What is the translation of God in aramaic? In Aramaic, the word that is translated as Lord in the Greek Bible actually has several different meanings – not simply as an indirect reference to YHWH.
If Jesus had spoken Aramaic (and there is evidence he did), he would likely use Eloi for God, showing it isn’t simply an empty phrase.
Elohim
In the Old Testament, “elohim” refers to God. This word can either be singular or plural depending on its surrounding verbs and it can also serve as both title or descriptor for Him (Y@howah/Yhovah).
The term elyon, similar to its Hebrew equivalent elohim, refers to an ancient word meaning “the highest.” This term signified the ancient world’s system of multiple levels of authority and power structures.
Aramaic for God is Elah and this term resembles its Hebrew counterpart elohim closely enough that many believe Jesus used this Aramaic phrase while praying on his cross: “Eli, Eli lama sabakhthani!” / Maranatha!
Elah
Missionaries supporting Islamism often point out that the words for “God” in Arabic (“allah”), Aramaic (“eli”) and Hebrew (Elohim) all derive from a common Semitic root and assert that these three terms should therefore be seen as interchangeable and interchangeable with each other – but this would be an inaccurate assessment.
Realize there are multiple gods in the ancient Near East that differ significantly from the God portrayed in the Bible, like Allah or Zeus, so studying all languages and cultures associated with Bible translation is vital for accurate representation.
Alah
Allah, an Arabic term for God, is directly cognate with El and Elohim in Hebrew and Aramaic; anyone familiar with monotheism’s biblical roots should readily appreciate this connection.
Jesus spoke Galilean Aramaic which is closely related to Arabic and therefore his use of “Allah” or its Syriac form alaha/aloho was entirely natural and justified.
Arabic’s ay-law (hhla) sound should not be confused with Allah which shares an identical pronunciation, as the two terms differ significantly in pronunciation.
Allah
Hebrew’s word YHWH stands for God; while in Aramaic it was often used to mean Lord. Aramaic contains an entire word for Lord: maryah which, when written without vowels as written below, can also mean Lord, while Hebrew does not contain one at all.
Old Testament Scripture often uses “oh maryah” (breath/spirit of God) as an allegory for Jesus; while this word could refer to both, its usage does not imply it was meant as a synonym of “YHWH”, since gospels were originally written in Greek text; translators may have chosen otherwise.
Yahweh
Many Bible translations use their local languages’ terms for “Lord,” such as in the original Hebrew Bible known as the Peshitta. This was done to create more accurate translations in foreign languages.
When the Bible refers to God coming from Sinai or approaching from Ribeboth-kodesh, they often call Him “YHWH.” This acronym stands for the consonants and vowels found within the Tetragrammaton, considered unpronounceable and sacred by Jews. Furthermore, scripture speaks about turning towards his breath/spirit/glory; these phrases could either refer to Jesus Christ himself or God the Father directly but the text never specifies which they refer to.
Jehovah
This translation of God can often be found in Eastern Aramaic New Testament manuscripts.
Maryah can often be understood as a synonym for Yahweh (YHWH). Paul mentioned this euphemism when talking about turning towards maryah – the breath/spirit/glory of maryah!
As the Greek text contains an article (‘the’), this indicates that the translator made a deliberate choice to say’maryah’ rather than the inspired name of Yahweh.
Lord
The Book of Acts was composed in Greek, then translated to Aramaic by its translator. It seems likely that he chose an accurate term for Lord rather than using another form to address Jesus; though we cannot know for certain what this implies regarding his character or doctrine; but it could support Trinity doctrine.
Adonai
Adonai, commonly translated to ‘Lord or Master, is used both among humans and God as an honorific title expressing reverence and respect while at the same time proclaiming His sovereignty.
Old Testament, where it can refer both to men and God; sometimes used of Jesus but less frequently than Yahweh; used in New Testament by Christians primarily; usually translated to Kyrios but still carrying the same meaning.
Jews who do not wish to abuse the covenant name YHWH usually refer to Him by his Hebrew name: Adonai in prayers and Scripture reading, since pronouncing his full name would be considered sacrilege.
Baal
The Hebrew word baal () can be translated as “lord, master, owner or possessor”. This noun appears often throughout Scripture either alone or as part of compound names.
By the time of biblical writing, baalism had already become widespread among non-Jewish groups in Canaan and Phoenicia, leading them to practice idolatry called baalism that spread into their religious identity post exodus from Egypt. Baal became known for causing rain; his power symbolized fertility and life-giving water; his competition against Mot – who represented drought, sterility, and death – was fierce. Baal eventually linked with Shamash (an arbiter of justice), Nanna (the goddess of harvests), and eventually even Shamash (arbiter of justice).
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