apart.

"Be ye holy; for I am holy."

— 1 Peter 1:16 (KJV)

Hamartia

ἁμαρτία (Greek)

Sin — missing the mark.

"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

— Romans 3:23 (KJV)

Metanoia

μετάνοια (Greek)

Change of mind — repentance.

"Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

— Matthew 3:2 (KJV)

Aphesis

ἄφεσις (Greek)

Release, forgiveness.

"Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name."

— Luke 24:47 (KJV)

Splagchnon

σπλάγχνον (Greek)

Tender mercies — the gut-deep compassion of God.

"Through the tender mercy of our God."

— Luke 1:78 (KJV)

Eirene

εἰρήνη (Greek)

Peace — the gift of Christ.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you."

— John 14:27 (KJV)

Chara

χαρά (Greek)

Joy — full and overflowing.

"That my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."

— John 15:11 (KJV)

Makrothumia

μακροθυμία (Greek)

Longsuffering — patient endurance.

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering."

— Galatians 5:22 (KJV)

Hupomone

ὑπομονή (Greek)

Patient endurance under trial.

"The trying of your faith worketh patience."

— James 1:3 (KJV)

Chrestotes

χρηστότης (Greek)

Kindness — useful, gracious, good.

"Gentleness, goodness, faith."

— Galatians 5:22 (KJV)

Agathosune

ἀγαθωσύνη (Greek)

Goodness — actively pursuing the good of others.

"Goodness, faith."

— Galatians 5:22 (KJV)

Praotes

πραότης (Greek)

Meekness — strength under control.

"Meekness, temperance."

— Galatians 5:23 (KJV)

Egkrateia

ἐγκράτεια (Greek)

Self-control.

"Temperance: against such there is no law."

— Galatians 5:23 (KJV)

Anastasis

ἀνάστασις (Greek)

Resurrection.

"I am the resurrection, and the life."

— John 11:25 (KJV)

Parousia

παρουσία (Greek)

Presence, arrival — the second coming.

"So shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

— Matthew 24:27 (KJV)

Doulos-Christou

δοῦλος Χριστοῦ (Greek)

Servant of Christ — Paul's chosen title.

"For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."

— Galatians 1:10 (KJV)

Theotokos

θεοτόκος (Greek)

God-bearer — title for Mary.

"The mother of my Lord should come to me."

— Luke 1:43 (KJV)

Christotokos

Χριστοτόκος (Greek)

Christ-bearer — a contested but instructive title.

"Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

— Luke 2:11 (KJV)

Paraclete

παράκλητος (Greek)

Helper, Advocate — the Holy Spirit.

"The Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name."

— John 14:26 (KJV)

Maranatha

מָרַנָא תָא (Aramaic)

Our Lord, come!

"Anathema Maranatha."

— 1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV)

Hosanna

הוֹשַׁע־נָּא (Hebrew)

Save us, we pray.

"Hosanna to the Son of David."

— Matthew 21:9 (KJV)

Talitha-cumi

טַלִיתָא קוּמִי (Aramaic)

Little girl, arise.

"Damsel, I say unto thee, arise."

— Mark 5:41 (KJV)

Ephphatha

אִתְפַּתַּח (Aramaic)

Be opened.

"That is, Be opened."

— Mark 7:34 (KJV)

Eli-Eli

אֵלִי אֵלִי (Aramaic)

My God, my God.

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

— Matthew 27:46 (KJV)

Rabboni

רַבּוּנִי (Aramaic)

My great Teacher — Mary's word at the empty tomb.

"She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master."

— John 20:16 (KJV)

Kenosis

κένωσις (Greek)

Self-emptying — Christ's humility.

"He made himself of no reputation."

— Philippians 2:7 (KJV)

Theosis

θέωσις (Greek)

Being made like God by grace.

"Partakers of the divine nature."

— 2 Peter 1:4 (KJV)

Anamnesis

ἀνάμνησις (Greek)

Remembrance — making present what God has done.

"This do in remembrance of me."

— Luke 22:19 (KJV)

Epiphany

ἐπιφάνεια (Greek)

Appearing, manifestation.

"The appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ."

— 2 Timothy 1:10 (KJV)

Adoration

adoratio (Latin)

Worship — the heart turned toward God.

"When they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him."

— Matthew 2:11 (KJV)

Magnificat

magnificat (Latin)

My soul magnifies — Mary's song.

"My soul doth magnify the Lord."

— Luke 1:46 (KJV)

Benedictus

benedictus (Latin)

Blessed — Zacharias's song.

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel."

— Luke 1:68 (KJV)

Nunc-Dimittis

nunc dimittis (Latin)

Now you let — Simeon's song.

"Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace."

— Luke 2:29 (KJV)

Sursum-Corda

sursum corda (Latin)

Lift up your hearts — ancient liturgical call.

"Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens."

— Lamentations 3:41 (KJV)

Te-Deum

te deum (Latin)

We praise thee, O God.

"I will extol thee, my God, O king."

— Psalms 145:1 (KJV)

Gloria

gloria (Latin)

Glory.

"Glory to God in the highest."

— Luke 2:14 (KJV)

Sanctus

sanctus (Latin)

Holy.

"Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts."

— Isaiah 6:3 (KJV)

Agnus-Dei

agnus dei (Latin)

Lamb of God.

"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

— John 1:29 (KJV)

Pater-Noster

pater noster (Latin)

Our Father.

"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."

— Matthew 6:9 (KJV)

Credo

credo (Latin)

I believe — first word of the Creed.

"Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."

— Mark 9:24 (KJV)

Maranatha

מָרַנָא תָא (Aramaic)

Come, Lord.

"Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

— Revelation 22:20 (KJV)

Doxology

δοξολογία (Greek)

Words of glory — short hymn of praise.

"Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him."

— Revelation 5:13 (KJV)

Amen-Amen

אָמֵן (Hebrew)

Truly, truly — Jesus's solemn affirmation.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you."

— John 5:24 (KJV)

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