Bible names.?

Question

I was thinking about this the other day.

All the 'important' people in the bible, have what I think of american and/or english names. Mathew, Mark, Luke, JOHN,MARY.

I even think of Jesus as a 20th century name.

Most of the othe people in the bible have names that I can not pronounce. Names with 7 8 or 9 letters. Names that I think of as (forgive the term) Arabic..

I also do not see that many people now a days over where Jesus came from with names even close to those, (john,mary, Mathew). And such.

If it was because the bible was translated into english then why not translated ALL the names..?

Answer 1

In translation, names always stay the same.

My name is Primo......so I wouldn't want people calling me "First born Italian male child".

Answer 2

The names are transliterated (not translated) if the names exist already in the target language.

If not, they are kept as close as possible to the original.

1. Matthew Mattithiah
2. John Jo·ha′nan[shortened form of Jehohanan]
3. Mary Miriam
4. Joseph Josiphiah
5. Jesus Greek I·e·sous′ and Hebrew Ye·shu′a‛ or
Yehoh·shu′a‛

Answer 3

Jesus was actually Yeshua or Joshua.

The names in the Bible aren't American/English. When the English read the bible and began to name their children from it, those names became popular in their culture. Eventually they became very common and well-liked by parents. Many more Biblical names have grown into favor that weren't in favor when I was a kid(back in the dark ages =) of the 50's and 60's). Joshua, Jeremiah, Isaiah,Zachariah, Isaac, I'm sure there are more, but I had girls....lol. My daughters were named Sarah Elizabeth from the Bible and Christina Rose, from Christ and from a verse in Isaiah that says where the thorn plant has been the flowering tree will grow. I gave birth to my last daughter after 3 miscarriages in a row, so Tina was my rose after briars/thorns. People of faith often choose the name their children to reflect that faith or in hope that their children might become honorable people like those in the Bible.( I'd never name my child Judas!!!!)

The names in Israel are from the Torah, not the Bible since they are Jewish in their faith. Yacob-Jacob,Yeshua-Joshua, Miriam-Mary

All the names were translated, but not all became popular. I'll never name my child Jedediah, Hosea, ....you get the picture I'm sure.

Anyway, keep up the thinking, it's good for your brain and keeps the rest of us thinking about why we believe what we believe! =)

Answer 4

Like translating Christopher Columbus into Christ-Bearing Dove?

Arab Christians have the names Mary,Joseph,etc but in Arabic Miryam,Yusef,etc

Many of the Bible names are in Hebrew and others are in greek and some in Aramaic and some both like Tabitha/Dorcas(gazelle)

Answer 5

for the same reason why Jesus declared Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to be alive (arguably in heaven), but you will never talk of saint Abraham or saint Moses. names in the Torah are mostly never translated because they are not worthily regarded by the Church, which did the translation. but names in the canonical New Testament books are- Jesus' father, as it was traditionally the father who did the naming,for example, should have pronounced him "Iasua", even in the Arabic language, which is close to Aramaic(the mother tongue of Jesus) Jesus is called "Isa" but the church would not have a pagan name for our Lord.

Answer 6

I am not sure, but perhaps, since those names are mostly in the Torah, the Jewish people wouldn't want them translated. Names have a specific meaning. Or perhaps, they don't have an English equivalent.

Although the names of God have been translated into English terms.

Answer 7

Jesus is a translation. His Hebrew name is something like Yeheshua, which translated to Iesus in Greek.

The "modern" names have all been Anglicized.

Answer 8

It may be that a lot of "modern" names were picked from the Bible and the more popular ones being the more "important" ones.

Answer 9

mathhew, mark, luke and john are all english names for hebrew and greek names. that is english translation. go find a bible with a greek and hebrew translation.

Answer 10

according to my religion subject in school (that was about 4 years ago), the original language of the bible was ARAMAIC. then it was translated to ENGLISH including the names in the bible. i just cant remember what was JESUS in ARAMAIC so i can give you an example.