WHEN THE DIVINE NAME BECAME INSIGNIFICANT

"They are thinking of making my people forget my name by means of their dreams that they keep relating each one to the other, just as their fathers forgot my name by means of Baal." Jeremiah 23.27


It's interesting 40 times the divine name is used in that 23rd chapter of Jeremiah. And of course over 6800 times in the Hebrew text.


The question arises logically, 'How could the name just vanish off the face of the written papyri without a trace. Especially as some purport out of the writings of Jesus. After all, didn't Jesus quote form text that use the divine name.


Yes, I know, some of the Jews were superstitious about uttering the Divine name. But they still for the most part left it in then written text, although not pronouncing it but using Adonai in its place. For really the ultimate question that slaps you in the face, is, Who has the right to remove the name (ha Shem) from the canonical biblical text. Didn't Moses write in Exodus 3.15: "Then God said once more to Moses: 'This is what you are to say to the Sons of Israel, 'Jehovah the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my Name to time indefinite (Shemi le'olam), and this is a memorial of me to generation after generation.

"We know that the the Greek Bible text [the Septuagint] as far as it was written by Jews for Jews did not translate the Divine Name by Kyrios, but the Tetragrammaton written with Hebrew or Greek letters was retained in such MSS. It was the Christians who replaced the Tetragrammaton by Kyrios, when the divine name written in Hebrew letters was not understood anymore". (Dr. P. Kahle, The Cairo Geniza, Oxford, 1959, p.222)

When did they remove the name? In a commentary on the manuscript P Fouad 266, Professor G. D. Kilpatrick, on talking about the period between 70-135 C.E. said that 3 important changes were made in this period. The change from scroll to Codex, the Tetragrammaton was replaced by KYRIOS and abbreviations were introduced for divine names. See Etudes de Papyrologie Tome Neuvieme 1971 pp. 221,222

"As Pickering himself points out, most errors were introduced into the manuscripts within the first two centuries." The New Testament Text, p.108 Pickering

"Errors were not added one per generation, generation by generation, but wholesale, as it were." The King James Version Debate A plea for realism D.A.Carson p115

See also Rubenstein p 74 "When Jesus became God."

Bart Ehrman "Orthodox Corruption of Scripture."

B. Christian Scribal Evidence

:01, Mar 1978.


Wolfgang Feneberg comments in the Jesuit magazine Entschluss/Offen (April 1985): “He [Jesus] did not withhold his father’s name YHWH from us, but he entrusted us with it. It is otherwise inexplicable why the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer should read: ‘May your name be sanctified!’” Feneberg further notes that “in pre-Christian manuscripts for Greek-speaking Jews, God’s name was not paraphrased with kýrios [Lord], but was written in the tetragram form [YHWH] in Hebrew or archaic Hebrew characters. . . . We find recollections of the name in the writings of the Church Fathers; but they are not interested in it. By translating this name kýrios (Lord), the Church Fathers were more interested in attributing the grandeur of the kýrios to Jesus Christ.”

B. Christian Scribal Evidence

By the time of the earliest extent Christian copies of the LXX (2d or early 3d century C.E.), a clear break with the Jewish practice outlined above is to be observed. The Christian copies of the Greek OT employ the words Kurios (“Lord”) and Theos (“God”) as substitutes or surrogates for the Hebrew
Tetragrammaton. The evidence suggests that this had become the Practice of the Christian scribes perhaps as early as the beginning of the 2d century. Curiously, the surrogates for the Tetragrammaton have been abbreviated by the writing of the first and last letters only and are marked as abbreviated by a horizontal stroke above the word. Thus for example, the word for “Lord” is written KS and for God THS. These two so-called nomina sacra, later to be joined by thirteen other sacred words, appear also in the earliest copies of the NT, including its quotations from the Greek OT. The practice, therefore, in very early times was consistently followed throughout the Greek Bible.

A conjecture is the forms KS and THS were first created by non-Jewish Christian scribes who in their
coping of the LXX text found no traditional reason to preserve the Tetragrammaton. In all probability it was problematic for gentile scribes to write the Tetragrammaton since they did not know Hebrew. IF this is correct, the contracted surrogates KS and THS were perhaps considered analogous to the vowelless Hebrew Divine Name, and were certainly much easier to write.

Once the practice of writing the Tetragrammaton into copies of the Greek OT was abandoned and replaced by the practice of writing KS and THS, a similar development no doubt took place in regard to the quotations of the Greek OT found in the NT. There too the Tetragrammaton was replaced by the surrogates KS and THS. In the passing of time, the original significance of the surrogates was lost to the gentile Church. Other contracted words which had no connection with the Tetragrammaton were added to the list of nomina sacra, and eventually even KS and THS came to be used in passages where the Tetragrammaton had never stood.

It is possible that some confusion ensued from the abandonment of the Tetragrammaton in the N.T.,
although the significance of this confusion can only be conjectured. In all probability it became
difficult to know whether KS referred to the Lord God or the Lord Jesus Christ. That this issue played a role in the later Trinitarian debates, however, is unknown.

George Howard Anchor Bible Dictionary V6 p.393






The Name of God in the New Testament, George Howard, BAR 4:01, Mar 1978.

Did the earliest Gospels use Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton?

Many early copies of the New Testament abbreviate sacred words (nomina sacra). The earliest of these abbreviations stand for “God,” “Lord,” “Christ,” and “Jesus.” Abbreviations of these words were formed by writing their first and last letters and placing a line over them. Thus, using English to illustrate, “God” would appear asG ÷D÷ and “Lord” as L÷D÷.

The attempt to differentiate and dignify the sacred name of God goes back to pre-Christian times; it was done first by Jews.

From the Dead Sea Scrolls we know that Jewish scribes often distinguished the divine name Yahweh. (Yahweh is known as the Tetragrammaton because it consists of four consonant Hebrew letters, yod, he, vav, he, often written in English YHWH.) Frequently, the scribes who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls would write the Tetragrammaton in old paleo-Hebrew script, although the scroll was otherwise written in square Aramaic script. An example is the Habakkuk commentary found in cave 1. In the portion reproduced in the color photograph, the Tetragrammaton appears twice in paleo-Hebrew script on line 7 word 3 (reading from right to left) and on line 14 word 7. The rest of the text is in square Aramaic script—the same script used as a basis for writing Hebrew today. The Tetragrammaton is used in the Habakkuk commentary only in Biblical quotations. Whenever reference is made to God in the commentary portion, the generic word el (God) is used. This is true not only in the Habakkuk commentary, but in other Qumran (Dead Sea Scroll) documents as well.

The Qumran covenanters had other devices for circumventing the use of God’s name. Sometimes they would write four or five dots in place of the Tetragrammaton. In the Community Rule, for example, the writer quotes Isaiah 40-3 as follows- “Prepare in the wilderness the way of . … ”. We know from the Masoretic Text that the four dots stand for the Tetragrammaton YHWH. This same passage is quoted again in a document discovered in Qumran Cave 4 (4QTanhumim) with four dots representing the divine name. At times, dots were placed above the Tetragrammaton when it had been written by mistake, apparently as a means of canceling the word without actually erasing it.

Jews early adopted the practice of not pronouncing the divine name when Scripture was read aloud, even in prayer. The word adonai (Lord) was (and is to this day) read by Jews instead of the Tetragrammaton YHWH which appears on the page.

Such practices as writing the divine name in archaic script, of substituting dots for it, or of avoiding it altogether suggests that to Jews the sacred name for God was a special word which required special treatment both in writing and oral reading.

Christian Scriptures frequently quote passages from the Old Testament in which the divine name YHWH appears in the original Hebrew. In these quotations, however, the divine name is translated into the Greek word kyrios (Lord), or occasionally theos (God). Both of these words are generic words for God, not limited to the Hebrew God whose name is Yahweh and who is represented in the Hebrew Bible by the Tetragrammaton. Most of these Old Testament quotations in the New come from the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Old Testament made by Jews in pre-Christian times. The Septuagint (or at least the extant, later Christian copies of it) usually renders the Tetragrammaton by kyrios; the New Testament simply follows this practice.

In 1944, W. G. Waddell discovered the remains of an Egyptian papyrus scroll (Papyrus Fuad 266) dating to the first or second century B.C. which included part of the Septuagint. In no instance, however, was YHWH translated kyrios. Instead the Tetragrammaton itself—in square Aramaic letters—was written into the Greek text. This parallels the Qumran Covenanters’ use of the palaeo-Hebrew script for the Divine Name in a document which was otherwise written in square Aramaic script.

An even closer parallel to the practice Waddell found in Papyrus Fuad 266 comes from second century A.D. Jewish translations of the Old Testament into Greek by Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion. In 1897, F. C. Burkitt published some fragments of Aquila’s Greek Old Testament which had been found in the debris of a geniza (a storeroom for worn out manuscripts) of the old synagogue in Cairo. These fragments which are the underwriting of palimpsesta scraps clearly show the Hebrew Tetragrammaton in paleo-Hebrew script written into the otherwise Greek text. A number of other similar examples have also come to light.

At the end of the last century, Giovanni Cardinal Mercati discovered a palimpsest in the Ambrosian Library of Milan containing parts of the Psalter to Origen’s Hexaplab (lacking the Hebrew column). All the columns show the Tetragrammaton written in square Aramaic script, although the texts are otherwise written in Greek.

Fragments of Psalm 22 from Origen’s Hexapla, found in the Cairo geniza, were published in 1900 by C. Taylor. These fragments show the Tetragrammaton written into the Greek columns of Aquila, Symmachus, and the Septuagint in the strange form of PIPI. This is a clumsy attempt to represent with Greek letters what the Tetragrammaton looked like in Hebrew. The Greek letter pi somewhat resembles the Hebrew letter he.

The Fuad papyrus scroll is the earliest example we have examined, dating to the first or second century B.C. Here for the first time we have clear evidence that in pre-Christian times the Septuagint, at least sometimes, did not translate the divine name with the Greek word kyrios as had been thought; rather it preserved the Hebrew word YHWH itself. Could it be that Jews had always written the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew into the text of their Greek Bibles and that this practice represented a continuous tradition from the earliest Septuagint through the second century translations of Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion? Or is the Fuad manuscript a maverick, the only one in its day to do such a thing?

In 1952, fragments of a scroll of the Twelve Prophets in Greek were found in a cave at Nahal Hever in the Judean Desert. Père D. Barthelemy announced the discovery of the scroll in 1953 and ten years later published a transcription of it. In all probability the document dates to the beginning of the first Christian century. Like the Fuad papyrus it too writes the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew—in old style script—in an otherwise Greek text.

At Qumran cave 4, a fragment of the Greek translation of Leviticus confirms that the divine name was preserved in the pre-Christian Septuagint. In this scroll, dated by P. W. Skehan to the first century B.C., the Tetragrammaton is transliterated with the Greek letters IAO.

Thus, we have three separate pre-Christian copies of the Greek Septuagint Bible and in not a single instance is the Tetragrammaton translated kyrios or for that matter translated at all. We can now say with near certainty that it was a Jewish practice before, during, and after the New Testament period to write the divine name in paleo-Hebrew or square Aramaic script or in transliteration right into the Greek text of Scripture. This presents a striking comparison with the Christian copies of the Septuagint and the quotations of it in the New Testament which translate the Tetragrammaton as kyrios or theos.

Why do Christian copies of the Septuagint reflect a practice so radically different from that of the Jews in designating the Divine Name? Or do they? We have already mentioned that while Christians translated the Tetragrammaton as either kyrios or theos, they abbreviated these surrogates by writing only their first and last letters and by placing a line over them to attract attention. What was the purpose of these Christian abbreviations?

In 1907, Ludwig Traube suggested that the nomina sacra were of Hellenistic Jewish origin. The first of these, he suggested, was theos, which was abbreviated without vowels so as to follow the Hebrew custom of writing consonants only. Soon theos was followed by kyrios which became an alternate surrogate and the first and last letters became an alternate contraction. According to Traube, these contractions gave rise to the belief that the important thing was to write sacred words in abbreviated form. This resulted in a number of words being written in a similar way (for example, spirit, father and heaven).

In 1959, A. H. R. E. Paap took up the issue again and argued that the system of contracted nomina sacra was of Jewish-Christian origin emanating from Alexandria about 100 A.D.

It seems to me, however, that a much better case can be made that the system of contractions is of Gentile Christian origin. The divine name YHWH was and is the most sacred word in the Hebrew language. So it is hardly likely that Jews of any sort would have removed it from their Bibles. Furthermore, we know now from discoveries in Egypt and the Judean desert that Jews wrote the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew even in their Greek texts. In all likelihood Jewish Christians felt the same way about the divine name and continued to preserve it in Hebrew in their Bibles. A famous rabbinic passage (Talmud Shabbat 13.5) discusses the problem of destroying heretical texts (very probably including books of Jewish-Christians). The problem arises for the rabbinic writer because the heretical texts contain the divine name, and their wholesale destruction would include the destruction of the divine name. This further suggests that Jewish Christians did not translate the divine name into Greek.

But Gentile Christians, unlike Jewish Christians, had no traditional attachment to the Hebrew Tetragrammaton and no doubt often failed even to recognize it. Gentile scribes who had never before seen Hebrew writing (especially in its archaic form) could hardly be expected to preserve the divine name. Perhaps this contributed to the use of surrogates like kyrios and theos for the Tetragrammaton. The contracted form of the surrogates marked the sacred nature of the name standing behind them in a way which was convenient for Gentile scribes to write. At the same time the abbreviated surrogates may have appeased Jewish Christians who continued to feel the necessity of differentiating the divine name from the rest of the text. After the system of contractions was in use for some time, its purpose was forgotten and many other contracted words which had no connection with the Tetragrammaton were introduced.

Assuming this to be generally correct, I offer the following scenario of the history of the Tetragrammaton in the Greek Bible as a whole, including both testaments. First, as to the Old Testament- Jewish scribes always preserved the Tetragrammaton in their copies of the Septuagint both before and after the New Testament period. In all probability Jewish Christians wrote the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew as well. Toward the end of the first Christian century, when the church had become predominantly Gentile, the motive for retaining the Hebrew name for God was lost and the words kyrios and theos were substituted for it in Christian copies of Old Testament Septuagints. Both kyrios and theos were written in abbreviated form in a conscious effort to preserve the sacred nature of the divine name. Soon the original significance of the contractions was lost and many other contracted words were added.

A similar pattern probably evolved with respect to the New Testament. When the Septuagint which the New Testament church used and quoted contained the Hebrew form of the divine name, the New Testament writers no doubt included the Tetragrammaton in their quotations. But when the Hebrew form for the divine name was eliminated in favor of Greek substitutes in the Septuagint, it was eliminated also from the New Testament quotations of the Septuagint.

Thus toward the end of the first Christian century, the use of surrogates (kyrios and theos) and their contractions must have crowded out the Hebrew Tetragrammaton in both Testaments. Before long the divine name was lost to the Gentile church except insofar as it was reflected in the contracted surrogates or remembered by scholars. Soon, even the contracted substitutes lost their original significance and were joined by a host of other abbreviated nomina sacra which had no connection with the divine name at all.

Is there any way for us, at this late date, to calculate the effect which this change in the Bible had on the second century church? It is of course impossible to know with certainty, but the effect must have been significant. First, a number of passages must have taken on an ambiguity which the original lacked. For example, the second century church read, “The Lord said to my Lord” (Matthew 22-44, Mark 12-36, Luke 20-42), a reading which is as ambiguous as it is imprecise. The first century church probably read, “YHWH said to my Lord.”

To the second century church, “Prepare the way of the Lord” (Mark 1-3) must have meant one thing, since it immediately followed the words- “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” But to the First Century Church it must have meant something else since they read, “Prepare the way of YHWH.”

The second century church read 1 Corinthians 1-31, “The one who boasts, let him boast in the Lord,” which was probably considered a reference to Christ mentioned in verse 30. But to the first century church, it probably referred to God mentioned in verse 29 since they read, “The one who boasts let him boast in YHWH.”

These examples are sufficient to suggest that the removal of the Tetragrammaton from the New Testament and its replacement with the surrogates kyrios and theos blurred the original distinction between the Lord God and the Lord Christ, and in many passages made it impossible to tell which one was meant. This is supported by the fact that in a number of places where Old Testament quotations are cited, there is a confusion in the manuscript tradition whether to read God or Christ in the discussion surrounding the quotation. Once the Tetragrammaton was removed and replaced by the surrogate “Lord”, scribes were unsure whether “Lord” meant God or Christ. As time went on, these two figures were brought into even closer unity until it was often impossible to distinguish between them. Thus it may be that the removal of the Tetragrammaton contributed significantly to the later Christological and Trinitarian debates which plagued the church of the early Christian centuries.

Whatever the case, the removal of the Tetragrammaton probably created a different theological climate from that which existed during the New Testament period of the first century. The Jewish God who had always been carefully distinguished from all others by the use of his Hebrew name lost some of his distinctiveness with the passing of the Tetragrammaton. How much He lost may be known only by the discovery of a first century New Testament in which the Hebrew name YHWH still appears.

(For further details, see George Howard, “The Tetragram and the New Testament”, Journal of Biblical Literature 96 (1977) 63–83.)

a. Palimpsests are parchments written over erased earlier writing

The following was taken from appendix C in NWT Study Edition


"The Restoration of the Divine Name in the “New Testament”





"Nash Papyrus, dated from the second or first century B.C.E.


Nash Papyrus, dated from the second or first century B.C.E., showing portions of Exodus and Deuteronomy. The divine name appears a number of times in the Hebrew text.

When Jesus and his apostles were on earth, the divine name, or Tetragrammaton, appeared in the Hebrew manuscripts of the “Old Testament.” (See Appendixes A4 and A5.) The divine name also appeared in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the “Old Testament” that was widely used in the first century C.E. At that time, the divine name was represented in the Septuagint by either the Hebrew characters (YHWH) or the Greek transliteration of those characters (IAO). Some portions of manuscripts of the Septuagint from the first century C.E. and earlier still exist today, and they prove this fact. So when the inspired writers of the “New Testament” quoted from the “Old Testament,” they must have seen the Tetragrammaton, whether they were quoting directly from the Hebrew text of the “Old Testament” or the Greek translation of that text, the Septuagint.

Today, however, no manuscripts of the “New Testament” from the first century C.E. are available for us to examine. So no one can check the original Greek manuscripts of the “New Testament” to see whether the Bible writers used the Tetragrammaton. The Greek manuscripts of the “New Testament” that would have a bearing on this issue are copies that were made from about 200 C.E. onward. The more complete manuscripts are from the fourth century C.E., long after the originals were composed. However, sometime during the second or early third century C.E., a practice had developed where those copying the manuscripts either replaced the Tetragrammaton with a title such as Lord or God or copied from manuscripts where this had already been done.*

That practice creates a special challenge for anyone who translates the “New Testament.” For example, when a translator examines an “Old Testament” quotation in the Greek text of the “New Testament,” he will not see the Tetragrammaton anywhere in the Greek text from which he is translating. However, he should be aware of two basic facts: (1) The original quotation from the “Old Testament” may contain the Tetragrammaton, and (2) the Greek text that he is using is based on manuscripts from a period of time when copyists regularly substituted titles for the divine name. Realizing this, he must make an important decision. Will he follow the Greek text that uses Kyʹri·os or The·osʹ instead of the Tetragrammaton, or will he endeavor to ascertain where the Tetragrammaton would have appeared in the original Greek manuscripts?


Both the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts used by the Christian Bible writers contained the Tetragrammaton


Both the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts used by the Christian Bible writers contained the Tetragrammaton.

The basic question that needs to be answered is this: Since the Tetragrammaton appeared in the original Hebrew text that was being quoted by the first-century Bible writers, did those writers deliberately substitute the word Kyʹri·os or The·osʹ for the Tetragrammaton each time they quoted from the “Old Testament”? Throughout the centuries, numerous Bible translators have concluded that such a substitution would not have taken place. Therefore, such translators have felt compelled to restore the divine name in their translations of the “New Testament.” The translators of the Christian Greek Scriptures of the New World Translation agree with that viewpoint.*


WHERE SHOULD THE DIVINE NAME BE RESTORED?


The following two sections of Appendix C list the verses where the name Jehovah occurs in the main text of the Christian Greek Scriptures of the New World Translation.* Appendix C2 lists verses that contain either direct quotations from or indirect references to scriptures that use the Tetragrammaton in the original Hebrew text of the “Old Testament.” Appendix C3 lists verses that do not contain a direct quotation from the “Old Testament” and provides reasons for restoring the divine name in those verses.

Appendix C4 provides a list of some of the translations of the “New Testament” that have restored the divine name in various verses.* (These are referred to in Appendix C3.) Not only have some of these translations restored the divine name in direct quotations from the “Old Testament” but they have also restored that name in other verses where the context or other factors give a valid reason for doing so. None of these translations have been produced by Jehovah’s Witnesses.* Included in these are a number of translations that were made into Hebrew, as well as those made into many other languages. For ease of reference, these have been designated by the letter J followed by a number. For a list of over 120 languages and dialects in which the divine name can be found in the main text of the “New Testament,” or the Christian Greek Scriptures, see Appendix A5.


The Oxyrhynchus Papyrus 3522, dated from the first century C.E.


The Oxyrhynchus Papyrus 3522, dated from the first century C.E., showing a portion of the book of Job. The Tetragrammaton appears in ancient Hebrew characters in this copy of the Septuagint.



In most cases, they either replaced the divine name with the Greek word Kyʹri·os (Lord), The·osʹ (God), or an abbreviation of one of these words. Many standard dictionaries of ancient Greek state that these two Greek words have been used as equivalents of the divine name.​—See A Greek and English Lexicon to the New Testament, by J. Parkhurst, revised edition of 1845; The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, by J. H. Thayer, 1981; A Greek-English Lexicon, by Liddell and Scott, 1996; A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third Edition, 2000.


A number of scholars, however, strongly disagree with this viewpoint. One of these is Jason BeDuhn, who authored the book Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament. Yet, even BeDuhn acknowledges: “It may be that some day a Greek manuscript of some portion of the New Testament will be found, let’s say a particularly early one, that has the Hebrew letters YHWH in some of the verses [of the “New Testament.”] When that happens, when evidence is at hand, biblical researchers will have to give due consideration to the views held by the NW [New World Translation] editors.”


These lists cover only the Bible books published so far in the online Study Edition.


Also included in the list is a reference work that indicates that the words Kyʹri·os and The·osʹ are used as equivalents of the Tetragrammaton.


Although Jehovah’s Witnesses printed an edition of The Emphatic Diaglott (J21), the translation was made by Benjamin Wilson.



Verses Where the Name Jehovah Appears as Part of Direct or Indirect Quotations




The following list shows some of the verses where the name Jehovah occurs in the main text of the Christian Greek Scriptures of the New World Translation. These verses contain either direct or indirect quotations from the original Hebrew text that uses the Tetragrammaton.



Verses in the Book of Matthew That Contain the Name Jehovah as Part of Direct or Indirect Quotations







VERSE


QUOTE OR REFERENCE



MATTHEW 3:3

Isa 40:3


MATTHEW 4:4

De 8:3


MATTHEW 4:7

De 6:16


MATTHEW 4:10

De 6:13; 10:20


MATTHEW 5:33

Le 19:12; Nu 30:2; De 23:21


MATTHEW 21:9

Ps 118:25, 26


MATTHEW 21:42

Ps 118:22, 23


MATTHEW 22:37

De 6:5


MATTHEW 22:44

Ps 110:1


MATTHEW 23:39

Ps 118:26


MATTHEW 27:10

Zec 11:13

Verses in the Book of Mark That Contain the Name Jehovah as Part of Direct or Indirect Quotations







VERSE


QUOTE OR REFERENCE



MARK 1:3

Isa 40:3


MARK 11:9

Ps 118:25, 26


MARK 12:11

Ps 118:22, 23


MARK 12:29a

De 6:4


MARK 12:29b

De 6:4


MARK 12:30

De 6:5


MARK 12:36

Ps 110:1




Verses in the Book of Luke That Contain the Name Jehovah as Part of Direct or Indirect Quotations







VERSE


QUOTE OR REFERENCE



LUKE 2:23

Ex 13:2, 12


LUKE 3:4

Isa 40:3


LUKE 4:8

De 6:13; 10:20


LUKE 4:12

De 6:16


LUKE 4:18

Isa 61:1


LUKE 4:19

Isa 61:2


LUKE 10:27

De 6:5


LUKE 13:35

Ps 118:26


LUKE 19:38

Ps 118:26


LUKE 20:42

Ps 110:1

Verses in the Book of John That Contain the Name Jehovah as Part of Direct or Indirect Quotations







VERSE


QUOTE OR REFERENCE



JOHN 1:​23

Isa 40:3


JOHN 6:​45

Isa 54:13


JOHN 12:​13

Ps 118:25, 26


JOHN 12:​38b

Isa 53:1

Verses in the Book of Acts That Contain the Name Jehovah as Part of Direct or Indirect Quotations







VERSE


QUOTE OR REFERENCE



ACTS 2:​20

Joe 2:​31


ACTS 2:​21

Joe 2:​32


ACTS 2:​25

Ps 16:8


ACTS 2:​34

Ps 110:1


ACTS 3:​22

De 18:15


ACTS 4:​26

Ps 2:2


ACTS 7:​49

Isa 66:1


ACTS 15:​17b

Am 9:​12

Verses Where the Name Jehovah Does Not Appear as Part of Direct or Indirect Quotations




The following list shows the remaining verses where the name Jehovah occurs in the main text of the Christian Greek Scriptures of the New World Translation. These verses do not contain either a direct or an indirect quotation from the “Old Testament” that uses the Tetragrammaton. However, there are either strong contextual grounds or linguistic reasons for restoring the divine name in these verses. After each occurrence, reasons are provided for restoring the divine name in that particular verse.​—See the section “Summary of Reasons for Restoring the Divine Name in the Christian Greek Scriptures.”

Under the heading “Support,” examples are given of lexicons, reference works, or commentaries that support the use of the divine name in a particular verse in the Christian Greek Scriptures, commonly called the New Testament, or that indicate that the verse makes reference to the divine name. This support also includes a number of Bible translations into different languages that use such renderings as Jehovah, Yahveh, Yahweh, יהוה (YHWH, or the Tetragrammaton), LORD, and ADONAI in the main text or that otherwise, in footnotes and marginal notes, indicate that this is a reference to Jehovah God. Although some of these publications may reflect a belief in the unscriptural teaching of the Trinity, they do agree that the divine name is indicated in some verses.

A list is also provided of other Bible translations that have restored the divine name in a particular verse or that have indicated that this verse is a reference to Jehovah God. These translations may not always use the divine name in the same verses as the New World Translation, but they do use some form of the divine name in the Christian Greek Scriptures. These translations or reference works have been designated by the letter J followed by a number. (The letter J stands for the name Jehovah.) The complete listing of these references is found in Appendix C4.

It should be noted, though, that the New World Bible Translation Committee did not rely on these translations as the basis for restoring the divine name in the Christian Greek Scriptures. Rather, these J-References provide proof that other translators have made similar decisions when using the divine name in their versions of the “New Testament.”


SUMMARY OF REASONS FOR RESTORING THE DIVINE NAME IN THE CHRISTIAN GREEK SCRIPTURES


FACTORS TO CONSIDER:

• Is this a quote from a verse in the Hebrew Scriptures that contains the divine name? (See Appendix C2.)


• Does this involve a Hebrew idiom or an expression that normally includes the divine name? (For example, “Jehovah’s angel,” Mt 1:​20)


• Does the divine name appear in the context surrounding a quotation taken from the Hebrew Scriptures? (For example, “spoken by Jehovah,” Mt 1:​22; 2:​15)


• In Greek, is the definite article missing from before Kyʹri·os (Lord), where it would normally be expected grammatically, thus indicating that a proper name may originally have appeared in the Greek text? (For example, Mr 13:20)


• Would the divine name have been used in the verse to avoid ambiguity? (For example, “all the things Jehovah has done for you,” Mr 5:​19)




Verses Where the Divine Name Does Not Appear as Part of Direct or Indirect Quotations in the Book of Matthew





MATTHEW 1:20 “Jehovah’s angel”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts use the term Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Here the context indicates that the one referred to is God. The expression “Jehovah’s angel” occurs many times in Hebrew in the “Old Testament,” starting at Genesis 16:7. When “Jehovah’s angel” occurs in early copies of the Greek Septuagint, a translation of the “Old Testament,” the Greek word agʹge·los (angel; messenger) is followed by the divine name written with Hebrew characters. That is how this expression is handled at Zechariah 3:5, 6 in a copy of the Greek Septuagint found in Nahal Hever, Israel, which some scholars have dated between 50 B.C.E. and 50 C.E. It is noteworthy that when later copies of the Greek Septuagint replaced the divine name with Kyʹri·os in this and many other verses, the definite article was not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. So the Hebrew Scripture background and the unexpected absence of the definite article indicate that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name, and therefore, the name Jehovah is used in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, revised and edited by F. W. Danker, 2000, (pp. 576-​577) lists Matthew 1:20, 24; 2:13, 19; 28:2 under the definition of “lord” as “a designation of God.” It goes on to say: “Without the art[icle] . . . , like a personal name.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Matthew 1:20, 24; 2:13, 19; 28:2 as verses where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


• The Interpretation of St. Matthew’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 44 says of this verse: “We have no article with [the Greek words agʹge·los Ky·riʹou, “Lord’s angel”], and thus this is one of Yahweh’s angels . . . We may well assume that this angel is Gabriel, the same one who appeared to Mary, ‘the Mighty One of Jehovah,’ or, ‘Hero of Jehovah.’”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on this verse (as well as in footnotes on Matthew 1:24 and 2:13): “‘Lord’ without the article, signifying, as often, ‘Jehovah.’”


• The Restored New Testament, by Willis Barnstone, 2009, states in a footnote on the expression “an angel of the Lord”: “From the Greek . . . (angelos kyriou), from the Hebrew . . . (malakh yahweh), . . . A literal rendering would be Yahweh’s malakh or ‘messenger.’” In the main text of Matthew 28:2, this translation reads: “An angel of Yahweh.”


• The Complete Jewish Bible, by David H. Stern, 1998, uses capital and small capitals for the word “ADONAI” in this verse. In the introduction to this Bible, the translator explains: “The word ‘ADONAI’ is used . . . wherever I, as the translator, believe ‘kurios’ is the Greek representation of the tetragrammaton.”


• The Companion Bible, with notes by E. W. Bullinger, 1999 printing, capitalizes LORD in the main text of Matthew 1:20 and adds this footnote: “the LORD = Jehovah.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, says in this verse, as well as at Matthew 1:24; 2:13, 19; 28:2: “The Angel of THE LORD JEHOVAH.”[J29]


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, says in this verse, as well as at Matthew 1:24; 2:13; 28:2: “the angel of Yahweh” and at Matthew 2:19: “an angel of Yahweh.”[J32]


• The Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, 2012, says in this verse, as well as at Matthew 2:13, 19; 28:2: “a Cherub of YAHWEH,” and at Matthew 1:24: “the cherub of YAHWEH.”[J31]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, says in this verse, as well as at Matthew 28:2: “a messenger of Master YHWH,” and at Matthew 1:24; 2:13, 19: “the messenger of Master YHWH.”[J30]


• The Messianic Jewish Shared Heritage Bible, 2012, uses ADONAI in this verse. The glossary on p. 1530 explains: “When written in small capitals, it [ADONAI] refers to God’s personal name YHWH as given in the Hebrew Bible. This personal name is God’s ‘covenant name,’ used when God is relating to the Jewish people in an intimate way.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Matthew 1:20, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Heb. Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J3, 4, 7-14, 16-18, 22-24, 28-36, 38-41, 43, 45-50, 52, 55, 59-61, 63, 65, 66, 88, 90


MATTHEW 1:22 “spoken by Jehovah”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts use the term Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Here the context indicates that the one referred to is God. The quotation that immediately follows (Matthew 1:23) is taken from Isaiah 7:14, which is the prophetic message spoken by Jehovah through Isaiah. Also, it is noteworthy that in this verse the Greek definite article was not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. So the Hebrew Scripture background and the unexpected absence of the definite article indicate that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Matthew 1:22 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Matthew’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 52 says of this verse: “The formula here used: ‘in order that it be fulfilled what was spoken by the Lord (Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] for Yahweh) through the prophet,’ is used almost constantly by Matthew throughout his Gospel with only occasional variation. . . . The actual speaker thus is Yahweh, and the prophet the medium or mouthpiece through (διά [di·aʹ]) which he speaks.’”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on this verse and on Matthew 2:15: “‘Lord’ without the article, signifying, as often, ‘Jehovah.’”


• The Complete Jewish Bible, by David H. Stern, 1998, uses capital and small capitals for the word “ADONAI” in this verse. In the introduction to this Bible, the translator explains: “The word ‘ADONAI’ is used . . . wherever I, as the translator, believe ‘kurios’ is the Greek representation of the tetragrammaton.”


• The Companion Bible, with notes by E. W. Bullinger, 1999 printing, uses capital and small capitals for LORD in the main text of Matthew 1:22 and adds this explanation in Appendix 98: “Used of Jehovah . . . and printed ‘LORD’ throughout.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, uses “THE LORD JEHOVAH” in the main text of Matthew 1:22.[J29]


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in the main text of Matthew 1:22 and 2:15.[J32]


• The Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, 2012, uses “YAHWEH” in the main text of Matthew 1:22.[J31]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, uses “YHWH” in the main text of Matthew 1:22.[J30]


• The Messianic Jewish Shared Heritage Bible, 2012, uses ADONAI in this verse. The glossary on p. 1530 explains: “When written in small capitals, it [ADONAI] refers to God’s personal name YHWH as given in the Hebrew Bible. This personal name is God’s ‘covenant name,’ used when God is relating to the Jewish people in an intimate way.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Matthew 1:22, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “or Jehovah.”


• Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1985, by Vine, Unger, and White, makes this comment on the use of the divine name in this verse: “Kurios is the Sept. and NT representative of Heb. Jehovah (‘LORD’ in Eng. versions), see Matt. 4:7; Jas. 5:​11, e.g., of adon, Lord, Matt. 22:44, and of Adonay, Lord, 1:​22.”[26]


• Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 2006, by William D. Mounce, makes this definition under listing number 3261: “Kyrios . . . the Lord, Jehovah, Mt. 1:​22.”[27]


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J1-4, 7-14, 16-18, 22-24, 26, 28-36, 38-41, 43, 45-50, 52, 59-61, 63, 65, 66, 88, 90


MATTHEW 1:24 “the angel of Jehovah”

REASON(S): See comment on Matthew 1:20.

SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J1-4, 7-14, 16-18, 22-24, 28-36, 38-41, 43, 45-50, 52, 59-61, 63, 65, 66, 90


MATTHEW 2:13 “Jehovah’s angel”

REASON(S): See comment on Matthew 1:20.

SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J1-4, 6-14, 16-18, 22-24, 28-37, 39, 40, 43, 45-50, 52, 59-61, 63, 65, 66, 88, 90


MATTHEW 2:15 “spoken by Jehovah”

REASON(S): The quotation that immediately follows in this verse is taken from Hosea 11:1, and Hosea 11:11 clearly shows that this is a statement made by Jehovah God.—See comment on Matthew 1:22.

SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J1, 3, 4, 6-14, 16-18, 22-24, 28-41, 43, 45-50, 52, 59, 61-63, 65, 66, 88


MATTHEW 2:19 “Jehovah’s angel”

REASON(S): See comment on Matthew 1:20.

SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J1-4, 6-14, 16-18, 22-24, 28-40, 43, 45-50, 52, 59-61, 63, 65, 66, 88, 90


MATTHEW 28:2 “Jehovah’s angel”

REASON: See comment on Matthew 1:20.

SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J1-4, 7-13, 16-18, 22-24, 28-38, 40, 41, 43, 45-47, 49, 50-52, 55, 60, 61, 63, 65, 66, 88, 90



Verses Where the Divine Name Does Not Appear as Part of Direct or Indirect Quotations in the Book of Mark





MARK 5:19 “things Jehovah has done”

REASON(S): Although most Greek manuscripts read “the Lord” (ho Kyʹri·os) here, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Here the context shows that Kyʹri·os is used with reference to God. Speaking to the man who had been healed, Jesus is attributing the miracle, not to himself, but to his heavenly Father. In recording the same event, Luke (8:39) uses the Greek word The·osʹ (God), supporting the thought that Kyʹri·os (Lord) at Mark 5:19 is used with reference to God. Additionally, the phrases “the things . . . done for you” and “mercy . . . shown you” have a bearing on the matter, as corresponding Hebrew verbs are often used in the Hebrew Scriptures, along with the divine name, with reference to Jehovah’s dealings with humans.—Genesis 21:1; Exodus 13:8; Deuteronomy 4:34; 13:17; 30:3; 1 Samuel 12:7; 25:30; 2 Kings 13:23.

SUPPORT:

• A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, revised and edited by F. W. Danker, 2000, (pp. 576-​577) lists Mark 5:19 under the definition of “lord” as “a designation of God.” It goes on to say concerning the use of the expression in the Septuagint [LXX]: “It freq. [frequently] replaces the name Yahweh in the MT [Masoretic Text].”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Mark 5:19 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is possibly “used of Yahweh.”


• The Gospel According to St Mark (The Greek Text With Introduction Notes and Indices), by Henry Barclay Swete, 1902, gives יהוה (YHWH, or the Tetragrammaton) as one possible rendering.


• The Interpretation of St. Mark’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 216 says of this verse: “Ὁ Κύριος [Ho Kyʹri·os] is Yahweh, the Old Testament name for the covenant God. . . . The man himself and all who hear his message are to know that Jehovah has come into their land and has done this great deed through his servant Jesus.”


• In the book The Principles and Practice of New Testament Textual Criticism, G. D. Kilpatrick lists Mark 5:19 as an occurrence where “Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] = Yahweh.”


• The Complete Jewish Bible, by David H. Stern, 1998, uses capital and small capitals for the word “ADONAI” in this verse. In the introduction to this Bible, the translator explains: “The word ‘ADONAI’ is used . . . wherever I, as the translator, believe ‘kurios’ is the Greek representation of the tetragrammaton.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, says: “what THE LORD JEHOVAH has done for you.”[J29]


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, says: “how great things Yahweh hath done for thee.”[J32]


• The Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, 2012, says in this verse: “what YAHWEH did for you.”[J31]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, says in this verse: “what Master YHWH did for you.”[J30]


• The Messianic Jewish Shared Heritage Bible, 2012, uses ADONAI in this verse. The glossary on p. 1530 explains: “When written in small capitals, it [ADONAI] refers to God’s personal name YHWH as given in the Hebrew Bible. This personal name is God’s ‘covenant name,’ used when God is relating to the Jewish people in an intimate way.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7-10, 17, 18, 22, 29-32, 34, 36, 41, 44, 52


MARK 13:20 “unless Jehovah had cut short the days”

REASON(S): Although most Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Here the context shows that Kyʹri·os is used with reference to God, since Jesus was explaining to his disciples what his Father will do during the great tribulation. The wording of Jesus’ prophecy here is similar to that of prophetic statements in the Hebrew Scriptures where the divine name is used. (Isaiah 1:9; 65:8; Jeremiah 46:28 [26:28, Septuagint]; Amos 9:8) In these four prophetic verses where the Hebrew text contains the Tetragrammaton, existing copies of the Septuagint use Kyʹri·os without the definite article, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage. Similarly, scholars have noted the unexpected lack of the definite article before Kyʹri·os at Mark 13:20. This is another indication that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name.

SUPPORT:

• A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, revised and edited by F. W. Danker, 2000, (pp. 576-​577) lists Mark 13:20 under the definition of “lord” as “a designation of God.” It goes on to say: “Without the art[icle] . . . , like a personal name.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Mark 13:20 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• In the book The Principles and Practice of New Testament Textual Criticism, G. D. Kilpatrick lists Mark 13:20 as an occurrence where “Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] = Yahweh.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on “Lord” in this verse: “Without the article, ‘Jehovah.’”


• The Gospel According to St Mark (The Greek Text With Introduction Notes and Indices), by Henry Barclay Swete, 1902, gives יהוה (YHWH, or the Tetragrammaton) as one possible rendering.


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, says: “And if THE LORD JEHOVAH had not shortened those days.”[J29]


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, says: “Except that Yahweh had shortened those days.”[J32]


• The Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, 2012, says in this verse: “And if YAHWEH had not shortened the days.”[J31]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, says in this verse: “And if Master YHWH had not shortened those days.”[J30]


• The Messianic Jewish Shared Heritage Bible, 2012, uses ADONAI in this verse. The glossary on p. 1530 explains: “When written in small capitals, it [ADONAI] refers to God’s personal name YHWH as given in the Hebrew Bible. This personal name is God’s ‘covenant name,’ used when God is relating to the Jewish people in an intimate way.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Mark 13:20, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “or Jehovah.”


• The Companion Bible, with notes by E. W. Bullinger, 1999 printing, uses capital and small capitals for LORD in the main text of Mark 13:20 and adds this explanation in Appendix 98: “Used of Jehovah . . . and printed ‘LORD’ throughout.”


• The Holy Bible, Containing the Authorized Version of the Old and New Testaments, by J. T. Conquest, 1841, capitalizes LORD in the main text of Mark 13:20.


• The following English translations use “God” instead of “Lord” at Mark 13:20: The Complete Jewish Bible, A Translator’s Translation of the New Testament, The Expanded Bible, and The Word New Century Version, New Testament.


• A Translator’s Handbook on the Gospel of Mark, produced by the United Bible Societies, says regarding this verse: “‘The Lord’: here, of course, God.”


Verses Where the Divine Name Does Not Appear as Part of Direct or Indirect Quotations in the Book of Luke





LUKE 1:6 “the commandments and legal requirements of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Although existing Greek manuscripts read “of the Lord” (tou Ky·riʹou) here, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Here the context shows that Kyʹri·os is used with reference to God. The first two chapters of Luke’s account are rich with references to and allusions to expressions and passages in the Hebrew Scriptures where the divine name occurs. For example, the phrase “commandments and legal requirements” and similar combinations of legal terms can be found in the Hebrew Scriptures in contexts where the divine name is used or where Jehovah is speaking. (Genesis 26:2, 5; Numbers 36:13; Deuteronomy 4:40; Ezekiel 36:23, 27) It is worth noting that these two Greek legal terms occur in the Septuagint at Deuteronomy 27:10. In an early papyrus fragment of the Greek Septuagint (Papyrus Fouad Inv. 266) showing parts of the verse, the divine name is written in square Hebrew characters. This fragment is dated to the first century B.C.E. The Hebrew Scripture background for these terms related to Jehovah’s standards is an indication that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name.

SUPPORT:

• A Translator’s Handbook on the Gospel of Luke, produced by the United Bible Societies (1971) and written by J. Reiling and J. L. Swellengrebel, makes this comment on Luke 1:6: “‘The Lord,’ following Septuagint usage, where kurios renders Hebrew ʼadonay when standing for Yahweh. It has this meaning in all occurrences in chs. 1 and 2 (except 1:43 and 2:11), and in 5:17.”


• The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, edited by Geoffrey W. Bromiley, 1982, (Vol. 2, p. 508) states: “Greek kyrios is usually translated ‘Lord’ in the English versions and is the equivalent of Heb. YHWH in the LXX [Septuagint] . . . ‘Lord’ may denote God (the Father; Mt. 5:33; Lk. 1:6).”


• A Theology of Luke’s Gospel and Acts, by Darrell L. Bock, 2011, (p. 126) states: “The common κύριος (kyrios) has its roots in the LXX [Septuagint] name for Yahweh. This usage is especially prominent in the infancy section [of Luke’s account], appearing twenty five times.”


• A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, revised and edited by F. W. Danker, 2000, (pp. 576-​577) lists Luke 1:6, 9, 28, 46; 2:15, 22 under the definition of “lord” as “a designation of God.” It goes on to say concerning the use of the expression in the Septuagint (LXX): “It [frequently] replaces the name Yahweh in the MT [Masoretic Text].” It also lists Luke 1:17, 58 after the following explanation: “Without the art[icle] . . . , like a personal name.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:6, 9, 15, 16, 17, 25, 28, 32, 38, 45, 46, 58, 66, 68; 2:9b, 15, 22, 23a, b, 24, 26, 39; 3:4; 4:8, 12, 18, 19; 5:17; 10:21, 27; 13:35; 19:38; 20:37, 42a as verses where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) says of Luke 1:6: “As often in the rest of the infancy narrative, kyrios is here used of Yahweh. . . . The rest of the phrase is formulated in imitation of OT [Old Testament] expressions.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 40 says of this verse: “‘Walking in all the commandments and legal ordinances of the Lord (i.e., Jehovah) blameless.’ The [Greek words rendered “commandments and legal ordinances (requirements)”] remind us of the commandments and statutes of Jehovah recorded in Deut. 4:1, 40; 6:2.”


• The Companion Bible, with notes by E. W. Bullinger, 1999 printing, uses capital and small capitals for LORD in the main text of Luke 1:6 and adds this explanation in the margin: “The LORD. Must here and elsewhere be often rendered Jehovah.”


• The Complete Jewish Bible, by David H. Stern, 1998, uses capital and small capitals for the word “ADONAI” in this verse and most of the other verses where “Jehovah” appears in the text of Luke in the New World Translation. In the introduction to the Complete Jewish Bible, the translator explains: “The word ‘ADONAI’ is used . . . wherever I, as the translator, believe ‘kurios’ is the Greek representation of the tetragrammaton.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, uses “THE LORD JEHOVAH” in most verses where “Jehovah” appears in the text of Luke in the New World Translation.[J29]


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, and the Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, 2012, both use “Yahweh” in most verses where “Jehovah” appears in the text of Luke in the New World Translation.[J32]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, uses “Master YHWH” in most verses where “Jehovah” appears in the text of Luke in the New World Translation.[J30]


• The Messianic Jewish Shared Heritage Bible, 2012, uses ADONAI in small capitals in this verse and in most verses where “Jehovah” appears in the text of Luke in the New World Translation. The glossary on p. 1530 explains: “When written in small capitals, it [ADONAI] refers to God’s personal name YHWH as given in the Hebrew Bible. This personal name is God’s ‘covenant name,’ used when God is relating to the Jewish people in an intimate way.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7-10, 17, 18, 22, 28-35, 37-40, 44, 46-48, 52, 58-60, 65, 66, 88


LUKE 1:9 “sanctuary of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “of the Lord” (tou Ky·riʹou) here; a few manuscripts read “of God.” However, as mentioned in the comment on Luke 1:6, the first two chapters of Luke’s account are rich with references to and allusions to passages and expressions in the Hebrew Scriptures where the divine name occurs. Although existing Greek manuscripts use Kyʹri·os here, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Hebrew Scriptures, expressions corresponding to the combination “sanctuary [or “temple”] of Jehovah” often include the Tetragrammaton. (Numbers 19:20; 2 Kings 18:16; 23:4; 24:13; 2 Chronicles 26:16; 27:2; Jeremiah 24:1; Ezekiel 8:16; Haggai 2:15) Therefore, the Hebrew Scripture background for this expression is an indication that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:9 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 43 says of this verse: “Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] is the translation of Yahweh.”


• New Testament Text and Translation Commentary, by Philip W. Comfort, 2008, makes this comment on Luke 1:9: “‘The Lord’ in this verse is not ‘the Lord Jesus Christ’ but ‘Yahweh.’”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7-18, 22, 23, 28-36, 38-40, 44, 46-48, 52, 59, 60, 65, 66, 88


LUKE 1:11 “Jehovah’s angel”

REASON(S): This expression occurs many times in the Hebrew Scriptures, starting at Genesis 16:7. When it occurs in early copies of the Greek Septuagint, the Greek word agʹge·los (angel; messenger) is followed by the divine name written in Hebrew characters. It is noteworthy that when later copies of the Septuagint replaced the divine name with Kyʹri·os (Lord) in this and many other verses, the Greek definite article was often not included where standard grammatical usage would normally call for it. The absence of the definite article here and in other verses may therefore be another indication that Kyʹri·os is used as a substitute for the divine name.—See comment on Matthew 1:20.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:11 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) says of Luke 1:11: “‘The angel of the Lord’ also appears to the barren wife of Manoah, the father of Samson in Judg 13:3. . . . The Greek phrase angelos kyriou is a Semitism, reflecting the Hebrew construct chain, malʼak Yhwh, ‘messenger of Yahweh,’ as the lack of Greek def[inite] art[icle]s reveals. This is the exalted OT [Old Testament] figure who appears at times to be indistinguishable from Yahweh himself.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7-13, 16-18, 22-24, 28-36, 38-41, 46-48, 52, 59-61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 1:15 “in the sight of Jehovah”

REASON(S): As mentioned in the comment on Luke 1:6, the first two chapters of Luke’s account are rich with references to and allusions to passages and expressions in the Hebrew Scriptures where the divine name occurs. Most existing Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) in this verse; a few manuscripts read “God.” However, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. The context shows that Kyʹri·os is here used with reference to God. The Greek expression e·noʹpi·on Ky·riʹou (lit., “in sight of [before] Lord”) reflects a Hebrew idiom and occurs over 100 times in existing copies of the Septuagint as a translation of Hebrew phrases where the Tetragrammaton is used in the original text. (Judges 11:11; 1 Samuel 10:19; 2 Samuel 5:3; 6:5) The Hebrew Scripture background for this expression is an indication that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:15 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 46 says of this verse: “‘In the sight of the Lord’ (Yahweh, as before).”


• New Testament Text and Translation Commentary, by Philip W. Comfort, 2008, says of Luke 1:15: “The Lord here is Yahweh, not the Lord Jesus Christ.”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) says of Luke 1:15: “John’s greatness (see Luke 7:28) is here measured in terms of the Kyrios, who in this context is to be understood as Yahweh.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 1:15: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 1:15, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10-18, 22, 23, 28-36, 38-41, 46-48, 52, 53, 59, 60, 65, 66, 88


LUKE 1:16 “turn back many of the sons of Israel to Jehovah their God”

REASON(S): Although existing Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. The angel’s message to Zechariah (verses 13-17) strongly reflects language used in the Hebrew Scriptures. For example, the combination of Kyʹri·os (Lord) and The·osʹ (God) along with a personal pronoun (here rendered “Jehovah their God”) is common in quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures. (Compare the expression “Jehovah your God” at Luke 4:8, 12; 10:27.) In the Hebrew Scriptures, the combination “Jehovah their God” occurs over 30 times, whereas the expression “the Lord their God” is never used. Also, the term “the sons of Israel,” used many times in the Hebrew Scriptures, reflects a Hebrew idiom meaning “the people of Israel” or “the Israelites.” (Genesis 36:31, footnote) A Greek expression similar to the one used here for “turn back [someone] to Jehovah” is used in the Septuagint at 2 Chronicles 19:4 as a translation of the Hebrew phrase “to bring [people] back to Jehovah.”—See comment on Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:16 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 48 says of this verse: “Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] is Yahweh as it was before.”


• A Translator’s Handbook on the Gospel of Luke, produced by the United Bible Societies (1971) and written by J. Reiling and J. L. Swellengrebel, comments on Luke 1:16: “Here and [Luke] 1:32, 68 in passages strongly reminiscent of the Old Testament. The term is, therefore, to be understood from the Old Testament background as the Greek rendering of Yahweh ʼElohim in which Yahweh is a proper name and ʼElohim a class noun.”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) says of Luke 1:16: “Fitted out with prophetic spirit and power, John will become Yahweh’s instrument to convert Israel from its estrangement. . . . Here Kyrios clearly refers to Yahweh.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 1:16: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 1:16, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7-18, 22-24, 28-41, 46-48, 52-55, 57, 59-61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 1:17 “get ready for Jehovah a prepared people”

REASON(S): The angel’s words to Zechariah (verses 13-17) contain allusions to such verses as Malachi 3:1; 4:5, 6; and Isaiah 40:3, where the divine name is used. (See comments on Luke 1:15, 16.) Although existing Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, the Hebrew Scripture background provides good reasons for using the divine name in the text. Additionally, an expression similar to the Greek phrase for “to get ready . . . a people” can be found in the Septuagint at 2 Samuel 7:24, where the Hebrew text reads: “You established your people Israel . . . , O Jehovah.”—See comment on Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:17 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) makes these comments on Luke 1:17: “Go before him. I.e. before Yahweh, as the messenger of Mal 3:1. . . . In Mal [4:5, 6] he is identified as the messenger to be sent before ‘the great and awesome day of Yahweh’ (cf. Mal 3:2). . . . It is in this sense that the angel now tells Zechariah that his son John is to go before the Lord (= Yahweh). See Luke 1:76. . . . to make ready a people fit for the Lord. The first part of the clause is an OT [Old Testament] expression, ‘to make ready a people’ (2 Sam 7:24).”


• The French reference work Évangile Selon Saint Luc (The Gospel According to St. Luke), by M. J. Lagrange, 1921, says of Luke 1:17: “Κυριώ [form of Kyʹri·os] without the article corresponds to Iahvé.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 1:17: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 1:17, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7-18, 22-24, 28-36, 39, 40, 44, 46-48, 52, 53, 61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 1:25 “Jehovah has dealt with me”

REASON(S): Although existing Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. Here Elizabeth expresses her gratitude in a way that may bring to mind Sarah’s experience as described at Genesis 21:1, in which verse the divine name occurs. To describe Jehovah’s dealings with humans, the Hebrew Scriptures often use the corresponding Hebrew verb for “has dealt with me” (or, “has done for me”) along with the divine name. (Exodus 13:8; Deuteronomy 4:34; 1 Samuel 12:7; 25:30) Also, before Kyʹri·os there is no Greek definite article, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. Elizabeth’s comment about her reproach of being childless having been taken away echoes the words of Rachel, recorded at Genesis 30:23.—See comments on Mark 5:19 and Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:25 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 58 says of this verse: “The Lord (Yahweh as before, with or without the article).”


• Word Biblical Commentary, by John Nolland, 1989, (Vol. 35A, p. 34) explains this about Luke 1:25: “Elizabeth expresses her wonderment at God’s graciousness to her in terms reminiscent of the experience of Sarah (Gen 21:1) and Rachel (Gen 30:23). . . . The infancy narratives are reported with almost constant echoing of OT [Old Testament] items: what happens here is to be understood in terms of what happened there.”


• The French reference work Évangile Selon Saint Luc (The Gospel According to St. Luke), by M. J. Lagrange, 1921, says of Luke 1:25: “The critical editions omit the article in front of Κύριος [Kyʹri·os], which here stands for Iahvé.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 1:25: “Jehovah.”


• The Messages of Jesus According to the Synoptists, by Thomas Cuming Hall, 1901, renders Luke 1:25: “Thus Jehovah dealt with me in the days he looked (favorably) upon me.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7-18, 22, 23, 28-36, 38-41, 44, 46, 47, 52-54, 59, 60, 65, 66, 90


LUKE 1:28 “Jehovah is with you”

REASON(S): This and similar phrases that include the divine name often occur in the Hebrew Scriptures. (Ruth 2:4; 2 Samuel 7:3; 2 Chronicles 15:2; Jeremiah 1:19) The angel’s greeting to Mary is similar to the words used when Jehovah’s angel addressed Gideon at Judges 6:12: “Jehovah is with you, you mighty warrior.” Although existing Greek manuscripts use the term “the Lord” (ho Kyʹri·os) at Luke 1:28, the Hebrew Scripture background for this expression is an indication that Kyʹri·os is here a substitute for the divine name.—See comment on Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:28 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 62 says of this verse: “The fact that a godly Jewess enjoyed Yahweh’s grace (ὁ Κύριος [ho Kyʹri·os] as before) and helpful presence needed no angelic announcement.”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) says of this expression at Luke 1:28: “The Lord is with you! This is a frequently used OT [Old Testament] phrase, but it occurs as a greeting only in two places in the OT, Ruth 2:4 and Judg 6:12. . . . In the OT the phrase often expresses Yahweh’s help and assistance and carries a military connotation. Obviously, kyrios here is to be understood of Yahweh.”


• The Expositor’s Greek Testament, by W. Robertson Nicoll, 2002, (Vol. I, p. 463) makes this comment on Luke 1:28: “The Lord (Jehovah) is or be with thee.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5, 7-18, 22, 23, 32-36, 38-41, 44, 46-48, 52, 59, 60, 64, 65, 88


LUKE 1:32 “Jehovah God will give him the throne”

REASON(S): As mentioned in the comment on Luke 1:6, the first two chapters of Luke’s account are rich with references to and allusions to passages and expressions in the Hebrew Scriptures where the divine name occurs. Although existing Greek manuscripts use the expression Kyʹri·os ho The·osʹ, literally, “Lord the God,” there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. The angel’s words about “the throne of David” are an allusion to the promise at 2 Samuel 7:12, 13, 16, where Jehovah is speaking to David through the prophet Nathan and where the Tetragrammaton occurs several times in the immediate context. (2 Samuel 7:4-16) In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the expression here rendered “Jehovah God” and similar combinations occur mainly in quotes from the Hebrew Scriptures or in passages reflecting Hebrew language style. “Jehovah God,” not “the Lord God,” is the standard combination used in the Hebrew Scriptures, and this expression occurs about 40 times. Including such similar combinations as “Jehovah [my; our; your; his; their] God” or “Jehovah the God of . . .” would bring the number of occurrences to over 800. It is true that later copies of the Septuagint used the combination Kyʹri·os ho The·osʹ (Lord the God) as the equivalent of the Hebrew expression for “Jehovah God.” However, a vellum leaf dated to the third century C.E. containing a portion of the Septuagint translation of Genesis (Papyrus Oxyrhynchus vii. 1007) renders the divine name in the expression “Jehovah God” at Genesis 2:8, 18, not by Kyʹri·os, but by an abbreviation of the Tetragrammaton in the form of a doubling of the Hebrew letter yod written as . It is also interesting to note that when the combinations “Jehovah your God” and “Jehovah his God” occur at Deuteronomy 18:5, 7 in an early fragment of the Septuagint (Papyrus Fouad Inv. 266), the divine name is written in square Hebrew characters within the Greek text. This fragment is dated to the first century B.C.E. So in view of the Hebrew Scripture background, the divine name has been used in the main text.—See comments on Luke 1:6, 16.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:32 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 101 says of Luke 1:68: “Κύριος ὁ Θεός [Kyʹri·os ho The·osʹ] is the same as it was in v. 16 and 32, the Greek for Yahweh Elohim.”


• Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, 2002, (Vol. 1, pp. 331-332) makes this comment on Luke 1:32: “Most High . . . the Lord God (1:32). Both of these are Greek translations of Old Testament names for God. The first is from El Elyon, ‘God Most High,’ and the second from Yahweh Elohim, ‘Yahweh God.’”


• New Testament Commentary, by William Hendriksen, 2007, comments on the expression “the Most High” found at Luke 1:32: “The first use of the designation which stresses Jehovah’s majesty and sovereignty is found in Gen. 14:18.”


• The Moody Bible Commentary, by Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham, 2014, says with regard to Luke 1:31-33: “The Lord God (Yahweh of the OT [Old Testament]).”


• The Jewish Annotated New Testament, by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler, 2011, says with regard to Luke 1:32: “‘Most High’ translates the Heb ‘El Elyon’ or ‘YHWH Elyon.’”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on the expression “Lord God” at Luke 1:32: “Jehovah Elohim: only occurrence in the Gospels.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 1:32, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5-18, 22-24, 28-41, 44, 46-48, 52, 53, 55, 56, 59-61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 1:38 “Jehovah’s slave girl”

REASON(S): With these words, Mary echoes expressions of other servants of Jehovah mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures. For example, Hannah says in her prayer recorded at 1 Samuel 1:11: “O Jehovah of armies, if you look upon the affliction of your servant [or, “slave girl”].” At 1 Samuel 1:11, the Septuagint uses the same Greek word for “slave girl” as is used in Luke’s account. Although existing Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) at Luke 1:38, the divine name is used in the main text of this verse in view of the context (Kyʹri·os refers to God) and the Hebrew Scripture background. Additionally, scholars have noted that the Greek definite article was not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. This is another indication that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name.—See comment on Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:38 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 76 says of this verse: “Mary pronounces herself ‘the slave-maid’ of Yahweh (Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] as throughout this chapter). She is Jehovah’s willing property for him to use as he in his covenant grace desires; she declares this of herself.”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) says of this expression at Luke 1:38: “Mary is made to identify herself with the OT [Old Testament] term used by Hannah in 1 Sam 1:11, expressive of her lowly condition before Yahweh, who is here the Kyrios.” The same volume on p. 203 makes this point: “Elizabeth is made to refer to Mary as ‘the mother of my Lord’ in 1:43, whereas Mary in calling herself the ‘handmaid of the Lord’ (1:38) is rather referring to Yahweh with this title.”


• The Gospel of Luke—A Commentary on the Greek Text (The New International Greek Testament Commentary), by I. H. Marshall, 1978, says that at Luke 1:38, Kyʹri·os “can be used without the article since it is tantamount to a proper name.”


• A Literal Translation of the New Testament . . . From the Text of the Vatican Manuscript, by Herman Heinfetter, 1863, uses “Jehovah” in the main text of Luke 1:38, as well as at Luke 1:11, 16, 17, 32, 45, 58, 66, 68, 76; 2:9a, 9b, 23, 24, 26, 39; 5:17; 20:37.[J24]


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 1:38: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 1:38, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5, 7-18, 22-24, 28-35, 38-40, 46, 47, 52, 55, 59-61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 1:45 “things spoken to her from Jehovah”

REASON(S): The things spoken to Mary by the angel had their origin with Jehovah God. The Greek expression pa·raʹ Ky·riʹou, here rendered “from Jehovah,” occurs in existing copies of the Septuagint as a translation of Hebrew expressions in which the divine name is typically used. (Genesis 24:50; Judges 14:4; 1 Samuel 1:20; Isaiah 21:10; Jeremiah 11:1; 18:1; 21:1) As in other occurrences of Kyʹri·os (Lord) in Luke chapter 1, scholars have noted that the unexpected absence of a definite article before Kyʹri·os makes the term tantamount to a proper name. Also, when the equivalent of this Greek expression occurs at Deuteronomy 18:16 in an early fragment of the Septuagint (Papyrus Fouad Inv. 266), the divine name is written in square Hebrew characters within the Greek text. This fragment is dated to the first century B.C.E. Although existing Greek manuscripts of Luke’s Gospel use the word Kyʹri·os here, the context and the Hebrew Scripture background provide good reasons for using the divine name in the main text.—See comment on Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:45 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 82 says of this verse: “The completion of all that was thus spoken ‘from the Lord’ (Yahweh) through the angel.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 1:45: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 1:45, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5-18, 22-24, 28-36, 38-41, 46, 47, 52, 53, 59-61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 1:46 “My soul magnifies Jehovah”

REASON(S): These words of Mary may echo passages in the Hebrew Scriptures, such as Psalm 34:3 and 69:30, where the divine name is used in the same verse or in the context. (Psalm 69:31) In these verses, the same Greek word for “magnify” (me·ga·lyʹno) is used in the Septuagint. It is worth noting that one fragment of a parchment roll (P. Vindobonensis Greek 39777, dated to the third or fourth century C.E.) contains, according to Symmachus’ Greek translation, part of Psalm 69 (68 in the Septuagint). At Psalm 69:13, 30, 31, this fragment renders the divine name using, not Kyʹri·os, but the Tetragrammaton written in archaic Hebrew characters ( or ). This evidence, along with the Hebrew Scripture background, supports using the divine name.—See comment on Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:46 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 84 says of this verse: “Already Mary’s first line announces her theme: she magnifies Yahweh (Κύριος [Kyʹri·os]).”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) says of this phrase at Luke 1:46: “It expresses praise and thanksgiving for Yahweh’s greatness and majesty which are recognized as the source of the blessings that have come to Mary.” A note on the expression “God my Savior” found at Luke 1:47 says: “This phrase is parallel to ‘Lord’ in v. 46, showing that kyrios there is to be understood of Yahweh, the source of blessing to Mary.”


• New Testament Commentary, by William Hendriksen, 2007, makes this comment on Luke 1:46-48: “Mary says, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord,’ that is, proclaims the greatness of Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 1:46, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


• The Messages of Jesus According to the Synoptists, by Thomas Cuming Hall, 1901, renders Luke 1:46: “My soul exalts Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5-18, 22, 23, 28-36, 38-41, 44, 46, 47, 52, 53, 55, 59, 60, 65, 66, 88


LUKE 1:58 “Jehovah had magnified his mercy”

REASON(S): The expression rendered “that Jehovah had magnified his mercy to her” reflects a typical Hebrew way of expressing things and evidently echoes the wording of Genesis 19:18-20. There Lot is addressing Jehovah, saying: “Jehovah! . . . You are showing great kindness to me [lit., “You are magnifying your kindness”].” The context, as well as the Hebrew Scripture background, supports the use of the divine name in this verse.—See comment on Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:58 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 94 says of this verse: “Yahweh considered Elizabeth’s grief over her barrenness.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 1:58: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 1:58, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5-18, 22-24 32-35, 38-41, 44, 46, 52, 55, 59, 61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 1:66 “The hand of Jehovah”

REASON(S): This phrase is often found in the Hebrew Scriptures as a combination of the Hebrew word for “hand” and the Tetragrammaton. (Exodus 9:3; Numbers 11:23; Judges 2:15; Ruth 1:13; 1 Samuel 5:6, 9; 7:13; 12:15; 1 Kings 18:46; Ezra 7:6; Job 12:9; Isaiah 19:16; 40:2; Ezekiel 1:3) Although existing Greek manuscripts of Luke’s Gospel use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) in this verse, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text in view of this Hebrew Scripture background. In connection with Luke 1:66, scholars have noted that the Greek definite article was not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. This is noteworthy because even though the earliest copies of the Septuagint contained the divine name, when later copies of the Septuagint replaced the divine name with Kyʹri·os, the definite article was in a similar way often not included, where standard grammatical usage would call for it. This unexpected absence of the definite article before Kyʹri·os is another indication that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name. The Greek expression rendered “hand of Jehovah” (or, “Jehovah’s hand”) also occurs at Acts 11:21; 13:11.—See comment on Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:66 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 98 says of this verse: “‘The Lord’s hand’ is his directing and upholding power, and Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] is Yahweh.”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) says of this expression at Luke 1:66: “There is little doubt that kyrios here refers to Yahweh.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 1:66: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 1:66, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5-18, 22-24, 28-35, 38-41, 44, 46, 47, 52, 55, 59-61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 1:68 “Let Jehovah be praised, the God of Israel”

REASON(S): This expression of praise is common in the Hebrew Scriptures, where it is often used with the divine name. (1 Samuel 25:32; 1 Kings 1:48; 8:15; Psalm 41:13; 72:18; 106:48) Although existing Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. The context shows that Kyʹri·os is used with reference to “the God of Israel.” This fact together with the Hebrew Scripture background of this phrase is an indication that Kyʹri·os (Lord) is used here as a substitute for the divine name.—See comment on Luke 1:6, 16.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:68 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 101 says of this verse: “Κύριος ὁ Θεός [Kyʹri·os ho The·osʹ] is the same as it was in v. 16 and 32, the Greek for Yahweh Elohim.”


• A Translator’s Handbook on the Gospel of Luke, produced by the United Bible Societies (1971) and written by J. Reiling and J. L. Swellengrebel, comments on Luke 1:68: “Because of the Old Testament background of the phrase it is best to understand kurios as representing the name Yahweh and not as a title.”


• New Testament Commentary, by William Hendriksen, 2007, comments on Luke 1:68: “Zechariah begins with a doxology. He praises Jehovah.”


• The Jerome Biblical Commentary, edited by Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, 1968, says with regard to Zechariah’s speech that starts to be recorded at Luke 1:68: “The hymn blesses Yahweh for what he has achieved of salvation.”


• The Scofield Reference Bible, by C. I. Scofield, 1909, says in a marginal note on Luke 1:68: “Jehovah. Psa. 106.48.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 1:68: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 1:68, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5-18, 22-24, 28-41, 44, 46-48, 52-55, 59-61, 64-66, 88, 90


LUKE 1:76 “go ahead of Jehovah”

REASON(S): The prophetic words of Zechariah in the second part of this verse reflect the wording of Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1, where the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text. In view of the Hebrew Scripture background, the divine name has been used in the main text, although existing Greek manuscripts use Kyʹri·os (Lord). (See comments on Luke 1:6, 16, 17; 3:4.) Additionally, it is noteworthy that in this verse, as in many other occurrences of Kyʹri·os in Luke chapter 1, the Greek definite article was not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name.

SUPPORT:

• A Commentary on the Holy Bible, edited by J. R. Dummelow, 1936, says of Luke 1:76: “Of the Lord] Zacharias understood it of Jehovah.”


• A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Luke, by Alfred Plummer, 1920, says of Luke 1:76: “Here Κυρίου [form of Kyʹri·os] means Jehovah, not the Christ, as is clear from vv. 16, 17.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 1:76 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is possibly “used of Yahweh.”


• The Expositor’s Greek Testament, by W. Robertson Nicoll, 2002, (Vol. I, p. 469) makes this comment on the verse: “John will go before the Lord (Jehovah).”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 109 says of this verse: “Throughout this chapter Κύριος is the Greek word for Yahweh.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 1:76: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 1:76, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5-18, 22-24, 28-35, 39-41, 46, 48, 52, 53, 60, 61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 2:9a “Jehovah’s angel”

REASON(S): See comments on Matthew 1:20 and Luke 1:11.

SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5, 7-13, 16, 17, 22-24, 32-36, 38-41, 46-48, 52, 55, 59-61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 2:9b “Jehovah’s glory”

REASON(S): The first two chapters of Luke’s account are rich with references to and allusions to passages and expressions from the Hebrew Scriptures where the divine name occurs. Most existing Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) in this verse; a few manuscripts use “God.” However, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the corresponding Hebrew expression for “glory” occurs along with the Tetragrammaton more than 30 times. (Some examples are found at Exodus 16:7; 40:34; Leviticus 9:6, 23; Numbers 14:10; 16:19; 20:6; 1 Kings 8:11; 2 Chronicles 5:14; 7:1; Psalm 104:31; 138:5; Isaiah 35:2; 40:5; 60:1; Ezekiel 1:28; 3:12; 10:4; 43:4; Habakkuk 2:14.) An early copy of the Greek Septuagint found in a cave in Nahal Hever in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea, dated between 50 B.C.E. and 50 C.E., contains the Tetragrammaton written in ancient Hebrew characters within the Greek text at Habakkuk 2:14. Also, it is noteworthy that when later copies of the Septuagint replaced the divine name with Kyʹri·os in this and many other verses, the definite article was not included, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. So in view of the Hebrew Scripture background as well as the absence of the Greek definite article, the divine name has been used in the main text of Luke 2:9.—See comment on Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 2:9 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• With regard to the expression “angel of the Lord” and “glory of the Lord,” R.C.H. Lenski makes this comment on Luke 2:9 in The Interpretation of Luke’s Gospel (pp. 128-129): “As is the case throughout the first chapter, Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] is the Greek term for Yahweh and as a genitive with unarticulated nouns forms one concept with them: ‘Jehovah-angel,’ ‘Jehovah-glory.’ . . . It was Jehovah’s angel who came upon them like a flash.”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) says of this expression at Luke 2:9: “In the LXX [Septuagint] doxa translates Hebrew kābôd, the ‘splendor, brilliance,’ associated with Yahweh’s perceptible presence to his people.”


• The Critical and Exegetical Hand-Book to the Gospels of Mark and Luke, by Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer, (Sixth edition of 1884), says of this expression at Luke 2:9: “— δόξα κυρίου] יְהוָֹה [YHWH] כְּבוֹד, radiance by which God is surrounded.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 2:9: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 2:9, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5, 7, 8, 10-18, 22-24, 28-36, 38-41, 46-48, 52, 55, 59, 61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 2:15 “Jehovah has made known to us”

REASON(S): The angels conveyed the message, but the shepherds recognized the Source as being Jehovah God. Although existing Greek manuscripts use “the Lord” (ho Kyʹri·os) here, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Septuagint, the Greek verb rendered “has made known” is used to translate a corresponding Hebrew verb in contexts where the divine name is used and where Jehovah communicates his will to humans. (Psalm 25:4; 39:4; 98:2; 103:6, 7) Therefore, it would be natural to connect the divine name with what the Jewish shepherds are here saying.—See comment on Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 2:15 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) says of this expression at Luke 2:15: “Which the Lord has made known to us. I.e. Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 137 says of this verse: “Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] is again the translation of Yahweh.”


• The Holy Scriptures, by J. N. Darby, 1991 printing, says in a footnote on Luke 2:15: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5, 7, 8, 10-18, 22, 23, 28-31, 33-36, 39-41, 44, 46, 47, 52, 59-61, 65, 88


LUKE 2:22 “To present him to Jehovah”

REASON(S): Existing Greek manuscripts read “to the Lord” (toi Ky·riʹoi) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. As the following verse shows, Jesus’ being brought to the temple after his birth is in accord with Jehovah’s words to Moses at Exodus 13:1, 2, 12, where parents were commanded to “devote to Jehovah every firstborn male.” Also, the expression “to present him to Jehovah” is similar to what is described at 1 Samuel 1:22-28, where young Samuel is presented “before Jehovah” and dedicated to His service. In view of the context and the Hebrew Scripture background, the divine name is used in the main text of Luke 2:22.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 2:22 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 141 says of this verse: “They brought the child to Jerusalem ‘to present him to the Lord,’ i.e., Yahweh, Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] being used in this sense throughout these first chapters of Luke. . . . Every first-born son had to be presented to Jehovah.”


• The Holy Scriptures, by J. N. Darby, 1991 printing, says in a footnote on Luke 2:22: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5-18, 22, 23, 28-36, 38-41, 47, 52, 59-61, 65, 66, 88


LUKE 2:23 “just as it is written in Jehovah’s Law”

REASON(S): Although existing Greek manuscripts read noʹmo Ky·riʹou, “Lord’s Law,” there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. This expression occurs many times in the Hebrew Scriptures as a combination of the Hebrew word for “law” and the Tetragrammaton. (For example: Exodus 13:9; 2 Kings 10:31; 1 Chronicles 16:40; 22:12; 2 Chronicles 17:9; 31:3; 34:14; 35:26; Nehemiah 9:3; Psalm 1:2; 119:1; Isaiah 5:24; Jeremiah 8:8; Amos 2:4.) The expression “just as it is written” is a common introduction to Hebrew Scripture quotes in the Christian Greek Scriptures. (Mark 1:2; Acts 7:42; 15:15; Romans 1:17; 9:33; 10:15) It is also used in the Septuagint at 2 Kings 14:6 to introduce a scripture quote. The full expression “just as it is written in Jehovah’s Law” reflects an expression in the Hebrew Scriptures that can be found at 2 Chronicles 31:3 and 35:26, where the divine name is used. Additionally, scholars have noted that the Greek definite article is not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name in this context. In view of the context, the Hebrew Scripture background, and the absence of the Greek definite article, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text of Luke 2:23.—See comment on Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 2:23 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 142 says of this verse: “Holy ‘to the Lord,’ to Yahweh.”


• The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, edited by Gerhard Kittel, 1967, says of this expression at Luke 2:23: “In Lk. 2:23 there is no art[icle], but we have the combination νόμος κυρίου [noʹmos ky·riʹou], which is to be defined in the light of יהוה [YHWH] תורת.”


• The Scofield Reference Bible, by C. I. Scofield, 1909, says in a marginal note on Luke 2:23: “Jehovah. Ex. 13.2, 12.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 2:23: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 2:23, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5-18, 22-24, 28-31, 33-36, 38-41, 46, 47, 52, 55, 58-61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 2:24 “in the Law of Jehovah”

REASON(S): See comments on Luke 1:6; 2:23.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 2:24 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 2:24: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 2:24, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5-18, 22-24, 28-36, 38-41, 46, 47, 52, 55, 56, 58-61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 2:26 “the Christ of Jehovah”

REASON(S): There are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text, although available Greek manuscripts literally read “the Christ of Lord” (ton khri·stonʹ Ky·riʹou). In existing copies of the Septuagint, this expression corresponds to the Hebrew term ma·shiʹach YHWH, that is, “anointed (one) of Jehovah,” used 11 times in the Hebrew Scriptures. (1 Samuel 24:6 [twice], 10; 26:9, 11, 16, 23; 2 Samuel 1:14, 16; 19:21; Lamentations 4:20) In connection with both Luke’s account and the Septuagint, scholars have noted that the Greek definite article was not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os in these contexts tantamount to a proper name. Therefore, both the Hebrew Scripture background and the absence of the Greek article are valid reasons for treating Kyʹri·os in these expressions, not as a title, but as an equivalent of the divine name.—See comment on Luke 1:6.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 2:26 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 145 says of this verse: “To see the Lord’s (Yahweh, Κύριος in this sense throughout these two chapters) Christ.”


• Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, 2002, (Vol. 1, pp. 345-346) says of Luke 2:26: “This phrase is equivalent to the Old Testament expression ‘the LORD’s Anointed’ . . . and carries the sense, ‘Yahweh’s chosen agent of redemption.’”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) says of this expression at Luke 2:26: “The OT [Old Testament] expression, “the Anointed of Yahweh” (see e.g. 1 Sam 24:7, 11; 26:9, 11, 16, 23), is used here in the strictly messianic sense, of a future, expected David.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 2:26: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 2:26, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5-18, 22-24, 28-36, 38-41, 46, 47, 52, 58-61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 2:39 “Law of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Although existing Greek manuscripts read noʹmon Ky·riʹou, “Lord’s Law,” there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. This expression occurs many times in the Hebrew Scriptures as a combination of the Hebrew word for “law” and the Tetragrammaton. (For example: Exodus 13:9; 2 Kings 10:31; 1 Chronicles 16:40; 22:12; 2 Chronicles 17:9; 31:3; Nehemiah 9:3; Psalm 1:2; 119:1; Isaiah 5:24; Jeremiah 8:8; Amos 2:4.) It is also noteworthy that the Greek definite article is not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name in this context. In view of the Hebrew Scripture background and the absence of the Greek definite article, the divine name is used in the main text.—See comments on Luke 1:6; 2:23.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 2:39 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 2:39: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 2:39, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J5-18, 22-24, 28-36, 38, 40, 41, 44, 46-48, 52, 55, 59-61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 5:17 “Jehovah’s power”

REASON(S): Although Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Here the context clearly shows that Kyʹri·os is used with reference to God, and the Greek word dyʹna·mis, which could be rendered “power” or “strength,” appears in the Septuagint where the Hebrew text refers to Jehovah’s power, or strength, and uses the Tetragrammaton in the context. (Psalm 21:1, 13; 93:1; 118:15) In connection with Luke 5:17, scholars have noted that the Greek definite article was not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. This is noteworthy because even though early copies of the Septuagint contained the divine name, when later copies of the Septuagint replaced the divine name with Kyʹri·os, the definite article was in a similar way often not included, where standard grammatical usage would call for it. This unexpected absence of the definite article before Kyʹri·os is another indication that Kyʹri·os is used as a substitute for the divine name. So in view of the Hebrew Scripture background and the absence of the Greek definite article, the divine name is used in the main text.—See comments on Luke 1:6, 16.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 5:17 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 292 says of this verse: “The unarticulated Κύριος [Kyʹri·os], as the first chapters in Luke show, denotes Yahweh.”


• New Testament Commentary, by William Hendriksen, 2007, makes this comment on Luke 5:17: “Significantly Luke adds that the power of the Lord—that is, of Jehovah—was with Jesus ‘for healing.’”


• A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Luke, by Alfred Plummer, 1920, says of Luke 5:17: “‘The power of Jehovah was present for Him to heal with’ . . . Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] without the article means Jehovah.”


• Word Pictures in the New Testament, by Archibald Thomas Robertson, 1930, (Vol. 2) says of Luke 5:17: “Here Kuriou refers to Jehovah.”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1981, (Vol. 28) says of this expression at Luke 5:17: “This phrase is clearly a Lucan creation, a description of Yahweh’s power present in Jesus for the sake of curing people. In effect, it echoes 4:14, 36 and prepares for the miracle and the pronouncement that are to come. Here Kyrios is clearly distinguished from Jesus and means Yahweh.”


• A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to S. Luke, by Alfred Plummer, 1916, comments on this expression at Luke 5:17: “[Luke] often calls Christ ‘the Lord’; but in such cases Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] always has the article [7:13; 10:1; 11:39; 12:42; 13:15; 17:5, 6; 18:6; 19:8; 22:61]. Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] without the article means Jehovah [1:11; 2:9; 4:18; Acts 5:19; 8:26, 39; 12:7].”


• The New American Commentary, by Robert H. Stein, 1992, (Vol. 24) says with regard to Luke 5:17: “The term ‘Lord’ here refers to God/YHWH as in 1:6, 9, 11, 15, 16.”


• The French reference work Évangile Selon Saint Luc (The Gospel According to St. Luke), by M. J. Lagrange, 1921, says of Luke 5:17: “But when Luke does not use the article, Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] is Iahvé.” It then lists similar occurrences at Luke 1:11; 2:9; 4:18; Acts 5:19; 8:26, 39; 12:7.


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 5:17: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 5:17, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7-18, 22-24, 28-36, 38-41, 44, 46, 47, 52, 55, 58, 61, 65, 66, 88, 90


LUKE 20:37 “when he calls Jehovah”

REASON(S): Although existing Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. The context shows that Kyʹri·os is used with reference to God. The quote in this verse is taken from Exodus 3:6, where in the preceding verses, “Jehovah” is the one speaking. (Exodus 3:4, 5) In view of this Hebrew Scripture background, the divine name has been used in the main text. In connection with Luke 20:37, scholars have noted the absence of the Greek definite article before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage. This is noteworthy because even though early copies of the Greek Septuagint contained the divine name, when later copies of the Septuagint replaced the divine name with Kyʹri·os, the definite article was in a similar way not included, where standard grammatical usage would normally call for it. Therefore, the unexpected absence of the definite article here is another indication that Kyʹri·os is used as a substitute for the divine name.—See comments on Luke 1:6, 16.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Luke 20:37 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel, by R.C.H. Lenski, on page 999 says of this verse: “It was, however, the Lord (Yahweh) himself who used this covenant name concerning himself there at the bush.”


• A Translator’s Handbook on the Gospel of Luke, produced by the United Bible Societies (1971) and written by J. Reiling and J. L. Swellengrebel, makes this comment on Luke 20:37: “Kurios (cp. on 1:6) is without article as if a personal name.”


• The Anchor Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1985, (Vol. 28-28A) says of this verse: “When he speaks of the Lord. I.e. Yahweh (see Exod 3:4).” It goes on to explain with regard to this verse: “The main point in the argument is that Yahweh identifies himself to Moses as the God of the patriarchs long after they have died.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Luke 20:37: “Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At Luke 20:37, “LORD” appears in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J9, 11-18, 21-24, 27, 28-41, 44, 46-48, 52, 54, 55, 57-61, 65, 66, 86, 88, 90, 92



Verses Where the Divine Name Does Not Appear as Part of Direct or Indirect Quotations in the Book of John





JOHN 12:38a “Jehovah, who has put faith . . . ?”

REASON(S): In this quote from Isaiah 53:1, the original Hebrew text uses the divine name only once, in the expression “the arm of Jehovah.” John, however, under divine inspiration quotes from the Septuagint translation of Isaiah’s prophecy, where the Greek text begins with the form of the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) used for direct address. (See Romans 10:16, where Isaiah 53:1 is also quoted.) The translators may have inserted this first occurrence of Kyʹri·os in order to clarify to the reader that the prophet addresses his questions to God. Since Kyʹri·os in later copies of the Septuagint is often used as a substitute for the Tetragrammaton in the original Hebrew text (as is the case in the second occurrence of Kyʹri·os in this quote), the divine name has been used here in the main text.—See John 12:38b.

SUPPORT:

• When commenting on the same quotation from Isaiah 53:1 that is found at Romans 10:16, The Bible Commentary, edited by F. C. Cook, 1981 reprint, makes this comment on the first occurrence of “Lord” in that quotation: “The word ‘Lord,’ added here and in the Greek versions of Isai. liii. I [53:1], shows the prophet turning to Jehovah, as the sender of the message . . . The addition is in harmony with the original meaning of the passage, and with St. Paul’s comment upon it in v. 17.”


• The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, by R.C.H. Lenski, says of the same quotation from Isaiah 53:1 that is found at Romans 10:16: “Paul adds ‘Lord’ to the quotation since the prophet’s question was addressed to Yahweh.”


• In the book The Principles and Practice of New Testament Textual Criticism, G. D. Kilpatrick lists John 12:38 as having two occurrences of “Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] = Yahweh.”


• The Complete Jewish Bible, by David H. Stern, 1998, uses capital and small capitals for the word “ADONAI” twice in this verse. In the introduction to this Bible, the translator explains: “The word ‘ADONAI’ is used . . . wherever I, as the translator, believe ‘kurios’ is the Greek representation of the tetragrammaton.”


• The Companion Bible, with notes by E. W. Bullinger, 1999 printing, uses capital and small capitals for LORD twice in the main text of John 12:38 to show that both occurrences refer to Jehovah. In Appendix 98, “Divine Names and Titles in New Testament,” on p. 142, it lists John 12:38 twice under the heading “LORD . . . Used of Jehovah.”


• The Messianic Jewish Shared Heritage Bible, 2012, uses ADONAI twice in this verse. The glossary on p. 1530 explains: “When written in small capitals, it [ADONAI] refers to God’s personal name YHWH as given in the Hebrew Bible. This personal name is God’s ‘covenant name,’ used when God is relating to the Jewish people in an intimate way.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing. At John 12:38, “LORD” appears twice in capital and small capitals, and the marginal note says: “Heb. Jehovah.”


• The Scofield Reference Bible, 1909, by C. I. Scofield, says in a marginal note on the first occurrence of “Lord” at John 12:38: “Jehovah. Isa. 53.1.”


• The NLT Study Bible, Second Edition, 2008, puts “LORD” in capital and small capitals in both occurrences at John 12:38. The translation committee for this Bible makes this comment in the “Introduction to the New Living Translation”: “We have generally rendered the tetragrammaton (YHWH) consistently as ‘the LORD,’ utilizing a form . . . that is common among English translations.” Commenting on the New Testament, the committee says: “The Greek word kurios is consistently translated ‘Lord,’ except that it is translated ‘LORD’ wherever the New Testament text explicitly quotes from the Old Testament, and the text there has it in small capitals.” (Italics ours.)


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) twice at John 12:38.


• The Idiomatic Translation of the New Testament, translated by William Graham MacDonald, 2009, uses “Yahveh” twice at John 12:38.


• The Holy Bible, Containing the Authorized Version of the Old and New Testaments, With Many Thousand Emendations, 1846, twice uses “LORD” in large capitals in the main text of John 12:38.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J12-14, 16-18, 22, 23, 34-36, 39, 43, 46, 52, 65, 66


Verses Where the Divine Name Does Not Appear as Part of Direct or Indirect Quotations in the Book of Acts





ACTS 1:24 “You, O Jehovah, who know the hearts of all”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts use the term “Lord” (Kyʹri·os) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. The Hebrew Scriptures frequently identify Jehovah God as the one with the ability to read hearts. (Deuteronomy 8:2; 1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Kings 8:39; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Psalm 44:21; Jeremiah 11:20; 17:10) It would have been natural in this context, then, for those Hebrew-speaking Jews to use the divine name when praying to God. The Greek word kar·di·o·gnoʹstes (lit., “knower of hearts”) occurs only here and at Acts 15:8, where it clearly refers to God. Although existing Greek manuscripts of Acts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, the context and the Hebrew Scripture background, as well as the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, provide good reasons for using the divine name in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• The Anchor Yale Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1998, (Vol. 31) says of Acts 1:24: “Lord, you know the hearts of all. God is addressed by the Christian community as Kyrie [a form of Kyʹri·os], a title used by Luke elsewhere for Yahweh of the OT [Old Testament] (Luke 1:16, 32, 68; 4:8, 12; 10:27; 19:38; 20:37, 44; Acts 2:39; 3:22; 5:9).” With regard to the expression “know the hearts,” this reference work goes on to acknowledge that “it is a title for God appearing only in Christian writings.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 1:24 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Companion Bible, with notes by E. W. Bullinger, 1999 printing, in Appendix 98, “Divine Names and Titles in New Testament,” lists Acts 1:24 on page 143, under the heading “LORD . . . Used of Jehovah.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, says in this verse: “You, LORD JEHOVAH, know what is in the heart of everyone.”[J29]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, says in this verse: “You Master YHWH know that which is in the hearts of all.” The footnote on this verse says: “The early talmidim called on the Name of YHWH in prayer; however, this was obscured when generic Greek terms were implemented to replace the Personal and Covenant Name of YHWH. This was done in violation of the Commandments: Do not add to, nor take away from the Word D’varim/Deut. 4:2 and do not take the Name of YHWH in vain, Sh’mot [Ex] 20:7.”[J30]


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 22, 23, 29, 30, 32, 36, 44, 65, 66


ACTS 2:39 “to all those whom Jehovah our God may call to himself”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts use the term Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, but as shown by the context (Acts 2:33-38), “the promise” Peter mentions in this verse refers to what is stated at Joel 2:28-32 about the outpouring of holy spirit. The phrase “to all those whom Jehovah our God may call to himself” therefore seems to echo the words found at the end of Joel 2:32. The Hebrew text of Joel 2:32 uses the divine name three times, specifically stating that Jehovah is the one who does the calling. Additionally, the combination of Kyʹri·os (Lord) and The·osʹ (God) along with a personal pronoun (here rendered “Jehovah our God”) is common in quotations from or allusions to the Hebrew Scriptures. (Compare the expressions “Jehovah your God” at Luke 4:8, 12; 10:27; and Acts 3:22.) It is also worth noting that the unexpected absence of the definite article before Kyʹri·os makes the term tantamount to a proper name. So the Hebrew Scripture background of these words, the absence of the Greek definite article, and the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os provide good reasons for using the divine name in the main text.—See comment on Luke 1:16.

SUPPORT:

• The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles, by R.C.H. Lenski, 1934, on page 110, says of this verse: “Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς [Kyʹri·os ho The·osʹ] = Yahweh Haelohim . . . this covenant Lord and omnipotent God exercises his power in favor of Israel.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 2:39 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΚΥΡΙΟΣ [I·e·sousʹ Kyʹri·os] Their Usage and Sense in Holy Scripture, by Herman Heinfetter, 1857, lists Acts 2:39 as one of the passages in which “the Omission of the Article before Κυριος [Kyʹri·os] . . . determines the Appellation to have reference to Almighty God.”


• The Anchor Yale Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1998, (Vol. 31) in a note on Acts 1:24 lists Acts 2:39 as an example of where the title Kyʹri·os is “used by Luke elsewhere for Yahweh of the OT [Old Testament].”​—See comment on Acts 1:​24.


• The Complete Jewish Bible, by David H. Stern, 1998, uses capital and small capitals for the word “ADONAI” in this verse. In the introduction to this Bible, the translator explains: “The word ‘ADONAI’ is used . . . wherever I, as the translator, believe ‘kurios’ is the Greek representation of the tetragrammaton.”


• The Companion Bible, with notes by E. W. Bullinger, 1999 printing, uses capital and small capitals for LORD in the main text of Acts 2:39 to show that this occurrence refers to Jehovah. Appendix 98, “Divine Names and Titles in New Testament,” lists Acts 2:39 on page 143, under the heading “LORD . . . Used of Jehovah.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Acts 2:21: “‘Jehovah;’ so [verse] 39.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing, puts “LORD” in capital and small capitals at Acts 2:39, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


• The Scofield Reference Bible, by C. I. Scofield, 1909, says in a marginal note on Acts 2:39: “Jehovah. Joel 2.32.”


• The Messianic Jewish Shared Heritage Bible, 2012, uses ADONAI in this verse. The glossary on page 1530 explains: “When written in small capitals, it [ADONAI] refers to God’s personal name YHWH as given in the Hebrew Bible. This personal name is God’s ‘covenant name,’ used when God is relating to the Jewish people in an intimate way.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 17, 18, 22-24, 32, 33, 35, 37, 40, 41, 43, 44, 46, 48, 52, 61, 65, 66, 88, 90


ACTS 2:47 “Jehovah continued to add to them daily those being saved”

REASON(S): Although existing Greek manuscripts use the term “the Lord” (ho Kyʹri·os) here, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In Acts chapter 2, Kyʹri·os occurs eight times. Two of these occurrences clearly refer to Jesus and are therefore rendered “Lord.” (Acts 2:34b, 36) Of the remaining six occurrences, four are in quotes from the Hebrew Scriptures (Acts 2:20, 21, 25, 34a), where the divine name occurs in the original Hebrew text, and are therefore rendered “Jehovah.” Another occurrence (Acts 2:39) clearly alludes to the words of Joel 2:32, where the divine name is used three times. Here at Acts 2:47, the context indicates that God is the one referred to by the word Kyʹri·os. Also, the phrase rendered “those being saved” echoes the last clause of Joel 2:32, the first part of which Peter quoted at Acts 2:21. Therefore, in view of the context and the Hebrew Scripture background, as well as the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used in the main text.—See comment on Acts 2:39.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 2:47 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Companion Bible, with notes by E. W. Bullinger, 1999 printing, in Appendix 98, “Divine Names and Titles in New Testament,” lists Acts 2:47 on page 143, under the heading “LORD . . . Used of Jehovah.”


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” twice in this verse.[J32]


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” twice at Acts 2:47.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 31-33, 37, 41, 44, 48, 65


ACTS 3:19 “seasons of refreshing may come from Jehovah himself”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts literally read “from face of the Lord.” However, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. The Greek word used here for “Lord” (Kyʹri·os) is also used at Acts 3:22 in a quote from Deuteronomy 18:15, where the Tetragrammaton occurs in the original Hebrew text. (See study note on Acts 3:22.) Peter is explaining that if Jews who acted in ignorance when rejecting Jesus repented, God would grant them forgiveness. So the context of Acts 3:17-22 indicates that the Lord mentioned at Acts 3:19 refers to Jehovah God. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the phrase “the face of Jehovah” is a combination of the Hebrew word for “face” and the Tetragrammaton. (Genesis 3:8; Exodus 34:24; Judges 5:5; Psalm 34:16; Lamentations 4:16) Although existing copies of the Septuagint have Kyʹri·os in these verses, there is manuscript evidence that early copies of the Septuagint did contain the divine name. So both the context and the Hebrew Scripture background of this expression provide support for viewing Kyʹri·os here as a substitute for the divine name.

SUPPORT:

• The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles, by R.C.H. Lenski, 1934, on page 141, says of this verse: “Seasons of refreshing or cooling from the presence of the Lord (Yahweh).”


• The Anchor Yale Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1998, (Vol. 31) says in a comment on Acts 3:20 regarding this expression found at Acts 3:19: “Kyrios is used of Yahweh, the God of the OT [Old Testament], as in 2:39; Luke 1:16, 32, 68; 4:12; 10:27; 20:37.”


• The Companion Bible, with notes by E. W. Bullinger, 1999 printing, uses capital and small capitals for LORD in the main text of Acts 3:19 to show that this occurrence refers to Jehovah.


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, says in this verse: “before the presence of Master YHWH.”[J30]


• The Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, 2012, says in this verse: “before the presence of YAHWEH.”[J31]


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing, puts “LORD” in capital and small capitals at Acts 3:19, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J13-18, 22, 23, 28-32, 34, 35, 38, 40, 41, 43, 44, 46, 47, 52, 65, 88


ACTS 4:29 “Now, Jehovah, give attention to their threats”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts use the term “Lord” (Kyʹri·os) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. For example, these words are part of a prayer addressed to the “Sovereign Lord” (Acts 4:24b), a term that is rendered from the Greek word de·spoʹtes and that is also used to address God in a prayer recorded at Luke 2:29. In the prayer recorded at Acts 4:24b-30, Jesus is called “your holy servant.” This indicates that here Kyʹri·os refers, not to Jesus, but to Jehovah God. The disciples’ prayer recorded here includes a quote from Psalm 2:1, 2, where the divine name is used. (See study note on Acts 4:26.) In addition, this request that Jehovah “give attention to their threats,” that is, the threats of the Sanhedrin, uses terms that are similar to those used in prayers recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures. Examples can be found at 2 Kings 19:16, 19 and Isaiah 37:17, 20, where the divine name is used.—See comment on Acts 1:24.

SUPPORT:

• The Expositor’s Greek Testament, by W. Robertson Nicoll, 2002, (Vol. II, p. 68) makes this comment on Acts 1:24: “It is quite true that in [Ac 4:29] Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] is used in prayer plainly addressed to the Lord Jehovah.”


• The Anchor Yale Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1998, (Vol. 31) says of Acts 4:29: “Compare 2 Kgs 19:19. The Christians call upon God to take notice of the threats that the Sanhedrin has leveled against Peter and John, and through them against all the rest of their number. They beseech God to be concerned about the ‘threats’ leveled against them.” The divine name appears in the Hebrew text of 2 Kings 19:19.


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 4:29 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, says in this verse: “Even now Master YHWH, look and see their threats.”[J30]


• The Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, 2012, says in this verse: “Even now YAHWEH, look and see their threats.”[J31]


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing, puts “LORD” in capital and small capitals at Acts 4:29, and the marginal note says: “or, Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 29-36, 40, 41, 43, 46, 61, 65, 66, 88


ACTS 5:9 “the spirit of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the spirit of Lord” (to pneuʹma Ky·riʹou) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. The same expression is found at Luke 4:18 as part of a quote from Isaiah 61:1, where the original Hebrew text uses the Tetragrammaton together with the word for “spirit.” (See study note on Luke 4:18.) The expression “the spirit of Jehovah” (or, “Jehovah’s spirit”) occurs several times in the Hebrew Scriptures. (Some examples are found at Judges 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; 14:6; 15:14; 1 Samuel 10:6; 16:13; 2 Samuel 23:2; 1 Kings 18:12; 2 Kings 2:16; 2 Chronicles 20:14; Isaiah 11:2; 40:13; 63:14; Ezekiel 11:5; Micah 2:7; 3:8.) The combination of the Hebrew words for “spirit” and “Lord” appears only once in the Hebrew Scriptures. Even in that case, it is combined with the Tetragrammaton and reads “the spirit of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah.” (Isaiah 61:1) Also, it is noteworthy that in this verse (Acts 5:9) the Greek definite article was not included before Kyʹri·os (Lord), where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. So the Hebrew Scripture background and the unexpected absence of the definite article before Kyʹri·os indicate that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name.

SUPPORT:

• The Anchor Yale Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1998, (Vol. 31) says of Acts 5:9: “The ‘testing’ of God has an OT [Old Testament] background in Exod 17:2; Num 20:13, 24 (Israel’s rebellious tempting of God in the desert); Ps 106:32. Luke uses the same verb (peirazein) as is used of Israel in Deut 33:8 (LXX). Kyrios refers to Yahweh, whose Spirit has been put to the test.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 5:9 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• When commenting on the same expression that appears at 2 Corinthians 3:17, Margaret E. Thrall says in her book A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians: “This is the only occasion when he [Paul] designates the Spirit as the πνεῦμα κυρίου [pneuʹma ky·riʹou], and the designation indicates that he still has the OT [Old Testament] background in mind, since πνεῦμα κυρίου occurs frequently in the LXX as the rendering of ruaḥ yhwh, the Spirit of Yahweh.”


• ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΚΥΡΙΟΣ [I·e·sousʹ Kyʹri·os] Their Usage and Sense in Holy Scripture, by Herman Heinfetter, 1857, lists Acts 5:9 as one of the passages in which “the Omission of the Article before Κυριος [Kyʹri·os] . . . determines the Appellation to have reference to Almighty God.”


• The Companion Bible, with notes by E. W. Bullinger, 1999 printing, uses capital and small capitals for LORD in the main text of Acts 5:9 to show that this occurrence refers to Jehovah. Appendix 98, “Divine Names and Titles in New Testament,” lists Acts 5:9 on page 143, under the heading “LORD . . . Used of Jehovah.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing, puts “LORD” in capital and small capitals at Acts 5:9, and the marginal note says: “or Jehovah.”


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) at Acts 5:9.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15-18, 22-24, 29-34, 40-43, 46, 47, 52, 61, 65, 66, 88


ACTS 5:19 “Jehovah’s angel”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts read “Lord’s angel” here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. Starting at Genesis 16:7, this expression is often found in the Hebrew Scriptures as a combination of the Hebrew word for “angel” and the Tetragrammaton. When it occurs in early copies of the Septuagint, the Greek word agʹge·los (angel; messenger) is followed by the divine name written in Hebrew characters. That is how the expression is handled at Zechariah 3:5, 6 in a copy of the Septuagint found in a cave in Nahal Hever, Israel, in the Judean Desert. This fragment is dated between 50 B.C.E. and 50 C.E. It is noteworthy that when later copies of the Greek Septuagint replaced the divine name with Kyʹri·os (Lord) in this and many other verses, the definite article was not included where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. So in view of the Hebrew Scripture background and the absence of the definite article here, the divine name is used in the main text. A number of Bible translations retain the divine name when rendering the expression “Jehovah’s angel” in this verse.

SUPPORT:

• With regard to the expression “angel of the Lord,” R.C.H. Lenski also makes this comment on Luke 2:9 in The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel (pp. 128-129): “Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] is the Greek term for Yahweh and as a genitive with unarticulated nouns forms one concept with them: ‘Jehovah-angel,’ ‘Jehovah-glory.’ . . . It was Jehovah’s angel who came upon them like a flash.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, p. 329) lists Acts 5:19; 8:26; 12:7, 23 as verses where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15-18, 22-24, 28-35, 41, 43, 46, 47, 52, 61, 65, 66, 88


ACTS 7:31 “Jehovah’s voice”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “voice of Lord” (pho·neʹ Ky·riʹou) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. This part of Stephen’s speech (Acts 7:30-​33) refers to the account at Exodus 3:2-10. From the context of that account, it is clear that Jehovah is the one speaking by means of his angel. According to Exodus 3:6, Jehovah tells Moses what is quoted at Acts 7:32. The phrase “the voice of Jehovah” is often found in the Hebrew Scriptures as a combination of the Hebrew word for “voice” and the Tetragrammaton. (Some examples are Genesis 3:8; Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 5:25; 8:20; 15:5; 18:16; 26:14; 27:10; 28:​1, 62; Joshua 5:6; 1 Samuel 12:15; 1 Kings 20:36; Psalm 106:25; Isaiah 30:31; Jeremiah 3:25; Daniel 9:10; Zechariah 6:15.) It is worth noting that when the expression “voice of Jehovah” occurs at Deuteronomy 26:14; 27:10; 28:1, 62 in an early fragment of the Septuagint (Papyrus Fouad Inv. 266), the divine name is written in square Hebrew characters within the Greek text. This fragment is dated to the first century B.C.E. The expression “the voice of Jehovah” also occurs at Psalm 29:3 in a codex called Ambrosian O 39 sup., dated to the end of the ninth century C.E. That manuscript is kept at the Ambrosian Library in Milan, Italy. The codex contains five columns with different Greek translations of the Hebrew Scriptures, and in all those columns, the divine name is rendered by the Tetragrammaton written in square Hebrew characters () within the Greek text. It is noteworthy that here at Acts 7:31, the Greek definite article was not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. So the context, the Hebrew Scripture background, the manuscript evidence of how this expression is handled in ancient translations, and the absence of the Greek definite article all support the use of the divine name here.

SUPPORT:

• The Anchor Yale Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1998, (Vol. 31), says of Acts 7:31: “Lit., ‘there occurred the voice of the Lord.’ Again Kyrios is used for Yahweh.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 7:31 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• Word Pictures in the New Testament, by Archibald Thomas Robertson, 1930, (Vol. III) says on this verse: “Here the angel of Jehovah of verse 30 is termed Jehovah himself.” On verse 30, it says: “In Ex. 3:20 it is Jehovah who speaks.”


• The Expositor’s Greek Testament, by W. Robertson Nicoll, 2002, (Vol. II, p. 191) makes this comment on Acts 7:30: “Otherwise we can only say that Jehovah Himself speaks through the Angel.”


• ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΚΥΡΙΟΣ [I·e·sousʹ Kyʹri·os] Their Usage and Sense in Holy Scripture, by Herman Heinfetter, 1857, lists Acts 7:31 as one of the passages in which “the Omission of the Article before Κυριος [Kyʹri·os] . . . determines the Appellation to have reference to Almighty God.”


• The Companion Bible, with notes by E. W. Bullinger, 1999 printing, uses capital and small capitals for LORD in the main text of Acts 7:31 to show that this occurrence refers to Jehovah. Appendix 98, “Divine Names and Titles in New Testament,” lists Acts 7:31 on page 143, under the heading “LORD . . . Used of Jehovah.”


• The Complete Jewish Bible, by David H. Stern, 1998, uses capital and small capitals for the word “ADONAI” in this verse. In the introduction to this Bible, the translator explains: “The word ‘ADONAI’ is used . . . wherever I, as the translator, believe ‘kurios’ is the Greek representation of the tetragrammaton.”


• The Newberry Bible, (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing, puts “LORD” in capital and small capitals at Acts 7:31, and the marginal note says: “Jehovah.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on Acts 7:31: “The sentence is without the article and therefore much more emphatic. ‘Lord’ is a solemn title. The expression amounts to ‘there came an utterance of Jehovah.’”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J11-18, 22-24, 28-36, 38, 40-44, 46, 47, 52, 61, 65, 66, 88-90


ACTS 7:33 “Jehovah said to him”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the Lord” (ho Kyʹri·os) here, but the background of Stephen’s speech (Acts 7:30-34) gives support for using the divine name in the main text. The context of the original account referred to by Stephen is Exodus 3:2-10, where it is clear that Jehovah is the one speaking by means of His angel. Although most of the content of this verse is taken from Exodus 3:5, an equivalent of the introductory phrase can be found in the original Hebrew text at Exodus 3:7, literally reading: “And Jehovah said.” So the context and the Hebrew Scripture background, as well as the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, provide good reasons to view Kyʹri·os here as an equivalent of the divine name.

SUPPORT: See comment on Acts 7:31.

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 7:33 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The New King James Version, first printed in 1979, uses capital and small capitals for “LORD” in the main text of Acts 7:33. The Preface to this edition explains: “The covenant name of God was usually translated from the Hebrew as ‘LORD’ (using capital letters as shown) in the King James Old Testament. This tradition is maintained. In the present edition the name is so capitalized whenever the covenant name is quoted in the New Testament from a passage in the Old Testament.”


• The NLT Study Bible, (Second Edition), 2008, uses capital and small capitals for “LORD” in the main text of Acts 7:33. In its “Introduction to the New Living Translation,” we find this explanation: “The Greek word kurios is consistently translated ‘Lord,’ except that it is translated ‘LORD’ wherever the New Testament text explicitly quotes from the Old Testament, and the text there has it in small capitals.” Explaining the significance of this, the Introduction also says: “We have generally rendered the tetragrammaton (YHWH) consistently as ‘the LORD,’ utilizing a form with small capitals that is common among English translations.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, says in this verse: “And THE LORD JEHOVAH said to him.”[J29]


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) when translating this expression found at Acts 7:33.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J11-18, 22, 23, 28-36, 38, 40-43, 46, 47, 52, 61, 65, 66, 88


ACTS 7:60 “Jehovah, do not charge this sin against them”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts use the term “Lord” (Kyʹri·os) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Stephen here echoes Jesus’ words to his Father at Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” In Luke’s account of Stephen’s speech, recorded at Acts 7:2-53, the term Kyʹri·os is used three times—all in quotations from or allusions to the Hebrew Scriptures that clearly refer to God. (See comments on Acts 7:31, 33 and study note on Acts 7:49.) Many commentators and translators support the view that in these contexts, Kyʹri·os refers to Jehovah. The term Kyʹri·os also occurs at Acts 7:59, where Stephen specifically says “Lord Jesus,” but this statement does not mean, as some claim, that Jesus is the one addressed as Kyʹri·os at Acts 7:60. There is a natural break between Stephen’s words in verse 59 and his words in verse 60. Stephen had been standing, so when he knelt in front of his enemies, it was likely in order to address Jehovah in prayer. (Compare Luke 22:41; Acts 9:40; 20:36; 21:5, where kneeling is connected with prayer to God.) Therefore, it seems that Stephen’s last words were a prayer to the almighty God, Jehovah. In addition, Acts 7:56 says that Stephen saw “the heavens opened up and the Son of man standing at God’s right hand,” so it is understandable that he would first address Jesus in verse 59 and then Jehovah in verse 60. A number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton in verse 60 but not in verse 59 when rendering the expression “Lord Jesus.”

SUPPORT:

• The Expositor’s Greek Testament, by W. Robertson Nicoll, 2002, (Vol. II, p. 204) makes this comment regarding Stephen’s speech as a whole: “The speech opens with a declaration of the divine majesty of Jehovah.”


• Regarding the use of the Greek term Kyʹri·os (Lord) at Ac 7:​59, 60, a German commentary on the book of Acts, Kommentar und Studien zur Apostelgeschichte (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament, 22), by Otto Bauernfeind, 1980, (p. 120) says: “in verse 59, Jesus is κύριος, in verse 60, probably God.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J17, 18, 22, 23, 41, 46


ACTS 8:22 “supplicate Jehovah”

REASON(S): Many Greek manuscripts read “the Lord” (tou Ky·riʹou) here; others read “God.” However, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Here the context indicates that God was the one whom Simon needed to supplicate. Simon had tried to buy something that was “the free gift of God.” (Acts 8:20) Peter then responded that Simon’s heart was “not straight in the sight of God.” (Acts 8:21) Also, the Greek verb for “supplicate” is used in the Septuagint in connection with prayers, requests, and pleadings addressed to Jehovah, and in these scriptures the divine name is often used in the Hebrew text. (Genesis 25:21; Exodus 32:11; Numbers 21:7; Deuteronomy 3:23; 1 Kings 8:59; 13:6) Some ancient translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures use the term “God” here, and some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton. So both the context and the Hebrew Scripture background support the conclusion that “the Lord” (tou Ky·riʹou) in this verse refers to God and could be viewed as a substitute for the divine name.—See comment on Acts 8:24.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 8:22 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” at Acts 8:22.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J18, 22, 23, 36, 43, 46, 48, 65


ACTS 8:24 “Make supplication for me to Jehovah”

REASON(S): Many Greek manuscripts read “the Lord” (tou Ky·riʹou) here; others read “God.” However, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ; here, the context points to God as the one referred to as “the Lord.” (See comment on Acts 8:22.) Some ancient translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures use the term “God” in this verse, and some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton. So both the context and the Hebrew Scripture background support the conclusion that “the Lord” (tou Ky·riʹou) in this verse refers to God and can be viewed as a substitute for the divine name.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 8:24 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΚΥΡΙΟΣ [I·e·sousʹ Kyʹri·os] Their Usage and Sense in Holy Scripture, by Herman Heinfetter, 1857, makes this comment on Acts 8:39: “The context will not sanction our supposing that, Simon imagined he had sinned against Jesus; or that Jesus was to be prayed to, (see v. 22), in order that the thought of his heart might be forgiven.”


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” at Acts 8:24.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15-18, 22, 23, 36, 43, 46, 65


ACTS 8:25 “the word of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Many Greek manuscripts read “the word of the Lord” (ton loʹgon tou Ky·riʹou) here; a few manuscripts read “the word of God.” However, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. The book of Acts also uses a synonymous expression, “the word of God,” supporting the conclusion that Kyʹri·os at Acts 8:25 refers to God. (Acts 4:31; 6:2, 7; 8:14; 11:1; 13:5, 7, 46; 17:13; 18:11) Both expressions have their background in the Hebrew Scriptures. However, the expression “the word of Jehovah” (or, “Jehovah’s word”) occurs far more often as a combination of the Hebrew term for “word” and the Tetragrammaton than does the expression “the word of God.” (The phrase “the word of Jehovah” [or, “Jehovah’s word”] appears in some 200 verses. Some examples are found at 2 Samuel 12:9; 24:11; 2 Kings 7:1; 20:16; 24:2; Isaiah 1:10; 2:3; 28:14; 38:4; Jeremiah 1:4; 2:4; Ezekiel 1:3; 6:1; Hosea 1:1; Micah 1:1; Zechariah 9:1.) When this expression occurs at Zechariah 9:1 in an early copy of the Septuagint found at Nahal Hever, Israel, in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea, the Greek word loʹgos is followed by the divine name written in ancient Hebrew characters (). This parchment scroll is dated between 50 B.C.E. and 50 C.E. Also, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton here. In view of the Hebrew Scripture background, the above-mentioned manuscript evidence, and the background and ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used here in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, p. 329) lists Acts 8:25 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) at Acts 8:25.


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” at Acts 8:25.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 17, 18, 32, 41, 43, 46, 61, 65, 66


ACTS 8:26 “Jehovah’s angel”

REASON(S): Starting at Genesis 16:7, this expression occurs a number of times in the Hebrew Scriptures. When it occurs in early copies of the Septuagint, the Greek word agʹge·los (angel; messenger) is followed by the divine name written in Hebrew characters. It is noteworthy that when later copies of the Greek Septuagint replaced the divine name with Kyʹri·os (Lord) in this and many other verses, the definite article was often not included where standard grammatical usage would normally call for it. The absence of the definite article here and in other verses may therefore be another indication that Kyʹri·os is used as a substitute for the divine name.

SUPPORT: See comments on Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:11; and Acts 5:19; 12:11.

SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15-18, 22-24, 28-34, 36, 40-43, 46, 47, 61, 65, 66, 88, 90


ACTS 8:39 “Jehovah’s spirit”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “Lord’s spirit” (pneuʹma Ky·riʹou) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. The same expression is found at Luke 4:18 as part of a quote from Isaiah 61:1, where the original Hebrew text has the Tetragrammaton together with the word for “spirit.” (See study note on Luke 4:18.) The expression “spirit of Jehovah” (or, Jehovah’s spirit) occurs many times in the Hebrew Scriptures. (Some examples are found at Judges 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; 14:6; 15:14; 1 Samuel 10:6; 16:13; 2 Samuel 23:2; 1 Kings 18:12; 2 Kings 2:16; 2 Chronicles 20:14; Isaiah 11:2; 40:13; 63:14; Ezekiel 11:5; Micah 2:7; 3:8.) The combination of the Hebrew words for “spirit” and “Lord” appears only once in the Hebrew Scriptures. Even in that case, it is combined with the Tetragrammaton and reads, “the spirit of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah.” (Isaiah 61:1) Also, it is noteworthy that in this verse (Acts 8:39) the Greek definite article was not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. So the Hebrew Scripture background and the unexpected absence of the definite article before Kyʹri·os indicate that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 8:39 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΚΥΡΙΟΣ [I·e·sousʹ Kyʹri·os] Their Usage and Sense in Holy Scripture, by Herman Heinfetter, 1857, lists Acts 8:39 as one of the passages in which “the Omission of the Article before Κυριος [Kyʹri·os] . . . determines the Appellation to have reference to Almighty God.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, says in this verse: “The Spirit of THE LORD JEHOVAH.”[J29]


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) at Acts 8:39.


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” at Acts 8:39.


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing, says in the marginal note on the expression “the Lord” at Acts 8:39: “Jehovah.”


• The Scofield Reference Bible, by C. I. Scofield, 1909, says in a marginal note on Acts 8:39: “Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J13, 15-18, 22-24, 28-34, 36, 40-42, 46, 47, 52, 61, 65, 66, 88


ACTS 9:31 “the fear of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the fear of the Lord” (toi phoʹboi tou Ky·riʹou). In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the term Kyʹri·os (Lord) can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ. In view of the Hebrew Scripture background of this expression, however, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. The expression “the fear of Jehovah” is found many times in the Hebrew Scriptures as a combination of a Hebrew word for “fear” and the Tetragrammaton. (Some examples are found at 2 Chronicles 19:7, 9; Psalm 19:9; 111:10; Proverbs 2:5; 8:13; 9:10; 10:27; 19:23; Isaiah 11:2, 3.) On the other hand, the expression “fear of the Lord” is never used in the Hebrew Scripture text. Although early copies of the Septuagint reflected the Hebrew text and contained the divine name, in later copies it was often replaced with Kyʹri·os. This indicates that Kyʹri·os came to be used as a substitute for the divine name. Also, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the divine name here.

SUPPORT:

• The Anchor Yale Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1998, (Vol. 31) says of Acts 9:31: “A new element is introduced into the description of the Christian church: the OT [Old Testament] idea of ‘the fear of the Lord’ (Prov 1:7, 29; 2:5; 9:10; 19:23; Ps 19:9).” The divine name appears in each of these citations in the original Hebrew text.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) at Acts 9:31.


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” at Acts 9:31.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15, 16, 18, 22, 32, 40-43, 65, 66


ACTS 10:33 “commanded by Jehovah to say”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the Lord” (tou Ky·riʹou) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. The context indicates that Kyʹri·os here refers to God. At Acts 10:31, Peter says that Cornelius’ gifts of mercy had been “remembered before God.” He also says: “God has shown me that I should call no man defiled or unclean.” (Acts 10:28) Cornelius himself says that “we are all present before God to hear all the things.” (Acts 10:33) That Kyʹri·os here refers to God is also supported by some Greek manuscripts that use the Greek word The·osʹ (“God”) in this verse. Also, some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton here. Therefore, in view of the context and in order to avoid ambiguity regarding whom Kyʹri·os refers to in this context, the divine name is used.

SUPPORT:

• The Anchor Yale Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1998, (Vol. 31) says of Acts 10:33: “Kyrios may refer to the risen Christ, but on the lips of Cornelius who has not yet heard the Christian proclamation, it is probably better understood as referring to Yahweh; see NOTES on 2:20, 36.” The note on Acts 2:20 says: “Kyrios is used of Yahweh, as in the LXX.”


• The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles, by R.C.H. Lenski, 1934, on page 417, says of this verse: “Those present intend to obey what the Lord (here referring to God) will communicate to them through Peter.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 10:33 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” twice at Acts 10:33.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J17, 18, 23, 33, 37, 40, 43, 48, 65


ACTS 11:21 “the hand of Jehovah”

REASON(S): The phrase “the hand of Jehovah” (or, “Jehovah’s hand”) is often found in the Hebrew Scriptures as a combination of the Hebrew word for “hand” and the Tetragrammaton. (Some examples are found at Exodus 9:3; Numbers 11:23; Judges 2:15; Ruth 1:13; 1 Samuel 5:6, 9; 7:13; 12:15; 1 Kings 18:46; Ezra 7:6; Job 12:9; Isaiah 19:16; 40:2; Ezekiel 1:3.) Available Greek manuscripts of Acts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) in this verse, but the Hebrew Scripture background provides good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In connection with Acts 11:21, scholars have noted that the Greek definite article was not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. This is noteworthy because even though early copies of the Septuagint contained the divine name, when later copies of the Septuagint replaced the divine name with Kyʹri·os, the definite article was often not included where standard grammatical usage would call for it. (That is the case in the verses cited above.) This unexpected absence of the definite article before Kyʹri·os is another indication that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name. The Greek expression rendered “the hand of Jehovah” (or, “Jehovah’s hand”) also occurs at Luke 1:66 and Acts 13:11.—See comments on Luke 1:6, 66.

SUPPORT:

• The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles, by R.C.H. Lenski, 1934, on page 451, says of this verse: “This was due to ‘the Lord’s hand,’ the anarthrous Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] signifying Yahweh, which Luke distinguishes from the articulated Κύριος which precedes and follows.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, p. 329) lists Acts 11:21 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


• A Translator’s Handbook on the Acts of the Apostles, by Barclay M. Newman and Eugene A. Nida, 1972, United Bible Societies, makes this comment on Acts 11:21: “The Lord’s power translates an Old Testament phrase, ‘the hand of the Lord,’ and probably refers to God the Father rather than to Jesus. On the other hand, in the phrase turned to the Lord, the Lord Jesus is meant.”


• ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΚΥΡΙΟΣ [I·e·sousʹ Kyʹri·os] Their Usage and Sense in Holy Scripture, by Herman Heinfetter, 1857, lists Acts 11:21 as one of the passages in which “the Omission of the Article before Κυριος [Kyʹri·os] . . . determines the Appellation to have reference to Almighty God.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, uses “THE LORD JEHOVAH” twice in this verse.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” twice in this verse.[J32]


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” twice at Acts 11:21.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15-18, 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 34, 41, 47, 65


ACTS 12:7 “Jehovah’s angel”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts read “Lord’s angel” (agʹge·los Ky·riʹou) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. Starting at Genesis 16:7, the expression “Jehovah’s angel” is often found in the Hebrew Scriptures as a combination of the Hebrew word for “angel” and the Tetragrammaton. When it occurs in early copies of the Septuagint, the Greek word agʹge·los (angel; messenger) is followed by the divine name written in Hebrew characters. That is how the expression is handled at Zechariah 3:5, 6 in a copy of the Septuagint found in a cave in Nahal Hever, Israel, in the Judean Desert. This fragment is dated between 50 B.C.E. and 50 C.E. It is noteworthy that when later copies of the Greek Septuagint replaced the divine name with Kyʹri·os in this and many other verses, the definite article was not included where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. Also, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton here. In view of the Hebrew Scripture background and the absence of the definite article, the divine name is used in the main text. As listed below, a number of other Bible translations also retain the divine name when rendering this verse.

SUPPORT: See comments on Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:11; and Acts 5:19; 12:11.

SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15-18, 22-24, 28-34, 36, 41-43, 47, 61, 65, 66, 88, 90


ACTS 12:11 “Jehovah sent his angel”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, but there are a number of good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. First, as mentioned in the comment on Acts 12:7, when the term Kyʹri·os appears in that verse, it could appropriately be viewed as a substitute for the divine name. Therefore, when Kyʹri·os occurs here in the same context and describing the same event, it is logical to view it as an equivalent of God’s personal name. Second, the phrase “sent his angel” calls to mind similar acts of deliverance mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures. For example, at Daniel 3:28; 6:22, God is said to have “sent his angel” to rescue Daniel and his companions. (Compare Psalm 34:7.) Third, in several ancient authoritative Greek manuscripts, the definite article is here not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage. This gives additional support for viewing Kyʹri·os in this verse as a substitute for the divine name. In addition, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the divine name here. In view of the context, the Hebrew Scripture background, and the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used here.

SUPPORT:

• The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles, by R.C.H. Lenski, 1934, on page 475, says of this verse: “Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] (Yahweh) had actually commissioned his angel.”


• The Expositor’s Greek Testament, by W. Robertson Nicoll, 2002, (Vol. II, p. 275) makes this comment on Acts 12:11: “Κύριος [Kyʹri·os], see critical notes, if without the article . . . of God, Jehovah.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 12:11 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΚΥΡΙΟΣ [I·e·sousʹ Kyʹri·os] Their Usage and Sense in Holy Scripture, by Herman Heinfetter, 1857, lists Acts 12:11 as one of the passages in which “the Omission of the Article before Κυριος [Kyʹri·os] . . . determines the Appellation to have reference to Almighty God.”


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, translates this expression at Acts 12:11 as “YAHVAH hath sent forth His messenger.”


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, translates this expression found at Acts 12:11: “Now I truly know that יהוה has sent His messenger.”


• The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, 1890 printing, puts “LORD” in capital and small capitals at Acts 12:11, and the marginal note says: “or, Jehovah.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15, 16, 18, 23, 28-34, 36, 41, 42, 47, 61, 65, 66, 88


ACTS 12:17 “Jehovah had brought him out of the prison”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the Lord” (ho Kyʹri·os) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. As mentioned in the comment on Acts 12:7, when the term Kyʹri·os appears in that verse, it could appropriately be viewed as a substitute for the divine name. Therefore, when Kyʹri·os occurs here in the same context and describing the same event, it is logical to view it as an equivalent of God’s personal name. Some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the divine name here. In view of the context, the background of this verse, and the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 12:17 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, uses “THE LORD JEHOVAH” in this verse.[J29]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, says in this verse: “and related to them how Master YHWH had brought him out from prison.”[J30]


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, translates this expression at Acts 12:17 as “he related to them how YAHVAH had brought him forth out of the prison.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 28-32, 41, 65


ACTS 12:23 “the angel of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Starting at Genesis 16:7, this expression occurs a number of times in the Hebrew Scriptures. When it occurs in early copies of the Septuagint, the Greek word agʹge·los (angel; messenger) is followed by the divine name written in Hebrew characters. It is noteworthy that when later copies of the Greek Septuagint replaced the divine name with Kyʹri·os (Lord) in this and many other verses, the Greek definite article was often not included where standard grammatical usage would normally call for one. The absence of the definite article here and in other verses may therefore be another indication that Kyʹri·os is used as a substitute for the divine name.

SUPPORT: See comments on Matthew 1:20 and Luke 1:11.

SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15-18, 22-24, 28-34, 36, 37, 41-43, 47, 48, 65, 66, 88, 90


ACTS 12:24 “the word of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Some ancient manuscripts and translations read “word of the Lord,” whereas others read “word of God.” Either way, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text here. Both expressions have their background in the Hebrew Scriptures, where the expression “the word of Jehovah” occurs far more often as a combination of the Hebrew term for “word” and the Tetragrammaton than does the expression “the word of God.” The phrase “the word of Jehovah” (or, “Jehovah’s word”) occurs in some 200 verses. (Some examples are found at 2 Samuel 12:9; 24:11; 2 Kings 7:1; 20:16; 24:2; Isaiah 1:10; 2:3; 28:14; 38:4; Jeremiah 1:4; 2:4; Ezekiel 1:3; 6:1; Hosea 1:1; Micah 1:1; Zechariah 9:1.) When this expression occurs at Zechariah 9:1 in an early copy of the Septuagint found at Nahal Hever, Israel, in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea, the Greek word loʹgos is followed by the divine name written in ancient Hebrew characters (). This parchment scroll is dated between 50 B.C.E. and 50 C.E. Also, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton here. In view of the Hebrew Scripture background, the above-mentioned manuscript evidence, and the background and ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, p. 329) lists Acts 12:24 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” at Acts 12:24.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 23, 32, 33, 37, 48, 65


ACTS 13:2 “they were ministering to Jehovah”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts use the phrase “to the Lord” (toi Ky·riʹoi) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. The Greek word lei·tour·geʹo, in this verse rendered “were ministering,” should be understood in the light of the background that this expression has in the Hebrew Scriptures. When used in the Septuagint to refer to service to God by priests and Levites at the tabernacle or the temple (Exodus 28:35; Numbers 8:22; 1 Kings 8:11), this word often appears in passages where the divine name can be found in the original Hebrew text. For example, at 2 Chronicles 13:10, the Greek words for “ministering to the Lord” at Acts 13:2 are used in the Septuagint to render the Hebrew phrase for “ministering to Jehovah.” At 2 Chronicles 35:3, the same Greek words are used to render the Hebrew phrase “serve Jehovah.” (See also 1 Samuel 2:11; 3:1; Ezekiel 45:4; Joel 2:17.) It is worth noting that when this expression is used in the Septuagint at Deuteronomy 18:5 to render the Hebrew phrase “to minister in the name of Jehovah,” the Septuagint rendering found in a first century B.C.E fragment (Papyrus Fouad Inv. 266) has the divine name written in square Hebrew characters within the Greek text. So in view of the Hebrew Scripture background, the manuscript evidence of how this expression is handled in ancient translations, and the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used here.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 13:2 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• Did the First Christians Worship Jesus? by James D. G. Dunn, 2010, says regarding this verse: “Is ‘the Lord’ here Jesus (as frequently in Acts)? Or does Luke speak of the worship of the Lord God? It is difficult to decide, although, as in the other ‘Lord’ = God references in Acts, the influence of Old Testament usage suggests that Luke was thinking of worship of God.”


• The Acts of the Apostles—A Commentary, by Ernst Haenchen, 1971, says of this expression: “In ‘ministered to the Lord’ Luke has borrowed an expression of special solemnity from LXX [Septuagint] as an allusion, above all, to prayer.” The footnote on this comment lists the following Scriptures: “II Chron. 5.14, 13.10 and 35.3; . . . Joel 1.13 and 2.17; Ezek. 40.46, 44.16 and 45.4; Dan. 7.10.”


• The Anchor Yale Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1998, (Vol. 31) says of this expression found at Acts 13:2: “Again, Kyrios is used in the sense of the God of Israel, not the risen Christ.”


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” at Acts 13:2.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15-18, 22, 23, 32, 34, 41, 43, 65


ACTS 13:10 “the right ways of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts use the term Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. Scholars have noted that Peter’s reply to the Jewish sorcerer Bar-Jesus (recorded in verses 10 and 11) contains several expressions that have a background in the Hebrew Scriptures. Some examples are: The Greek phrase here rendered “distorting . . . ways” is found at Proverbs 10:9 (“making his ways crooked”) in the Septuagint. The Greek words that appear in the phrase “the right ways of Jehovah” also appear in the Septuagint rendering of Hosea 14:9. In that verse, the original Hebrew text uses the divine name (“For the ways of Jehovah are upright”). Scholars have also noted that a number of authoritative Greek manuscripts do not have the Greek definite article before the word Kyʹri·os in this verse (Acts 13:10), where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage. The absence of the definite article here makes Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. Also, in the following verse (Acts 13:11), Kyʹri·os appears in an expression (“Jehovah’s hand”) that clearly has a background in the Hebrew Scriptures and can be viewed as an equivalent of the divine name. A number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the divine name here. So the context (the words are addressed to a Jew) and the Hebrew Scripture background support the use of the divine name in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles, by Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer, 1884, says of Acts 13:10: “Κυρίου [Ky·riʹou, a form of Kyʹri·os] is not to be referred to Christ, but to God, whom the son of the devil resists, as is proved from ver. 11.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, p. 329) lists Acts 13:10 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


• The NET Bible, New English Translation, 1996, adds this note on the expression “paths of the Lord” as it appears at Acts 13:10: “This rebuke is like ones from the OT [Old Testament] prophets: Jer 5:27; Gen 32:11; Prov 10:7; Hos 14:9. . . . The closing rhetorical question of v. 10 (“will you not stop . . . ?”) shows how opposed he [Elymas] is to the way of God.”


• The Anchor Yale Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1998, (Vol. 31) makes this comment on Acts 13:10: “Kyrios: God or the risen Christ; probably the former, as in v 11.”


• ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΚΥΡΙΟΣ [I·e·sousʹ Kyʹri·os] Their Usage and Sense in Holy Scripture, by Herman Heinfetter, 1857, lists Acts 13:10 as one of the passages in which “the Omission of the Article before Κυριος [Kyʹri·os] . . . determines the Appellation to have reference to Almighty God.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on the expression “the right paths of [the] Lord,” as found at Acts 13:10: “Possibly ‘Jehovah.’”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15-18, 22, 23, 28-34, 42, 43, 47, 65, 66


ACTS 13:11 “Jehovah’s hand”

REASON(S): The phrase “Jehovah’s hand,” as well as “the hand of Jehovah,” is often found in the Hebrew Scriptures as a combination of the Hebrew word for “hand” and the Tetragrammaton. (Some examples are: Exodus 9:3; Numbers 11:23; Judges 2:15; Ruth 1:13; 1 Samuel 5:6, 9; 7:13; 12:15; 1 Kings 18:46; Ezra 7:6; Job 12:9; Isaiah 19:16; 40:2; Ezekiel 1:3.) Available Greek manuscripts of Acts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) in this verse, but in view of the Hebrew Scripture background of this expression, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In connection with Acts 13:11, scholars have noted that the Greek definite article was not included before Kyʹri·os, where it would be expected according to standard grammatical usage, making Kyʹri·os tantamount to a proper name. This is noteworthy because even though the earliest copies of the Septuagint contained the divine name, when later copies of the Septuagint replaced the divine name with Kyʹri·os, the definite article was in a similar way often not included where standard grammatical usage would call for it. (That is the case in the verses cited above.) This unexpected absence of the definite article before Kyʹri·os is another indication that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name. The Greek expression rendered “hand of Jehovah” also occurs at Luke 1:66 and Acts 11:21.

SUPPORT:

• ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΚΥΡΙΟΣ [I·e·sousʹ Kyʹri·os] Their Usage and Sense in Holy Scripture, by Herman Heinfetter, 1857, lists Acts 13:11 as one of the passages in which “the Omission of the Article before Κυριος [Kyʹri·os] . . . determines the Appellation to have reference to Almighty God.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 13:11 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The ‘Holy Scriptures,’ by J. N. Darby, 1949, says in a footnote on the expression “[the] Lord’s hand,” as found at Acts 13:11: “Possibly ‘Jehovah.’”


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” at Acts 13:11.


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) when translating this expression found at Acts 13:11.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 15-18, 22-24, 28-34, 36, 42, 43, 47, 65, 66


ACTS 13:12 “the teaching of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the teaching of the Lord” (tei di·da·kheʹ tou Ky·riʹou) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. In the preceding two verses, Kyʹri·os occurs twice. In both cases, it refers to God and can be viewed as a substitute for the divine name. (See comments on Acts 13:10, 11.) The expression “the teaching of Jehovah” is synonymous with “the word of God,” used at Acts 13:5. That verse says that when Paul and his companions arrived in Cyprus, they “began proclaiming the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.” As a result, the proconsul Sergius Paulus was “eager to hear the word of God.” (Acts 13:7) So it is natural to conclude that after witnessing what Paul said and did, Sergius Paulus was astounded at what he had learned about Jehovah God and the teaching originating from Him. Some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the divine name here. So in view of the context and the background of the expression and the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 13:12 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, says in this verse: “the teaching of THE LORD JEHOVAH.”[J29]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, says in this verse: “the teaching of Master YHWH.”[J30]


• The Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, 2012, says in this verse: “the teaching of YAHWEH.”[J31]


• Holy Bible From the Ancient Eastern Text—George M. Lamsa’s Translation From the Aramaic of the Peshitta uses capital and small capitals for “LORD” in this verse and says in a footnote: “Acts. 13:10, 11, 12, 49 - The Syriac and Aramaic form of the Divine Name, ‘Mar-Yah’ or ‘Mor-Yah’ literally means ‘Lord Yah,’ as in ‘Yahweh,’ ‘YHWH.’”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 29-31, 41, 43


ACTS 13:44 “the word of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Many early Greek manuscripts read “the word of the Lord” (ton loʹgon tou Ky·riʹou) here. Some manuscripts read “the word of God” (ton loʹgon tou The·ouʹ). However, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. The book of Acts also uses a synonymous expression, “the word of God,” as at Acts 13:46, supporting the conclusion that Kyʹri·os here in verse 44 refers to God. (The expression also appears at Acts 4:31; 6:2, 7; 8:14; 11:1; 13:5, 7; 17:13; 18:11.) Both expressions have their background in the Hebrew Scriptures. However, the expression “the word of Jehovah” occurs far more often as a combination of the Hebrew term for “word” and the Tetragrammaton than does the expression “the word of God.” (The phrase “the word of Jehovah” [or, “Jehovah’s word”] occurs in some 200 verses. Some examples are found at 2 Samuel 12:9; 24:11; 2 Kings 7:1; 20:16; 24:2; Isaiah 1:10; 2:3; 28:14; 38:4; Jeremiah 1:4; 2:4; Ezekiel 1:3; 6:1; Hosea 1:1; Micah 1:1; Zechariah 9:1.) When this expression occurs at Zechariah 9:1 in an early copy of the Septuagint found at Nahal Hever, Israel, in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea, the Greek word loʹgos is followed by the divine name written in ancient Hebrew characters (). This parchment scroll is dated between 50 B.C.E. and 50 C.E. Also, some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the divine name here. So in view of the Hebrew Scripture background, the above-mentioned manuscript evidence, and the background and ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 13:44 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “the word of YAHVAH” at Acts 13:44.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J17, 22, 32, 33, 37, 48, 65


ACTS 13:47 “Jehovah has commanded us”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts read “the Lord” (ho Kyʹri·os) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. The quote that follows in this verse is taken from Isaiah 49:6, where the context of the original Hebrew text clearly identifies Jehovah as the one speaking. (Isaiah 49:5; compare Isaiah 42:6.) The fulfillment of the prophecy involves the work that Jehovah’s Servant, Jesus Christ, and his followers would do. (Isaiah 42:1; see study note on Luke 2:32.) Therefore, in this verse, Kyʹri·os must refer to God. In view of the context and the background of this expression in the Hebrew Scriptures, the divine name is used to avoid ambiguity.

SUPPORT:

• The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles, by R.C.H. Lenski, 1934, on page 551, says of this verse: “They must first square accounts with the great ʽEbed Yahweh, Jehovah’s Servant, who himself stated what Jehovah declared to him . . . And now the messengers of Jesus are proceeding in accordance with that will of Jehovah.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 13:47 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Acts of the Apostles Explained (Third Edition), by Joseph Addison Alexander, 1872, says of this verse: “The Lord, according to New Testament usage, might be understood to mean the Lord Jesus Christ . . . But as the words which follow are addressed to the Messiah, the Lord may be regarded as the usual translation of Jehovah.”


• The Commentary on the Book of the Acts, by F. F. Bruce, 1954, page 283, says of this verse and the quotation from Isaiah 49:6: “It is noteworthy that in the context of this prophecy (the second Servant Song) the nation of Israel is first addressed as the servant of Jehovah . . . But Israel as a whole was a disobedient servant, and the prophecy found its particular fulfilment in the Messiah.”


• The Complete Jewish Bible, by David H. Stern, 1998, uses capital and small capitals for the word “ADONAI” in this verse. In the introduction to this Bible, the translator explains: “The word ‘ADONAI’ is used . . . wherever I, as the translator, believe ‘kurios’ is the Greek representation of the tetragrammaton.”


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, says in this verse: “Yahweh commanded us.”[J32]


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, says “YAHVAH commanded us” at Acts 13:47.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 22, 23, 32, 35, 41, 43, 65


ACTS 13:48 “the word of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the word of the Lord” (ton loʹgon tou Ky·riʹou) here; other manuscripts read “the word of God” (ton loʹgon tou The·ouʹ). However, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. The context here points to Jehovah God as the one referred to as “the Lord.” In the preceding verse, Kyʹri·os is used about the one who gave the prophetic command recorded at Isaiah 49:6, that is, Jehovah. (See comment on Acts 13:47.) As shown in the comment on Acts 13:44, there is additional support for using the divine name in the expression “the word of Jehovah.” Also, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton here.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, p. 329) lists Acts 13:48 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, says in this verse: “the word of Yahweh.”[J32]


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” at Acts 13:48.


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) when translating the expression found at Acts 13:48.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15-17, 22, 23, 32, 33, 37, 41, 42, 65, 66


ACTS 13:49 “the word of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the word of the Lord” (ho loʹgos tou Ky·riʹou) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text, as shown in the comments on Acts 13:44, 48. Also, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton here.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, p. 329) lists Acts 13:49 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, says in this verse: “the word of THE LORD JEHOVAH.”[J29]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, says in this verse: “the Word of Master YHWH.” The footnote on this expression reads: “The original Word of YHWH (Torah) is being preached by the followers of Mashiyach unto the Gentiles; see 1 Peter 1:25.”[J30]


• The Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, 2012, uses “the Word of YAHWEH” in this verse.[J31]


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, says in this verse: “the word of Yahweh.”[J32]


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) when translating this expression found at Acts 13:49.


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” at Acts 13:49.


• Holy Bible From the Ancient Eastern Text—George M. Lamsa’s Translation From the Aramaic of the Peshitta uses capital and small capitals for “LORD” in this verse and says in a footnote: “Acts. 13:10, 11, 12, 49 - The Syriac and Aramaic form of the Divine Name, ‘Mar-Yah’ or ‘Mor-Yah’ literally means ‘Lord Yah,’ as in ‘Yahweh,’ ‘YHWH.’”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15-18, 22, 23, 28-32, 41, 65, 66


ACTS 14:3 “by the authority of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Lit., “upon the Lord.” Available Greek manuscripts have the term Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. The context here points to God as the one referred to as “the Lord.” In the book of Acts, the expression “undeserved kindness” is often connected with God (Acts 11:23; 13:43; 14:26; 20:24), and Acts 20:32 mentions “God and . . . the word of his undeserved kindness.” Also, at Acts 15:12, God is identified as being the source of “signs and wonders.” (See also Acts 2:19; 19:11.) In the context of Acts 14:3, the preposition e·piʹ (“upon”) is understood to indicate the grounds, or basis, on which the disciples were speaking boldly. The rest of the verse shows that God was bearing witness, or testifying, that what they preached was really his word and that they had his approval and support in doing so. (Compare Acts 4:29-31.) The Greek expression for “upon the Lord” can also be found in the Septuagint to render phrases where the Tetragrammaton appears in the original Hebrew text. (Psalm 31:6 [30:7, LXX]; Jeremiah 17:7) In line with this, some have suggested that this expression also conveys the idea of speaking “in reliance on Jehovah.” So in view of the context and the background of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used in the main text of this verse.

SUPPORT:

• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, says in this verse: “speaking about THE LORD JEHOVAH.”[J29]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, says in this verse: “openly preaching about Master YHWH.”[J30]


• The Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, 2012, uses “preaching about YAHWEH” in this verse.[J31]


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 15-18, 23, 29-31, 41


ACTS 14:23 “they entrusted them to Jehovah”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts read “to the Lord” (toi Ky·riʹoi), but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os (Lord) can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Here the context points to God as the one referred to as “the Lord.” At Acts 14:26, the similar expression “entrusted to the undeserved kindness of God” is used. The Greek verb used here (Acts 14:23) is also used at Acts 20:32 in the phrase “I entrust you to God.” One lexicon defines this phrase: to “entrust someone to the care or protection of someone . . . Of divine protection . . . Ac 14:23; cp. [compare] 20:32.” The same verb is also used at Luke 23:46 to render Jesus’ words: “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” This is a quote from Psalm 31:5, where the Septuagint (30:6, LXX) uses the same Greek word for “entrust” and where the divine name appears in the immediate context of the original Hebrew text. The concept of entrusting oneself to Jehovah is expressed several times in the Hebrew Scriptures. (Psalm 22:8; 37:5; Proverbs 16:3) In view of the context, the Hebrew Scripture background, and the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used in this account. Also, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the divine name here.

SUPPORT:

• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “commended them unto YAHVAH” at Acts 14:23.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15, 16, 41, 65


ACTS 15:17a “so that the men who remain may earnestly seek Jehovah”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the Lord” (ton Ky·riʹon) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. According to Acts 15:14, James mentions that Symeon related “how God . . . turned his attention to the nations,” and in verse 19, James refers to “the nations who are turning to God.” James is here quoting from Amos 9:11, 12, and in the original Hebrew text, the divine name appears once in the expression “declares [or, “says”] Jehovah.” Therefore, in view of the context, the Hebrew Scripture background, and the use of the term Kyʹri·os in the Septuagint, there are also good reasons for using the divine name for the first occurrence of Kyʹri·os in this verse, although there is no direct equivalent to it in the Hebrew text.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 15:17a as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles, Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer, 1884, makes this comment on Acts 15:14-17: “Amos predicts [that] . . . foreign nations will join themselves to it [the Davidic theocracy] and be converted to the worship of Jehovah. . . . Jehovah had withdrawn from His people; but now He promises by the prophet: I will return and build again the fallen, by desolation, tabernacle of David.”


• The Jerome Biblical Commentary, edited by Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, 1968, says with regard to Acts 15:17: “This OT [Old Testament] expression (see 2 Chr 6:35; 7:14) denotes a consecration to Yahweh; Amos thus spoke of nations that belonged to God.”


• The New King James Version, first printed in 1979, uses capital and small capitals for “LORD” twice in the main text of Acts 15:17. The Preface to this edition explains: “The covenant name of God was usually translated from the Hebrew as ‘LORD’ (using capital letters as shown) in the King James Old Testament. This tradition is maintained. In the present edition the name is so capitalized whenever the covenant name is quoted in the New Testament from a passage in the Old Testament.”


• The NLT Study Bible (Second Edition), 2008, uses capital and small capitals for “LORD” twice in the main text of Acts 15:17. In its “Introduction to the New Living Translation,” we find this explanation: “The Greek word kurios is consistently translated ‘Lord,’ except that it is translated ‘LORD’ wherever the New Testament text explicitly quotes from the Old Testament, and the text there has it in small capitals.” Explaining the significance of this, the Introduction also says: “We have generally rendered the tetragrammaton (YHWH) consistently as ‘the LORD,’ utilizing a form with small capitals that is common among English translations.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, uses the expression “THE LORD JEHOVAH” twice in this verse.[J29]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, uses “YHWH” twice in this verse.[J30]


• The Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, 2012, uses “YAHWEH” twice in this verse.[J31]


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) twice at Acts 15:17.


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” twice at Acts 15:17.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J11-18, 22, 23, 28-31, 34, 35, 38, 41-43, 47, 61, 65, 66, 88, 90


ACTS 15:35 “the word of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the word of the Lord” (ton loʹgon tou Ky·riʹou) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. The book of Acts also uses a synonymous expression, “the word of God,” supporting the conclusion that Kyʹri·os at Acts 15:35 refers to God. (Acts 4:31; 6:2, 7; 8:14; 11:1; 13:5, 7, 46; 17:13; 18:11) Both expressions have their background in the Hebrew Scriptures. However, the expression “the word of Jehovah” occurs as a combination of the Hebrew term for “word” and the Tetragrammaton far more often than the expression “the word of God.” (The phrase “the word of Jehovah” [or, “Jehovah’s word”] occurs in some 200 verses. Some examples are found at 2 Samuel 12:9; 24:11; 2 Kings 7:1; 20:16; 24:2; Isaiah 1:10; 2:3; 28:14; 38:4; Jeremiah 1:4; 2:4; Ezekiel 1:3; 6:1; Hosea 1:1; Micah 1:1; Zechariah 9:1.) When this expression occurs at Zechariah 9:1 in an early copy of the Septuagint found at Nahal Hever, Israel, in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea, the Greek word loʹgos is followed by the divine name written in ancient Hebrew characters (). This parchment scroll is dated between 50 B.C.E. and 50 C.E. Also, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton here. The Syriac Peshitta uses the expression “the word of God.” In view of the Hebrew Scripture background, the above-mentioned manuscript evidence, and the background and ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, p. 329) lists Acts 15:35 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


• The New Testament in Basic English, 1946, says “the word of God.”


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “the word of YAHVAH” at Acts 15:35.


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) when translating this expression found at Acts 15:35.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, says in this verse: “the word of Yahweh.”[J32]


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J17, 18, 22, 23, 31, 32, 41, 65, 66


ACTS 15:36 “the word of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the word of the Lord” (ton loʹgon tou Ky·riʹou) here, but as shown in the comment on Acts 15:35, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the expression “the word of Jehovah.” The context of this verse identifies Jehovah as the Source of the word. Also, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton here. The Syriac Peshitta uses the expression “the word of God.”

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, p. 329) lists Acts 15:36 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “the word of YAHVAH” at Acts 15:36.


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) when translating this expression found at Acts 15:36.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, says in this verse: “the word of Yahweh.”[J32]


• The New Testament in Basic English, 1946, says “the word of God.”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 17, 18, 22, 23, 32, 41, 65, 66


ACTS 15:40 “the undeserved kindness of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Many Greek manuscripts read “of the Lord” (tou Ky·riʹou); others read “of God.” However, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os (Lord) can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Here the context points to God as the one referred to as “the Lord.” In the book of Acts, the expression “undeserved kindness” is most often connected with God. (Acts 11:23; 13:43; 20:24) At Acts 14:26, the similar expression “entrusted to the undeserved kindness of God” is found. Also, some ancient manuscripts and translations into other languages use “God” (The·osʹ) here instead of “Lord” (Kyʹri·os), supporting the conclusion that “the undeserved kindness” referred to is God’s. A number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew also use the divine name here. So in view of the context and the background and the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 15:40 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “unto the favour of YAHVAH” at Acts 15:40.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, says in this verse: “the grace of Yahweh.”[J32]


• The Orthodox Jewish Bible, 2011, uses “Hashem” to represent the divine name at Acts 15:40. The term “Hashem” comes from the Hebrew expression hash·Shemʹ, meaning “the Name,” often used by Jews as a substitute for YHWH.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J17, 18, 22, 32, 48, 65


ACTS 16:14 “Jehovah opened her heart wide”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts use the term “the Lord” (ho Kyʹri·os) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Here the context points to Jehovah God as the one referred to as “the Lord.” Lydia is identified as “a worshipper of God,” an expression indicating that she was a Jewish proselyte. (Compare Acts 13:43.) On the Sabbath, she had gathered with other women at a place of prayer at a river outside Philippi. (Acts 16:13) She may have become acquainted with the worship of Jehovah in her home city, Thyatira, which had a large Jewish population and a Jewish meeting place. So in view of the context, Lydia’s background, and the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used here. A number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton here.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 16:14 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” twice at Acts 16:14.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” twice in this verse.[J32]


• The Orthodox Jewish Bible, 2011, uses “Hashem” to represent the divine name at Acts 16:14. The term “Hashem” comes from the Hebrew expression hash·Shemʹ, meaning “the Name,” often used by Jews as a substitute for YHWH.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 17, 18, 23, 32, 33, 37, 48, 65


ACTS 16:15 “faithful to Jehovah”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts use the phrase “to the Lord” (toi Ky·riʹoi) here; a few manuscripts read “to God.” However, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Here the context points to Jehovah God as the one referred to as “the Lord.” As shown in the comment on Acts 16:14, Lydia’s background as a Jewish proselyte makes it logical that she had Jehovah in mind. She had just heard about Jesus Christ from Paul’s preaching but had not yet shown that she was faithful to Jesus. It seems reasonable, then, to assume that she was referring to her faithfulness to Jehovah, the God whom she had already been worshipping. So in view of the context, Lydia’s background, and the background and the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 16:15 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” at Acts 16:15.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


• The Orthodox Jewish Bible, 2011, uses “Hashem” to represent the divine name at Acts 16:15. The term “Hashem” comes from the Hebrew expression hash·Shemʹ, meaning “the Name,” often used by Jews as a substitute for YHWH.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 32, 41, 65


ACTS 16:32 “the word of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Most ancient manuscripts read “the word of the Lord” (ton loʹgon tou Ky·riʹou). In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os (Lord) can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Although Jesus is mentioned in the preceding verse as “the Lord Jesus” (ton Ky·riʹon I·e·sounʹ), there are good reasons for using the divine name in this verse. A few Greek manuscripts read “the word of God” (ton loʹgon tou The·ouʹ). In the book of Acts, the expressions “the word of the Lord” and “the word of God” are used as synonymous expressions, supporting the conclusion that Kyʹri·os here at Acts 16:32 refers to God. (Acts 4:31; 6:2, 7; 8:14; 11:1; 13:5, 7, 46; 17:13; 18:11) Both expressions have their background in the Hebrew Scriptures, where the expression “the word of Jehovah” as a combination of the Hebrew term for “word” and the Tetragrammaton occurs far more often than does the expression “the word of God.” (The phrase “the word of Jehovah” [or, “Jehovah’s word”] occurs in some 200 verses. Some examples are found at 2 Samuel 12:9; 24:11; 2 Kings 7:1; 20:16; 24:2; Isaiah 1:10; 2:3; 28:14; 38:4; Jeremiah 1:4; 2:4; Ezekiel 1:3; 6:1; Hosea 1:1; Micah 1:1; Zechariah 9:1.) When this expression occurs at Zechariah 9:1 in an early copy of the Septuagint found at Nahal Hever, Israel, in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea, the Greek word loʹgos is followed by the divine name written in ancient Hebrew characters (). This parchment scroll is dated between 50 B.C.E. and 50 C.E. Also, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the divine name here. In view of the Hebrew Scripture background, the above-mentioned manuscript evidence, and the background and ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 16:32 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is possibly “used of Yahweh.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, says in this verse: “the word of THE LORD JEHOVAH.”[J29]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, says in this verse: “they spoke the Word of Master YHWH.”[J30]


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH” at Acts 16:32.


• The Scriptures, translated by the Institute for Scripture Research, 2010, uses the Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) when translating this expression found at Acts 16:32.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 17, 18, 22, 23, 28-30, 32, 41, 65, 66


ACTS 18:21 “if Jehovah is willing”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts literally read “God willing”; this expression has also been translated “if it is God’s will” or “God willing.” In such expressions, as used in the Christian Greek Scriptures, both the term Kyʹri·os (Lord) and the term The·osʹ (God) appear. (Acts 21:14; 1 Corinthians 4:19; 16:7; Hebrews 6:3; James 4:15) In the Septuagint, the Greek verb here rendered “is willing” and the Greek noun for “will” are often used to render Hebrew Scripture passages where the divine name appears. Also, some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the Tetragrammaton here. Therefore, in view of the Hebrew Scripture background and the similar expressions appearing in the Christian Greek Scriptures, the divine name can appropriately be used here.—See comment on Acts 21:14.

SUPPORT:

• A Handbook on the Letter From James, by I-Jin Loh and Howard A. Hatton, produced by the United Bible Societies, 1997, makes this comment on the expression “if the Lord wills” as it appears at James 4:15: “If the Lord wills . . . is not merely a casual formula but a conviction and acknowledgment that God has the final say on everything, and that the future is in the hand of God . . . The Lord here refers not to Jesus as in 2.1, but to God.”


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH willing” at Acts 18:21.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J17, 32, 33, 37, 48, 65


ACTS 18:25 “the way of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Available Greek manuscripts read “the way of the Lord” (ten ho·donʹ tou Ky·riʹou) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. Here the context points to God as the one referred to as “the Lord.” At Acts 18:26, the expression “the way of God” is used as a synonym. As shown in the book of Acts, the Christian way of life is centered on worship of the only true God, Jehovah, and on faith in his Son, Jesus Christ, and it is referred to as “The Way” or “this Way.” (Acts 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:22; see study note on Acts 9:2.) Also, the expression rendered “the way of Jehovah” (but without the definite article in Greek) appears four times in the Gospel accounts, where it is part of a quote from Isaiah 40:3. (See study notes on Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23.) At Isaiah 40:3, the original Hebrew text uses the Tetragrammaton. The expression “the way of Jehovah” (or, “Jehovah’s way”) also occurs at Judges 2:22 and Jeremiah 5:4, 5. Additionally, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew here use the divine name or an equivalent of the Tetragrammaton and read “the way of Jehovah.” So in view of the context and the Hebrew Scripture background, the divine name is used here in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, p. 329) lists Acts 18:25 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


• The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, 2012, says in this verse: “the way of THE LORD JEHOVAH.”[J29]


• The Aramaic English New Testament (Third Edition), by Andrew Gabriel Roth, 2008, says in this verse: “He had been instructed in the ways of Master YHWH.”[J30]


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “the way of YAHVAH” at Acts 18:25.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this occurrence at Acts 18:25.[J32]


• Holy Bible From the Ancient Eastern Text—George M. Lamsa’s Translation From the Aramaic of the Peshitta uses capital and small capitals for “LORD” in this verse and says in a footnote: “The Syriac and Aramaic form of the Divine Name, ‘Mar-Yah’ or ‘Mor-Yah’ literally means ‘Lord Yah,’ as in ‘Yahweh,’ ‘YHWH.’”


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15, 16, 24, 29, 30, 32, 41, 42, 48, 65


ACTS 19:20 “the word of Jehovah”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the Lord” (tou Ky·riʹou) here, but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. The book of Acts also uses a synonymous expression, “the word of God,” supporting the conclusion that Kyʹri·os at Acts 19:20 refers to God. (Acts 4:31; 6:2, 7; 8:14; 11:1; 13:5, 7, 46; 17:13; 18:11) Both expressions have their background in the Hebrew Scriptures, where the expression “the word of Jehovah” as a combination of the Hebrew term for “word” and the Tetragrammaton occurs far more often than does the expression “the word of God.” (The phrase “the word of Jehovah” [or, “Jehovah’s word”] occurs in some 200 verses. Some examples are found at 2 Samuel 12:9; 24:11; 2 Kings 7:1; 20:16; 24:2; Isaiah 1:10; 2:3; 28:14; 38:4; Jeremiah 1:4; 2:4; Ezekiel 1:3; 6:1; Hosea 1:1; Micah 1:1; Zechariah 9:1.) When this expression occurs at Zechariah 9:1 in an early copy of the Septuagint found at Nahal Hever, Israel, in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea, the Greek word loʹgos is followed by the divine name written in ancient Hebrew characters (). This parchment scroll is dated between 50 B.C.E. and 50 C.E. Also, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the divine name here. The Latin Vulgate and the Syriac Peshitta read “the word of God.” In view of the Hebrew Scripture background, the above-mentioned manuscript evidence, and the background and the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used here in the main text.

SUPPORT:

• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, p. 329) lists Acts 19:20 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used in the NT [New Testament] of Yahweh/God.”


• The Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, 2012, uses “the faith of YAHWEH” in this verse.[J31]


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, uses “YAHVAH’s word” at Acts 19:20.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


• The Orthodox Jewish Bible, 2011, uses “Hashem” to represent the divine name at Acts 19:20. The term “Hashem” comes from the Hebrew expression hash·Shemʹ, meaning “the Name,” often used by Jews as a substitute for YHWH.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 13, 15-18, 23, 31, 32, 41, 48, 65


ACTS 21:14 “Let the will of Jehovah take place”

REASON(S): Most Greek manuscripts read “the Lord’s will,” but there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Kyʹri·os (Lord) can refer to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, depending on the context. The Greek term for “will” (theʹle·ma), as used in the Christian Greek Scriptures, is most often connected with God’s will. (Matthew 7:21; 12:50; Mark 3:35; Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 1:1; Hebrews 10:36; 1 Peter 2:15; 4:2; 1 John 2:17) Therefore, it is logical to conclude that Kyʹri·os in this expression refers to God. In the Septuagint, the Greek term theʹle·ma is often used to translate Hebrew expressions for God’s will, or delight, and can be found in passages where the divine name occurs. (Psalm 40:8, 9 [39:9, 10, LXX]; 103:21 [102:21, LXX]; 143:9-11 [142:9-11, LXX]; Isaiah 44:24, 28; Jeremiah 9:24 [9:23, LXX]; Malachi 1:10) So in view of the way the Greek word for “will” is used in the Bible, the background of this expression in the Hebrew Scriptures, and the background and the ambiguity of the term Kyʹri·os, the divine name is used in the main text. Also, some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the divine name here.

SUPPORT:

• The Anchor Yale Bible, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, 1998, (Vol. 31) makes this comment on Acts 21:14: “In this case, Kyrios refers to God the Father.”


• The reference work Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1991, (Vol. 2, pp. 329-330) lists Acts 21:14 as a verse where Kyʹri·os is “used of Yahweh.”


• The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, produced by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1970, reads “YAHVAH’S will” at Acts 21:14.


• The Holy Name Bible, revised by A. B. Traina, 2012, uses “Yahweh” in this verse.[J32]


• The New Testament in Basic English, 1946, says: “Let the purpose of God be done.”


• The Orthodox Jewish Bible, 2011, uses “Hashem” to represent the divine name at Acts 21:14. The term “Hashem” comes from the Hebrew expression hash·Shemʹ, meaning “the Name,” often used by Jews as a substitute for YHWH.


SUPPORTING REFERENCES: J7, 8, 10, 17, 18, 23, 32, 43, 65




Translations and Reference Works Supporting the Use of the Divine Name in the “New Testament”




Below is a partial listing of Bible translations and reference works that have used some form of the divine name in what is commonly called the New Testament.*

KEY:

HEBREW translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures


ENGLISH translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures


OTHER LANGUAGE translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures


REFERENCE works




J1

Gospel of Matthew (in Hebrew), edited by J. du Tillet, with a Latin translation by J. Mercier, Paris, 1555.*


J2

Matthew (in Hebrew), incorporated as a separate chapter in ʼEʹven boʹchan (“Tried Stone”), by Shem-Tob ben Isaac Ibn Shaprut, 1385. Edition: Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, by George Howard, Macon, GA, 1995.*


J3

Gospel of Matthew and Letter to the Hebrews (in Hebrew and Latin), by Sebastian Münster, Basel, 1537 and 1557 respectively.*


J4

Gospel of Matthew (in Hebrew), by J. Quinquarboreus, Paris, 1551.*


J5

Liturgical Gospels (in Hebrew), by F. Petri, Antwerp, 1581.*


J6

Liturgical Gospels (in German, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew), by Johann Clajus, Leipzig, 1576.*


J7

New Testament (in 12 languages, including Hebrew), by Elias Hutter, Nuremberg, 1599-1600.*


J8

New Testament (in Hebrew), by William Robertson, London, 1661.*


J9

The Four Gospels (in Hebrew and Latin), by Giovanni Battista Jona, Rome, 1668.*


J10

The New Testament . . . , in Hebrew and English, in Three Volumes, containing the Gospel of Matthew to First Corinthians, by Richard Caddick, London, 1798-1804.*


J11

New Testament (in Hebrew), by Thomas Fry and others, London, 1817.*


J12

New Testament (in Hebrew), by William Greenfield, London, 1831.*


J13

New Testament (in Hebrew), by A. McCaul, M. S. Alexander, J. C. Reichardt, and S. Hoga, London, 1871.*


J14

New Testament (in Hebrew), by J. C. Reichardt, London, 1840.*


J15

Bible books of Luke, Acts, Romans, and Hebrews (in Hebrew), by J.H.R. Biesenthal, Berlin, 1851, 1867, 1855, and 1857 respectively.*


J16

New Testament (in Hebrew), revised by J. C. Reichardt and J.H.R. Biesenthal, London, 1867.*


J17

New Testament (in Hebrew), by Franz Delitzsch, Leipzig, 1877.*


J18

New Testament (in Hebrew), by Isaac Salkinson and C. D. Ginsburg, London, 1886.*


J19

Gospel of John (in Hebrew), by Moshe I. Ben Maeir, Denver, Colorado, 1957.*


J20

A Concordance to the Greek Testament, by W. F. Moulton and A. S. Geden, Edinburgh, 1897.*


J21

The Emphatic Diaglott (Greek-English interlinear), by Benjamin Wilson, New York, 1864.*


J22

New Testament (in Hebrew), by United Bible Societies, Jerusalem, 1976.*


J23

New Testament (in Hebrew), by J. Bauchet and D. Kinnereth (Arteaga), Rome, 1975.*


J24

A Literal Translation of the New Testament . . . From the Text of the Vatican Manuscript, by Herman Heinfetter, London, 1863.*


J25

St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, by W. G. Rutherford, London, 1900.*


J26

Bible book of Psalms and Gospel of Matthew 1:1–3:6 (in Hebrew), by Anton Margaritha, Leipzig, 1533.*


J27

Die heilige Schrift des neuen Testaments, by Dominik von Brentano, Kempten, Germany, 1790-​1791.*


J28

The New Covenant Commonly Called the New Testament—Peshitta Aramaic Text With a Hebrew Translation, published by The Bible Society, Jerusalem, 1986.*


J29

The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English (An American Translation of the Aramaic New Testament), by Glenn David Bauscher, Seventh Edition, Australia, 2012.*


J30

The Aramaic English New Testament, by Andrew Gabriel Roth, Third Edition, United States, 2008.*


J31

The Hebraic Roots Bible (with study notes), published by Word of Truth Publications, United States, 2012.*


J32

The Holy Name Bible (formerly known as Sacred Name New Testament), revised by A. B. Traina, The Scripture Research Association, Inc., reprinted by Yahshua Promotions, 2012.*


J33

The Christian’s Bible—New Testament, by George N. LeFevre, Strasburg, PA, 1928.*


J34

The Idiomatic Translation of the New Testament, by William Graham MacDonald, 2009 electronic version.*


J35

Nkand’a Nzambi i sia vo Luwawanu Luankulu Y’olu Luampa (The Bible in Kikongo), reprinted by United Bible Societies, Nairobi, Kenya, 2004.*


J36

Bibel Barita Na Uli Hata Batak-Toba siganup ari (Today’s Batak-Toba Version), published by Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia, 1989.*


J37

Arorutiet ne Leel ne bo: Kiptaiyandennyo Jesu Kristo Yetindennyo (New Testament in Kalenjin), Bible Society in East Africa, Kenya, 1968.*


J38

Ekonejeu Kabesi ni Dokuj Iesu Keriso (in Nengone), British and Foreign Bible Society, London, 1870.*


J39

Jesu Keriso ve Evanelia Toaripi uri (The Four Gospels in Toaripi), translated by J. H. Holmes, British and Foreign Bible Society, London, 1902.*


J40

Öbufa Testament Öböñ ye Andinyaña nyïn Jesus Christ (in Efik), National Bible Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1949.*


J41

Testament Sefa an amam Samol o Rȧn Amanau Jisos Kraist: auili jonai kapas an re kris uili nanai kapas an mortlok (in Mortlockese), by Robert W. Logan, American Bible Society, New York, 1905.*


J42

Ama-Lémrane̱ Ama-Fu ma O̱-Rábbu de̱ O̱-Fū́tia-Ka-Su Yī́sua Masī́a (Temne New Testament), British and Foreign Bible Society, London, 1868.*


J43

Testament Vau Ki Nawota Anigida Go Tea Maumaupauri Yesu Kristo (Translated out of the Greek into the language of Nguna-Tongoa), New Hebrides, British and Foreign Bible Society, London, 1912.*


J44

Wusku Wuttestamentum Nul-Lordumun Jesus Christ (New Testament in the Algonquin language of Massachusetts), by John Eliot, Samuel Green, and Marmaduke Johnson, Cambridge, MA, 1661.*


J45

Matiyu: Ku Nam Navosavos ugi (Matthew in Eromanga), by G. N. Gordon and J. D. Gordon, London, 1869.*


J46

La Bible (in French), translated by André Chouraqui, Belgium, 1985.*


J47

Biblia Peshitta en Español, Traducción de los Antiguos Manuscritos Arameos (in Spanish), Broadman and Holman Publishing Group, Nashville, TN, 2006.*


J48

The New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Translated into the Choctaw language), American Bible Society, New York, 1848.*


J49

Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Translated into Lomóngo by A. & L. R.), Congo Balolo Mission, Upper Congo, 1905.*


J50

Nalologena wo se Yesu Kristo Kome Mataio (The Gospel according to Matthew in the language of Tasiko, Epi, New Hebrides), British and Foreign Bible Society, London, 1892.*


J51

The Restored New Testament, by Willis Barnstone, W. W. Norton & Company, New York, 2009.*


J52

Messianic Jewish Shared Heritage Bible, by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Project, Destiny Image Publishers, Shippensburg, PA, 2012.*


J53

The Messages of Jesus According to the Synoptists (The Discourses of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke), by Thomas Cuming Hall, 1901.*


J54

Bibel Ñaran aen Gott, Ñarana Testament Õbwe me Testament Etsimeduw Õañan (Nauru Bible), translated by P. A. Delaporte, published by American Bible Society, 1918; reprinted by the Bible Society in the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, 2005.*


J55

Embimbiliya Li Kola (in Umbundu), Sociedade Bíblica em Angola, Luanda, 1963.*


J56

Ke Kauoha Hou a Ko Kakou Haku e Ola’i, a Iesu Kristo (New Testament in Hawaiian), Oahu, Hawaii, 1835.*


J57

Te Nu Tetemanti, ae ana Taeka Ara Uea ao ara Tia Kamaiu are Iesu Kristo, ae Kaetaki man Taetaen Erene (in Kiribati), New York, 1901.*


J58

The Gospel According to S. Luke in the Tongue of Lonwolwol (Fanting), Ambrym, New Hebrides, British and Foreign Bible Society, Dunedin, New Zealand, 1899.*


J59

Intas-Etipup Mat u Iesu Kristo, Natimarid Uja, im Natimi Imyiatamaig Caija (in Aneityum), New Hebrides, British and Foreign Bible Society, London, 1863.*


J60

New Testament (in Cherokee), American Bible Society, New York, 1860.*


J61

Ntestamente Yipia ya Nkambo Wetu ni Mupurushi Yesu Kristu (in Chiluva), The National Bible Society of Scotland, 1904.*


J62

Injili Mar Mathayo (The Gospel According to St. Matthew in Dholuo), British and Foreign Bible Society, London, 1914.*


J63

The Gospels of Matthew, and of Mark, Newly Rendered Into English; With Notes on the Greek Text, by Lancelot Shadwell, London, 1861.*


J64

A Liberal Translation of the New Testament, by Edward Harwood, London, 1768.*


J65

The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, based on the Rotherham Version, by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, Buena Park, CA, 1970.*


J66

The Scriptures, by Institute for Scripture Research, South Africa, 2010.*


J67

The New Testament Letters, by J.W.C. Wand, Melbourne, 1944.*


J68

The Messages of Paul​—Arranged in Historical Order, Analyzed, and Freely Rendered in Paraphrase, With Introductions, by George Barker Stevens, New York, 1900.*


J69

The Epistle to the Hebrews with some interpretative suggestions, by Wilfrid H. Isaacs, London, 1933.*


J70

The Apocalypse: A Revised Version in English, of the Revelation with Notes, Historical and Explanatory, by Edward Grimes, Newport-on-Usk, United Kingdom, 1891.*


J71

The New Testament; Being the English Only of the Greek and English Testament, by Abner Kneeland, Philadelphia, PA, 1823.*


J72

The Gospel of the Hellenists, by Benjamin W. Bacon and edited by Carl H. Kraeling, New York, 1933.*


J73

The Family Expositor: or, A Paraphrase and Version of the New Testament; with Critical Notes, and a Practical Improvement of Each Section, by Philip Doddridge, London, 1739-​1756.*


J74

The Modern American Bible​—The Books of the Bible in Modern American Form and Phrase, With Notes and Introduction, by Frank Schell Ballentine, New York, 1899-1901.*


J75

The Guide to Immortality; or, Memoirs of the Life and Doctrine of Christ, by the Four Evangelists, by Robert Fellowes, London, 1804.*


J76

A New Version of the Four Gospels, by John Lingard, London, 1836.*


J77

The Documents of the New Testament, by G. W. Wade, London, 1934.*


J78

Studies in Matthew, by Benjamin W. Bacon, New York, 1930.*


J79

The New Testament, in an Improved Version, Upon the Basis of Archbishop Newcome’s New Translation, edited by Thomas Belsham and others, London, 1808.*


J80

A New Family Bible, and Improved Version, From Corrected Texts of the Originals, by Benjamin Boothroyd, Huddersfield, England, 1824.*


J81

The Holy Bible, Containing the Authorized Version of the Old and New Testaments, edited by J. T. Conquest, London, 1841.*


J82

A Paraphrase and Annotations Upon All the Books of the New Testament, by Henry Hammond, London, 1653.*


J83

The Epistle to the Hebrews, in a Paraphrastic Commentary, by Joseph B. M’Caul, London, 1871.*


J84

A Revised Translation and Interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures, by J. M. Ray, Glasgow, 1815.*


J85

An Attempt Toward Revising Our English Translation of the Greek Scriptures, by William Newcome, Dublin, 1796.*


J86

The Monotessaron; or, The Gospel History, According to the Four Evangelists, by John S. Thompson, Baltimore, MD, 1829.*


J87

A Translation of the New Testament, by Gilbert Wakefield, London, 1791.*


J88

The Newberry Bible (commonly known as The Englishman’s Bible), by Thomas Newberry, London, 1890.*


J89

The Messages of the Apostles, by George Barker Stevens, New York, 1900.*


J90

A Non-Ecclesiastical New Testament, translated by Frank Daniels, 2016.*


J91

Tungarar Jehovald, Yarildewallin. Extracts From the Holy Scriptures (in Narrinyeri), translated by George Taplin, Adelaide, Australia, 1864.*


J92

Uebersetzung des Neuen Testaments mit erklärenden Anmerkungen (New Testament in German), by Johann Babor, Wien, Austria, 1805.*


Should the Name Jehovah Appear in the New Testament?




DOES it matter whether God’s name appears in the Bible? God obviously felt so. His name, as represented by the four Hebrew characters known as the Tetragrammaton, appears almost 7,000 times in the original Hebrew text of what is commonly called the Old Testament.*

Bible scholars acknowledge that God’s personal name appears in the Old Testament, or Hebrew Scriptures. However, many feel that it did not appear in the original Greek manuscripts of the so-called New Testament.

What happens, then, when a writer of the New Testament quotes passages from the Old Testament in which the Tetragrammaton appears? In these instances, most translators use the word “Lord” rather than God’s personal name. The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures does not follow this common practice. It uses the name Jehovah 237 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, or New Testament.

What problems do Bible translators face when it comes to deciding whether to use God’s name in the New Testament? What basis is there for using God’s name in this part of the Holy Scriptures? And how does the use of God’s name in the Bible affect you?


A Translation Problem


The manuscripts of the New Testament that we possess today are not the originals. The original manuscripts written by Matthew, John, Paul, and others were well used, and no doubt they quickly wore out. Hence, copies were made, and when those wore out, further copies were made. Of the thousands of copies of the New Testament in existence today, most were made at least two centuries after the originals were penned. It appears that by that time those copying the manuscripts either replaced the Tetragrammaton with Kuʹri·os or Kyʹri·os, the Greek word for “Lord,” or copied from manuscripts where this had been done.*

Knowing this, a translator must determine whether there is reasonable evidence that the Tetragrammaton did in fact appear in the original Greek manuscripts. Is there any such proof? Consider the following arguments:

• When Jesus quoted the Old Testament or read from it, he used the divine name. (Deuteronomy 6:13, 16; 8:3; Psalm 110:1; Isaiah 61:1, 2; Matthew 4:4, 7, 10; 22:44; Luke 4:16-21) In the days of Jesus and his disciples, the Tetragrammaton appeared in copies of the Hebrew text of what is often called the Old Testament, as it still does today. However, for centuries scholars thought that the Tetragrammaton was absent from manuscripts of the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, as well as from manuscripts of the New Testament. Then in the mid-20th century, something remarkable came to the attention of scholars​—some very old fragments of the Greek Septuagint version that existed in Jesus’ day had been discovered. Those fragments contain the personal name of God, written in Hebrew characters.


• Jesus used God’s name and made it known to others. (John 17:6, 11, 12, 26) Jesus plainly stated: “I have come in the name of my Father.” He also stressed that his works were done “in the name of [his] Father.” In fact, Jesus’ own name means “Jehovah Is Salvation.”​—John 5:43; 10:25.


• The divine name appears in its abbreviated form in the Greek Scriptures. At Revelation 19:1, 3, 4, 6, the divine name is embedded in the expression “Alleluia,” or “Hallelujah.” This expression literally means “Praise Jah, you people!” Jah is a contraction of the name Jehovah.


• Early Jewish writings indicate that Jewish Christians used the divine name in their writings. The Tosefta, a written collection of oral laws completed by about 300 C.E., says with regard to Christian writings that were burned on the Sabbath: “The books of the Evangelists and the books of the minim [thought to be Jewish Christians] they do not save from a fire. But they are allowed to burn where they are, . . . they and the references to the Divine Name which are in them.” This same source quotes Rabbi Yosé the Galilean, who lived at the beginning of the second century C.E., as saying that on other days of the week “one cuts out the references to the Divine Name which are in them [the Christian writings] and stores them away, and the rest burns.” Thus, there is strong evidence that the Jews living in the second century C.E. believed that Christians used Jehovah’s name in their writings.



How Have Translators Handled This Issue?


Is the New World Translation the only Bible that restores God’s name when translating the Greek Scriptures? No. Based upon the above evidence, many Bible translators have felt that the divine name should be restored when they translate the New Testament.

For example, many African, American, Asian, and Pacific-island language versions of the New Testament use the divine name liberally. (See chart on page 21.) Some of these translations have appeared recently, such as the Rotuman Bible (1999), which uses the name Jihova 51 times in 48 verses of the New Testament, and the Batak-Toba version (1989) from Indonesia, which uses the name Jahowa 110 times in the New Testament. The divine name has appeared, too, in French, German, and Spanish translations. For instance, Pablo Besson translated the New Testament into Spanish in the early 20th century. His translation uses Jehová at Jude 14, and nearly 100 footnotes suggest the divine name as a likely rendering.

Below are some examples of English translations that have used God’s name in the New Testament:

•A Literal Translation of the New Testament . . . From the Text of the Vatican Manuscript, by Herman Heinfetter (1863)


•The Emphatic Diaglott, by Benjamin Wilson (1864)


•The Epistles of Paul in Modern English, by George Barker Stevens (1898)


•St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, by W. G. Rutherford (1900)


•The Christian’s Bible​—New Testament, by George N. LeFevre (1928)


•The New Testament Letters, by J.W.C. Wand, Bishop of London (1946)


Recently, the 2004 edition of the popular New Living Translation made this comment in its preface under the heading “The Rendering of Divine Names”: “We have generally rendered the tetragrammaton (YHWH) consistently as ‘the LORD,’ utilizing a form with small capitals that is common among English translations. This will distinguish it from the name ʹadonai, which we render ‘Lord.’” Then when commenting on the New Testament, it says: “The Greek word kurios is consistently translated ‘Lord,’ except that it is translated ‘LORD’ wherever the New Testament text explicitly quotes from the Old Testament, and the text there has it in small capitals.” (Italics ours.) The translators of this Bible therefore acknowledge that the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) should be represented in these New Testament quotes.

Interestingly, under the heading “Tetragrammaton in the New Testament,” The Anchor Bible Dictionary makes this comment: “There is some evidence that the Tetragrammaton, the Divine Name, Yahweh, appeared in some or all of the O[ld] T[estament] quotations in the N[ew] T[estament] when the NT documents were first penned.” And scholar George Howard says: “Since the Tetragram was still written in the copies of the Greek Bible [the Septuagint] which made up the Scriptures of the early church, it is reasonable to believe that the N[ew] T[estament] writers, when quoting from Scripture, preserved the Tetragram within the biblical text.”


Two Compelling Reasons


Clearly, then, the New World Translation was not the first Bible to contain the divine name in the New Testament. Like a judge who is called upon to decide a court case for which there are no living eyewitnesses, the New World Bible Translation Committee carefully weighed all the relevant evidence. Based on the facts, they decided to include Jehovah’s name in their translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures. Note two compelling reasons why they did so.

(1) The translators believed that since the Christian Greek Scriptures were an inspired addition to the sacred Hebrew Scriptures, the sudden disappearance of Jehovah’s name from the text seemed inconsistent.

Why is that a reasonable conclusion? About the middle of the first century C.E., the disciple James said to the elders in Jerusalem: “Symeon has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name.” (Acts 15:14) Does it sound logical to you that James would make such a statement if nobody in the first century knew or used God’s name?

(2) When copies of the Septuagint were discovered that used the divine name rather than Kyʹri·os (Lord), it became evident to the translators that in Jesus’ day copies of the earlier Scriptures in Greek​—and of course those in Hebrew—​did contain the divine name.

Apparently, the God-dishonoring tradition of removing the divine name from Greek manuscripts developed only later. What do you think? Would Jesus and his apostles have promoted such a tradition?​—Matthew 15:6-9.


Call “on the Name of Jehovah”


Really, the Scriptures themselves act as a conclusive “eyewitness” statement that early Christians did in fact use Jehovah’s name in their writings, especially when they quoted passages from the Old Testament that contain that name. Without a doubt, then, the New World Translation has a clear basis for restoring the divine name, Jehovah, in the Christian Greek Scriptures.

How does this information affect you? Quoting the Hebrew Scriptures, the apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Rome: “Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.” Then he asked: “How will they call on him in whom they have not put faith? How, in turn, will they put faith in him of whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10:13, 14; Joel 2:32) Bible translations that use God’s name when appropriate help you to draw close to God. (James 4:8) Really, what an honor it is for us to be allowed to know and to call upon God’s personal name, Jehovah.




A TRANSLATOR WHO RESPECTED GOD’S NAME


In November 1857, Hiram Bingham II, a 26-year-old missionary, arrived with his wife in the Gilbert Islands (now called Kiribati). The missionary ship on which they had traveled was sponsored by meager donations from American Sunday School children. It had been named the Morning Star by its sponsors to reflect their belief in the coming Millennium.

“Physically, Bingham was not strong,” states Barrie Macdonald in his book Cinderellas of the Empire. “He suffered from frequent bowel ailments, and from chronic throat trouble which affected his ability to speak in public; his eyesight was so weak that he could only spend two or three hours a day reading.”

However, Bingham set his mind to learning the Gilbertese language. This was not an easy task. He started by pointing at objects and asking their names. When he had collected a list of some two thousand words, he paid one of his converts a dollar for every one hundred new words he could add to the list.

Bingham’s perseverance paid off. By the time he had to leave the Gilbert Islands in 1865 because of his deteriorating health, he not only had given the Gilbertese language a written form but had also translated the books of Matthew and John into Gilbertese. When he returned to the islands in 1873, he brought with him the completed translation of the New Testament in Gilbertese. He persevered for a further 17 years and by 1890 completed the translation of the entire Gilbertese Bible.

Bingham’s translation of the Bible is in use in Kiribati to this day. Those reading it will notice that he used Jehovah’s name (Iehova in Gilbertese) thousands of times in the Old Testament as well as over 50 times in the New Testament. Truly, Hiram Bingham was a translator who respected God’s name!




LIST OF 99 LANGUAGES THAT USE A VERNACULAR FORM OF THE TETRAGRAMMATON IN THE NEW TESTAMENT


CHIHOWA: Choctaw

IÁHVE: Portuguese

IEHOUA: Mer

IEHOVA: Gilbertese; Hawaiian; Hiri Motu; Kerewo; Kiwai; Marquesas; Motu; Panaieti (Misima); Rarotongan; Tahitian; Toaripi

IEHOVAN: Saibai

IEOVA: Kuanua; Wedau

IHOVA: Aneityum

IHVH: French

IOVA: Malekula (Kuliviu); Malekula (Pangkumu); Malekula (Uripiv)

JAHOWA: Batak-Toba

JAHUÈ: Chacobo

JAKWE: (Ki)Sukuma

JAHVE: Hungarian

JEHOBA: Kipsigis; Mentawai

JEHOFA: Tswana

JEHOVA: Croatian; German; Kélé (Gabon); Lele (Manus Island); Nandi; Nauruan; Nukuoro

JEHOVÁ: Spanish

JEHÔVA: Fang; Tsimihety

JEHOVAH: Dutch; Efik; English; Kalenjin; Malagasy; Narrinyeri; Ojibwa

JEOVA: Kusaie (Kosraean)

JIHOVA: Naga (Angami); Naga (Konyak); Naga (Lotha); Naga (Mao); Naga (Ntenyi); Naga (Sangtam); Rotuman

JIOUA: Mortlock

JIOVA: Fijian

JIWHEYẸWHE: Gu (Alada)

SIHOVA: Tongan

UYEHOVA: Zulu

YAHOWA: Thai

YAHVE: Ila

YAVE: Kongo

YAWE: Bobangi; Bolia; Dholuo; Lingala; Mongo (Lolo); (Lo)Ngandu; (Lo)Ntumba; (Ke)Sengele

YEHÓA: Awabakal

YEHOFA: Southern Sotho

YEHOVA: Chokwe; Chuana (Tlapi); (Ki)Kalanga; Logo; Luba; Lugbara; (Chi)Luimbi; (Chi)Lunda (Ndembu); (Chi)Luvale; Santo (Hog Harbor); Tiv; Umbundu; (Isi)Xhosa

YEHOVAH: Bube; Mohawk; Nguna (Efate); Nguna (Tongoa)

YEHOWA: Ga; Laotian; (Ki)Songe; Tshiluba

YEKOVA: Zande

YEOBA: Kuba (Inkongo)

YEOHOWA: Korean

YHWH: Hebrew

YOWO: Lomwe

ZAHOVA: Chin (Haka-Lai)



The Tetragrammaton refers to the four letters, YHWH, that represent God’s name in Hebrew. It is commonly translated as Jehovah or Yahweh in English.

God’s Name in the “New Testament”

MOST translations of the “New Testament” use no distinctive name for Almighty God. Why not? Is it that they are scrupulously following the Greek text? In many cases that evidently is not their chief concern, because they do not use the name Jehovah in the “Old Testament” either. Yet in the original Hebrew, in addition to there being words for Lord and God, the proper name of God appears nearly 7,000 times.

Some translators have realized, however, that the divine name belongs in the “New Testament,” if for no other reason than that it contains direct quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures where the name is used. So it is of interest that, in the German language, there are at least five “New Testament” translations that contain the divine name.

One of these, the translation by Dominikus von Brentano in 1796, which uses the divine name twice in its main text, has been referred to in past Watch Tower publications. Two additional translations use that name at Mark 12:29—one, a translation by Stolz, published in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1781, and the other, a translation by Professor Dr. Johann Babor, published in Vienna, Austria, in 1805. There is also the so-called Bonner Bible, translated by Professor D. P. Dausch and published in Bonn, Germany, in 1932, which uses “Jahve” at Luke 20:37.

Another German translation uses the name, Jehovah, ten times in the “New Testament.” This is a two-volume translation of the New Testament of the Holy Scriptures that appeared in Munich, Germany, in 1789 and 1790. Although the name of its translator is not given, the book Die Bibel in Deutschland (The Bible in Germany), on page 281, says: “The translation is by [Sebastian] Mutschelle. Born on January 18, 1749, in Allershausen bei Freising, he joined the Jesuit order at an early age.”

The divine name appears in translations of the “New Testament,” not only in German but in some fifty other languages, including Hebrew.

[Box on page 6]

Why It Concerns You

‘But what difference does it make whether we use God’s name or not?’ a person may ask. It makes a big difference! Consider: In the “New Testament” it says that God would turn “his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name.” (Acts 15:14) If you do not know and use that name, could you really be included with the people that God selects as his own? We should not only know God’s name but praise it before others, as Jesus Christ did when on earth.​—Matthew 6:9; John 17:6, 26

Appendix C NWT Study Edition

Names and titles of God in the New Testament

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For other uses, see Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament and God in Christianity.

In contrast to the variety of absolute or personal names of God in the Old Testament, the New Testament uses only two, according to the International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia.

With regard to the original documents that were later included, with or without modification,^[1] in the New Testament, George Howard put forward in 1977 a hypothesis, not widely accepted, that their Greek-speaking authors may have used some form of the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) in their quotations from the Old Testament but that in all copies of their works this was soon replaced by the existing two names.^{[2][verification needed]}

Contents

NamesEdit

In contrast to the variety of absolute or personal names of God in the Old Testament, the New Testament uses only two, according to the International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia.^[3][4] Of the two, Θεὀς ("God") is the more common, appearing in the text over a thousand times. In its true sense it expresses essential Deity, but by accommodation it is also used of heathen gods.^[4] The other is Κύριος ("Lord"), which appears almost 600 times. In quotations from the Old Testament, it represents both יהוה (Yahweh) and אדני (Adonai), the latter name having been used in Jewish worship to replace the former, the speaking of which was avoided even in the solemn reading of sacred texts.^[4] No transcription of either of the Hebrew names יהוה and אדני appears in the existing text of the New Testament.

GodEdit

According to Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, the term θεος (God) is used 1317 times.^[5] N. T. Wright differentiates between 'God' and 'god' when it refers to the deity or essentially a common noun.^[6] Murray J. Harris wrote that in NA²⁶ (USB³) θεος appears 1,315 times.^[7] The Bible Translator reads that "when referring to the one supreme God... it frequently is preceded, but need not be, by the definite article" (Ho theos).^[8]

LordEdit

Further information: Kyrios

The word κύριος appears 717 times in the text of New Testament, and Darrell L. Bock says it is used in three different ways:

First, it reflects the secular usages as the "lord" or "owner" of a vineyard (Matt. 21:40, Mark 12:9, Luke 20:13), master or slaves, or a political leader (Acts 25:26). Second, it certainly used of God. This usage is seen particularly in the numerous NT quotations from the OT where kyrios stands for Yahweh (e.g., Rom 4:8, Ps 32:2; Rom. 9:28-29, Isa. 10:22-23; Rom. 10:16, Isa. 53:1). Third, it is used of Jesus as kyrios (Matt. 10:24-25; John 13:16; 15:20; Rom 14:4; Eph. 6:5, 9; Col. 3:22: 4:1).^[9]

Angel of the LordEdit

The Greek phrase ἄγγελος Κυρίου (aggelos kuriou – "angel of the Lord") is found in Matthew 1:20, 1:24, 2:13, 2:19, 28:2; Luke 1:11, 2:9; John 5:4; Acts 5:19, 8:26, 12:7, and 12:23. English translations render the phrase either as "an angel of the Lord" or as "the angel of the Lord".^[10] The mentions in Acts 12:11 and Revelation 22:6 of "his angel" (the Lord's angel) can also be understood as referring either to the angel of the Lord or an angel of the Lord.

Descriptive titlesEdit

Robert Kysar reports that God is referred to as Father 64 times in the first three Gospels and 120 times in the fourth Gospel.^[11] Outside of the Gospels he is called the Father of mercies (2 Corinthians 1:3), the Father of glory (Ephesians 1:17), the Father of mercies (the Father of spirits (Hebrews 12:9), the Father of lights (James 1:17), and he is referred by the Aramaic word Abba in Romans 8:15.

Other titles under which God is referred to include the Almighty (Revelation 1:18), the Most High (Acts 7:48), the Creator (Romans 1:20; 2 Peter 1:4), the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3).^[4]

Extant New Testament manuscriptsEdit

Main article: New Testament manuscripts

See also: Biblical manuscript § Dating the New Testament manuscripts

No extant manuscript of the New Testament, not even a mere fragment, contains the Tetragrammaton in any form.^[2] In their citations of Old Testament verses, they always have κς or θς, where the Hebrew text has YHWH.^[2]

There is a gap between the original writing down (the autograph) of each of the various documents that were later incorporated into the New Testament and even the oldest surviving manuscript copies of the New Testament form of any such document.^{[12][13][14][15]} Philip Wesley Comfort says: "The time gap between the autograph and the extant copies is quite close − no more than one hundred years for most of the books of the New Testament. Thus we are in a good position to recover most of the original wording of the Greek New Testament.".^[16] Scholars assume the general reliability of the texts of ancient authors attested by extremely few manuscripts written perhaps a thouosand years after their death: the New Testament is much better attested both in quantity and in antiquity of manuscripts.^[17][18][19] On the other hand, Helmut Koester says that the discovered papyri tell us nothing of the history of a text in the 100 to 150 years between when the original autograph was written and when its New Testament form was canonized. In line with the common view, Koester places canonization of the New Testament at the end of the second century.^[20] David Trobisch proposes a shorter interval, saying that a specific collection of Christian writings closely approximating the modern New Testament canon was edited and published before 180, probably by Polycarp (69–155).^[21][22]

Trobisch agrees with Howard that the autographs may have had some form of the tetragram,^[23] but holds that the edited texts in what we know as the New Testament are not the same as those autographs.^[24] The New Testament, he says, is an anthology with "editorial elements that serve to combine individual writings into a larger literary unit and are not original components of the collected traditional material". These editorial elements "can be identified by their late date, their unifying function, and the fact that they reflect a consistent editorial design; they "usually do not originate with the authors of the works published in an anthology"; instead, "responsibility for the final redaction rests with the editors and publisher". Trobisch states that "the New Testament contains both textual and non-textual elements of a final redaction", and in his book describes "some of the more obvious of these elements".^[25]

Howard remarks that the oldest known New Testament fragments contain no verse quoting an Old Testament verse that has the Tetragrammaton.^[26][2] These fragments are: 𝔓⁵², 𝔓⁹⁰, 𝔓⁹⁸ and 𝔓^{104[27][28][29][30][31]}). Fragments that do contain quotations of Old Testament verses containing the tetragrammaton are at earliest from 175 CE^[32] onward (𝔓⁴⁶, 𝔓⁶⁶, 𝔓⁷⁵).^{[33][34][35][36][37]}

Jacobus H. Petzer, citing Harry Y. Gamble, K. Junack and Barbara Aland in support, distinguishes between "the original text" of the New Testament and "the autographs" of the documents it incorporated.^[14] There is a gap of about a century (more in the case of the letters of Paul the Apostle, less in the case of elements such as the Gospel of John) between the composition of the actual autograph documents, the original incorporation of a version of them into the New Testament, and the production of the extant New Testament manuscripts in which, according to the Howard hypothesis, the Tetragrammaton might once have been written, before being eliminated without trace from all existing manuscripts.

Howard points to some twenty single-letter variations in the Greek New Testament manuscripts between κς and θς, among the hundreds of other appearances of these two nomina sacra.^[38] In response to a correspondent who said that Howard "cited the large number of variants involving theos and kurios as evidence for the originality of the divine name in the New Testament itself", Larry Hurtado replied: "Well, maybe so. But his theory doesn't take adequate account of all the data, including the data that 'kyrios' was used as a/the vocal substitute for YHWH among Greek-speaking Jews. There's no indication that the Hebrew YHWH ever appeared in any NT text."^[26] He also noted the choice by the author of the Acts of the Apostles to use Θεός rather than Κύριος when reporting speeches to and by the Jews.^[26]

Variance between some verses
NT verse	κς (Lord)	θς (God)	χς (Christ)	Ις (Jesus)	Omit
Acts 8:22	Greek mss.	Vg, Syp
Acts 8:24	א, A, B	D, Vg, Sy
Acts 8:25	א, B, C, D	𝔓74, A, Sy
Acts 10:33	𝔓45, א, A, B, C	𝔓74, D, Sy
Acts 12:24	B	𝔓74, א, A, D, Sy
Acts 13:44	𝔓74, א, A, B	B, C, Sy
Acts 14:48	𝔓45, 𝔓74, א, A, C	B, D
Acts 15:35	Greek mss.	Syp
Acts 15:36	Greek mss.	Syp
Acts 15:40	Greek mss.	Vgc, Vgs, Syp
Acts 16:15	א, A, B, Greek mss.	D
Acts 16:32	𝔓45, 𝔓74, אc (corrector), A, C	א, B
Acts 19:20	Greek mss.	Vg, Syp
Romans 4:8	א, A, B				𝔓46
Romans 10:17		אc, A, Db, c, K, P, Ψ, min versions, Fathers	𝔓46, א, B, C, D*, min version, Fathers		G, Itf,g, Fathers
Romans 11:2		א, A, B			𝔓46
Romans 11:3	א, A, B				𝔓46
Romans 11:8		𝔓46, A, C, D, F, G: ο θς; א: ο ο θς
Romans 11:34	א, A, B				𝔓46
Romans 14:4	𝔓46, א, A, B, C, Greek mss.	D, Vg, Syh
Romans 14:10		א*, A, B, C*, D, G, min versions, Fathers	אc, C2, P, Ψ
Romans 15:11	א2			א*, A, B
1 Corinthians 2:16	B, D*, G, it		rell
1 Corinthians 7:17	𝔓46, א, A, B, C, Greek mss.	Syh, TR
1 Corinthians 10:9	א, B, C, P, 33, min versions, Fathers	A, 81, Euthalius	𝔓46, D, G, K, Ψ, min versions, Fathers		1985
2 Corinthians 8:21	א, B	𝔓46, Vg, Syp
Ephesians 5:17	א, D, Greek mss.	A, Vgc, Syp
Colossians 1:10	א, A, B, Greek mss.	Vg
Colossians 3:13	𝔓46, A, B, D	א
Colossians 3:16	א	A, C
Colossians 3:22	א, A, B, C, D, Greek mss.	𝔓46, אc, Dc (corrector)
Thessalonians 1:8	אc, B, Greek mss.	א
Thessalonians 2:13	א, A, B, Greek mss.	D, Vg
James 1:12	C, Greek mss.	It, Vg, Syp
James 3:9	א, A, B, C, Greek mss.	Vgc, Syh
1 Peter 1:25	א, A, B, Greek	Syp
1 Peter 3:15		K, L, P, min Fathers	𝔓72, א, A, B, C, Ψ, min versions, Clement		de Promissionibus
2 Peter 3:12	C	א, A, B
Jude 5	א, C, K, Ψ, min Syrh, Fathers	Cc, 2492, versions, Lucifer	𝔓72	A, B, min versions, Fathers
Jude 9	A, B	א
Revelation 18:8	אc, C	A

Even according to Howard himself, the supposed presence of the Tetragrammaton that he envisages within the New Testament lasted very briefly: he speaks of it as "crowded out" already "somewhere around the beginning of the second century".^[39][40]

R. F. Shedinger considered it "at least possible" that Howard's theory may find support in the regular use in the Diatessaron (which, according to Ulrich B. Schmid "antedates virtually all the MSS of NT")^[41] of "God" in place of "Lord" in the New Testament and the Peshitto Old Testament, but he stressed that "Howard's thesis is rather speculative and the textual evidence he cites from the New Testament in support of it is far from overwhelming."^[42]

In studies conducted among existing variants in New Testament copies, the vast majority of scholars agree that the New Testament has remained fairly stable with only many minor variants (Daniel B. Wallace,^[43] Michael J. Kruger, Craig A. Evans, Edward D Andrews,^[15] Kurt Aland,^[44] Barbara Aland, F. F. Bruce,^[45] Fenton Hort, Brooke Foss Westcott, Frederic G. Kenyon,^[46] Jack Finegan,^[47] Archibald Thomas Robertson). Some critics, such as Kurt Aland, deny that there is any basis whatever for conjectural emendation of the manuscript evidence.^[12] Bart D. Ehrman, Helmut Koester, David C. Parker believe that it is not possible to establish the original text with absolute certainty, but do not posit a systematic revision as in the Howard hypothesis.^[48][49][50]

The oldest extant Greek New Testament manuscript fragments.[51]
Date	Quantity	Manuscripts
Second century	4	𝔓52, 𝔓90, 𝔓98, 𝔓104
Second/third-centuries	3	𝔓67, 𝔓103, Uncial 0189
175—225	4	𝔓32, 𝔓46, 𝔓64+𝔓67, 𝔓66
Third century	40	𝔓1, 𝔓4, 𝔓5, 𝔓9, 𝔓12, 𝔓15, 𝔓20, 𝔓22, 𝔓23, 𝔓27, 𝔓28, 𝔓29, 𝔓30, 𝔓39, 𝔓40, 𝔓45, 𝔓47, 𝔓48, 𝔓49, 𝔓53, 𝔓65, 𝔓69, 𝔓70, 𝔓75, 𝔓80, 𝔓87, 𝔓91, 𝔓95, 𝔓101, 𝔓106, 𝔓107, 𝔓108, 𝔓109, 𝔓111, 𝔓113, 𝔓114, 𝔓118, 𝔓119, 𝔓121, 0220
Third/fourth centuries	16	𝔓7, 𝔓13, 𝔓16, 𝔓18, 𝔓37, 𝔓38, 𝔓72, 𝔓78, 𝔓92, 𝔓100, 𝔓102, 𝔓115, 𝔓125, 0162, 0171, 0312

Nomina sacra in the New TestamentEdit

Nomina sacra (ΙΥ for Ίησοῦ, Jesus, and ΘΥ for Θεοῦ, God) in John 1:35–37 in the 4th-century Codex Vaticanus

Main article: Nomina sacra

Nomina sacra, representations of religiously important words in a way that sets them off from the rest of the text, are a characteristic of manuscripts of the New Testament. "There are good reasons to think that these abbreviations were not concerned with saving space but functioned as a textual way to show Christian reverence and devotion to Christ alongside of God".^[52]

Philip Wesley Comfort places in the first century the origin of five nomina sacra: those indicating "Lord", "Jesus', "Christ", "God" and "Spirit", and considers ΚΣ (Κύριος) to have been the earliest.^[53] Tomas Bokedal also assigns to the first century the origin of the same nomina sacra, omitting only πνεῦμα.^[54] Michael J. Kruger says that, for the nomina sacra convention to be so widespread as is shown in manuscripts of the early second century, its origin must be placed earlier.^[55]

George Howard supposes that κς (κύριος) and θς (θεός) were the initial nomina sacra and were created by (non-Jewish Christian scribes who in copying the Septuagint text "found no traditional reasons to preserve the tetragrammaton" (which in his hypothesis they found in the Septuagint text) and who perhaps looked on the contracted forms κς and θς as "analogous to the vowelless Hebrew Divine Name".

Larry Hurtado rejects this view, preferring that of Colin Roberts, according to whom the initial nomen sacrum was that representing the name Ἰησοῦς (Jesus).^[56] Hurtado's view is shared by Tomas Bokedal, who holds that the first nomen sacrum was that of Ἰησοῦς (initially in the suspended form ιη), soon followed by that of Χριστός and then by Κύριος and Θεός.^[57] Since all Hebrew words are written without vowels, the vowelless character of the tetragrammaton cannot have inspired, Hurtado says, the creation of the nomina sacra, which moreover, as in the case of κύριος, also omit consonants.^[56]

George Howard considered that the change to the nomina sacra κς and θς instead of YHWH in Christian copies of the Septuagint took place "at least by the beginning of the second century": it began "towards the end of the first century", and "somewhere around the beginning of the second century [...] must have crowded out the Tetragram in both Testaments".^[39] Already by the late second century nomina sacra were used not only in New Testament manuscripts but also in inscriptions in Lycaonia (modern central Turkey).^[58] David Trobisch proposes that the replacement of YHWH to nomina sacra was a conscious editorial decision at the time of compiling both New and Old Testaments, in the second century.^[59][60]

While Howard supposed that the New Testament writers took their Old Testament quotations directly from Septuagint manuscripts (which he also supposed contained the Tetragrammaton), Philip Wesley Comfort believes they took them from Testimonia (excerpts from the Old Testament that Christians compiled as proof texts for their claims). He recognizes that the earliest extant evidence of the use of nomina sacra is found in second-century manuscripts of the Septuagint rather than of such Testimonia or of the New Testament, and comments: "Regardless of whether the nomina sacra were invented in the testimonia stage or in early Christian Greek Old Testament manuscripts (i.e., first century), the significance is that they may have existed in written form before the Gospels and Epistles were written. As such, some of the New Testament writers themselves could have adopted these forms when they wrote their books. The presence of the nomina sacra in all the earliest Christian manuscripts dating from the early second century necessitates that it was a widespread practice established much earlier. If we place the origin of that practice to the autographs and/or early publications of the New Testament writings, it explains the universal proliferation thereafter." He pictures the nomina sacra entering Christian copies of the Septuagint in the same way as in Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 656 the original scribe left gaps for someone capable of writing Hebrew or Palaeo-Hebrew to fill in with the Tetragrammaton, but that were in fact filled with the word κύριος.^[61]

Forms corresponding to the MT Tetragrammaton in some Greek OT and NT manuscripts
Date	LXX/OG mss	Forms in LXX/OG mss	NT mss	Forms in NT mss
1st century BCE	4Q120 P. Fouad 266	ιαω יהוה
Early 1st century CE	P. Oxy 3522 8HevXII gr	𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄‬ 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄
Middle to late 1st century CE	P. Oxy 5101 (c. 50-150)	𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄‬	No mss, original or published	No evidence
Early 2nd century CE	P. Oxy. 4443 (c. 75-125)	No evidence	𝔓125	No evidence
Middle 2nd century CE	P. Baden 56b P. Antinoopolis 7	No evidence No evidence	No mss	No evidence
Late 2nd century CE	P.Coll Horsley (c. 175-225) P. Oxy 656 (c. 175-225)	No evidence κς by second hand	𝔓46, 75 (c. 175-225)	κς
3rd century CE	P. Oxy 1007 (c. 175-225) P. Oxy 1075 SymP.Vindob.G.39777	zz κς YHWH in archaic form	𝔓66 (c. 200) 𝔓45 (Early third century)	κς
4th century CE	BLXX אLXX	κς, θς κς, θς	BNT אNT	κς, θς κς, θς

The Howard hypothesisEdit

The tetragrammaton (YHWH) is not found in any extant New Testament manuscript, all of which have the word Kyrios (Lord) or Theos (God) in Old Testament quotes where the Hebrew text has the tetragrammaton. George Howard published in 1977 a thesis that Robert F. Shedinger calls "somewhat speculative", and whose "revolutionary theological ramifications" Howard himself drew out. He proposed that the original texts of the New Testament had "YHWH" (either in Hebrew characters or in a Greek transliteration) in their quotations from the Old Testament, but not elsewhere, and that it was replaced in the copies made during the second century.^[62]

Didier Fontaine observes that Howard's postulate is built on three further suppositions:

[Howard's] thesis boils down to simply this: it is possible that when quoting the OT, the NT authors retained the tetragram in their writings where it figured in the Greek text [i.e., the Septuagint]. Three observations allow this postulate: 1) the translators of the LXX retained the divine name in Hebrew or paleo-Hebrew in the Greek text—that, at least, is what the manuscripts of the pre-Christian era indicate; 2) it was the Christians, not the Jews, who replaced these instances of the name with κύριος; and 3) the textual tradition of the NT contains variants that are explained well in this context."^[63]

In his concluding observations, Howard, recognizing "the revolutionary nature" of his thesis that at one time the tetragrammaton was employed in the New Testament, said that, if true, it would require further explanation on various questions:

If the Tetragram was used in the NT, how extensively was it used? Was it confined to OT quotations and OT paraphrastic allusions, or was it used in traditional phrases, such as "the word of God / Lord" (see the variants in Acts 6:7; 8:25; 12:24; 13:5; 13:44, 48; 14:25; 16:6, 32), "in the day of the Lord" (cf. variants in 1 Cor 5:5), "through the will of God" (cf. variants in Rom 15:32)? Was it also used in OT-like narratives such as we have in the first two chapters of Luke?^[64]

Fontaine continues: "The thesis of Howard has generally aroused negative reactions, like those of C. Osburn, D. Juel or Bruce M. Metzger. In the case of Metzger, [Frank] Shaw shows how Howard's thesis has perhaps been distorted and cited in the wrong way." Fontaine indicates that dictation, in which what was communicated was the spoken equivalent of the Tetragrammaton, generally a surrogate (such as kurios, not the Tetragrammaton itself) shows that the text of a Septuagint manuscript or of an original letter of Paul the Apostle could differ from that in an existing copy of the Septuagint and would thus explain the textual variations adduced in support of Howard's thesis.^[65]

Robert J. Wilkinson rejects Howard's hypothesis: "It is not possible to assert that all Jewish Greek biblical manuscripts had the Tetragrammaton, nor for that matter that someone reading a Tetragrammaton in a biblical text would necessarily transcribe it into another text as such rather than as, say, kurios [...} this conjectured account has Christians initially quoting biblical texts in their own writings to make a clear distinction between Christ and Yhwh and then introducing 'confusion' by deciding to eliminate the Tetragrammaton from their own works. One may ask why they would do that and when."^[66] He says that Howard's article was influential with regard to certain "denominational interests", whom he identifies as those of the Jehovah's Witnesses, whose enthusiastic response perhaps somewhat obscured the clarity of the situation (incompatible with those sectarian positions) of "total absence of the Hebrew Tetragrammaton from all recovered early Christian Greek New Testament manuscripts and their texts".^[67]

Larry W. Hurtado remarks: "Against the contentions of a few (e.g., George Howard), these remarkable developments ["at a remarkably early point the exalted Jesus was associated with YHWH, such that practices and texts that originally applied to YHWH were 'extended' (so to speak) to include Jesus as the further referent"] cannot be ascribed to some sort of textual confusion brought on by a supposedly later copyist practice of writing 'Kyrios' in place of YHWH in Greek biblical manuscripts. The developments in question exploded so early and so quickly to render any such a proposal irrelevant."^[68]

Howard and the SeptuagintEdit

In 1977, George Howard propounded in the scholarly Journal of Biblical Literature his theory that "towards the end of the first century" (when the most recent of the New Testament writings were still appearing) Christians had already begun to use nomina sacra in place of the Tetragrammaton. While in non-biblical material Jews freely used either the Tetragrammaton or a substitute such as κύριος, in copying the biblical text itself they carefully guarded the Tetragrammaton, a practice that they extended to translation into Greek but not into Aramaic (p. 72); but, Howard said, in the earliest extant copies of the Christian LXX the tetragrammaton is not to be found and is almost universally replaced by κύριος (p. 74). "In all probability", he said, "the Tetragram in the Christian LXX began to be surrogated with the contracted words κς and θς at least by the beginning of the second century" (pp. 74−75). "Towards the end of the first century", he said, "Gentile Christians [...] substituted the words κύριος and θεός [...] for the Tetragram" (pp. 76−77). Howard's theory was that, in the interval between the writing of the texts that were later compiled to form the New Testament and the adoption of these surrogates, quotations in those texts would have the Tetragrammaton: "It is reasonable to believe that the NT writers, when quoting from Scripture, preserved the Tetragram within the biblical text. On the analogy of pre-Christian Jewish practice we can imagine that the NT text incorporated the Tetragram into its OT quotations and that the words κύριος and θεός were used when secondary references to God were made in the comments that were based upon the quotations. The Tetragram in these quotations would, of course, have remained as long as it continued to be used in the Christian copies of the LXX. But when it was removed from the Greek OT, it was also removed from the quotations of the OT in the NT. Thus somewhere around the beginning of the second century the use of surrogates must have crowded out the Tetragram in both Testaments" (p. 77).^[69]

In the following year 1978, Howard wrote in the popular-style Biblical Archaeology Review: "I offer the following scenario of the history of the Tetragrammaton in the Greek Bible as a whole, including both testaments. First, as to the Old Testament- Jewish scribes always preserved the Tetragrammaton in their copies of the Septuagint both before and after the New Testament period. In all probability Jewish Christians wrote the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew as well. Toward the end of the first Christian century, when the church had become predominantly Gentile, the motive for retaining the Hebrew name for God was lost and the words kyrios and theos were substituted for it in Christian copies of Old Testament Septuagints. Both kyrios and theos were written in abbreviated form in a conscious effort to preserve the sacred nature of the divine name. Soon the original significance of the contractions was lost and many other contracted words were added. A similar pattern probably evolved with respect to the New Testament. When the Septuagint which the New Testament church used and quoted contained the Hebrew form of the divine name, the New Testament writers no doubt included the Tetragrammaton in their quotations. But when the Hebrew form for the divine name was eliminated in favor of Greek substitutes in the Septuagint, it was eliminated also from the New Testament quotations of the Septuagint."^[70]

Howard thus bases his hypothesis on the proposition that the Septuagint, the version of the Old Testament in Greek from which the first-century-CE authors of the New Testament drew their Old-Testament quotations, did not at that time contain the term κύριος that is found in the extant manuscripts of the full text of the Septuagint, all of which are of later date, but always had the tetragrammaton itself, written in Hebrew letters (יהוה) or in paleo-Hebrew script (𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄) or represented by the phonetic Greek transliteration ιαω in place of that Greek term.

Five fragmentary manuscripts containing parts of the Septuagint and having a bearing on the first century CE have been discovered:

1. 1st-century-BCE 4Q120 with text from Leviticus uses ιαω where the Masoretic Text has the Tetragrammaton;
2. 1st-century-BCE Papyrus Fouad 266b with text from Deuteronomy uses יהוה forty-nine times and another three times in fragments whose text has not been identified;
3. 1st-century-CE 8HevXII gr with text from the Minor Prophets in a revision of the Septuagint uses 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 twenty-eight times;
4. 1st-century-CE Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 3522 with Job 42.11–12 uses 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 twice;
5. 1st-century-CE Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 5101 with text from Psalms uses 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 three times.^[71]

Septuagint treatment of the Hebrew-text tetragrammatonEdit

Albert Pietersma takes issue with Howard's claim that "we can now say with almost absolute certainty that the divine name, יהוה, was not rendered by κύριος in the pre-Christian Bible". He holds that the Septuagint Pentateuch originally contained κύριος, and that the hebraizing insertion of the tetragrammaton in some copies can be seen as "a secondary and foreign intrusion into LXX tradition".^[72]

In 2013, Larry W. Hurtado stated: "In Septuagint manuscripts (dating from ca. 3rd century CE and later), "Kyrios" (Greek: "Lord") is used rather frequently. But some have proposed that the earliest practice was fairly consistently to translate YHWH with "Kyrios" (κυριος), others that the Hebrew divine name was initially rendered phonetically as ΙΑΩ ("Iao"), and others that the divine name was originally retained in Hebrew characters. To my knowledge, the most recent discussion of the matter is the recent journal article by Martin Rösel".^[26]

Martin Rösel holds that the Septuagint used κύριος to represent the Tetragrammaton of the Hebrew text and that the appearance of the Hebrew Tetragrammaton in some copies of the Septuagint is due to a later substitution for the original κύριος: "By means of exegetical observations in the Greek version of the Torah, it becomes clear that already the translators of the Septuagint have chosen 'Lord' (kyrios) as an appropriate representation of the tetragrammaton; the replacement by the Hebrew tetragrammaton in some Greek manuscripts is not original."^[73] He recalls that, although κύριος was obviously the name that early Christians read in their Greek Bible, "Jewish versions of the Greek Bible, including Aquila and Symmachus as well as a few LXX manuscripts," had the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew letters or the form ΠΙΠΙ imitating Hebrew יהוה and also recalls the arguments for the originality of the Greek transcription ΙΑΩ.^[74] However, in view of the inconclusive nature of the analysis of the manuscripts, he proposes evidence internal to the Septuagint text that suggests that "κύριος is the original representation of the first translators", delimiting his research in this matter to the Pentateuch texts, since these were the earliest and provide a glimpse of a translator's theological thinking,^[75] for, as he said earlier, "the translators of the Septuagint were influenced by theological considerations when choosing an equivalent for the divine name".^[73] In some contexts, to avoid giving the impression of injustice or harshness on the part of κύριος, they represent the Tetragrammaton instead by θεός.^[76] Thus the immediate context explains the use of θεός as avoidance of the default translation as κύριος,^[77] while "it is hardly conceivable that later scribes should have changed a Hebrew tetragrammaton or Greek ΙΑΩ into a form of ὁ θεός".^[78] The presence of κύριος in the deuterocanonical books not translated from Hebrew but composed originally (like the New Testament) in Greek and in the works of Philo shows, Rösel says, that "the use of κύριος as a representation of יהוה must be pre-Christian in origin".^[79] He adds that this use was not universal among Jews, as shown by the later replacement of the original Septuaginta κύριος by the Hebrew Tetragrammaton; and he says that "the ΙΑΩ readings in the biblical manuscript 4QLXXLevb are a mystery still awaiting sound explanation. What can be said, is that such readings cannot be claimed to be original."^[79]

Dominique Gonnet says that "there are actually several textual forms of the [Septuagint]: the old LXX, the LXX realigned on the Hebrew before the Christian era and at the beginning of this one [...] There are also Jewish revisions of the LXX undertaken during the turn of the Christian era [...] New Testament writers often quote the old LXX, but sometimes they use an LXX that has evolved from the older LXX. They even quote Jewish revisions."^[80]

Ernst Wurthwein and Alexander Achilles Fischer find unconvincing the view that the tetragrammaton was original in the Septuagint, and that among the thousands of copies that have now perished there were none with κύριος. They state: "The typical LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton as κύριος must have extended back into the pre-Christian era, although there is no evidence for it in the early manuscripts".^[81]

Mª Vª Spottorno y Díaz Caro writes that one cannot rule out the possibility that the expression "Lord" (κύριος in Greek, מרא in Aramaic) as the name of God was already in use among Jews at about the time when the Septuagint was created. Her study centres on Papyrus 967 from the end of the 2nd century or early 3rd century CE, the oldest extant manuscript of the Septuagint text of Ezekiel 12–48, also containing Daniel and Esther in a text anterior to Origen's Hexapla, perhaps even of the first century.^[82] She believes that its use of the nomen sacrum form of κύριος (318 times) does not necessarily mean that it was the work of a Christian scribe. She repeats J.A. Fitzmyer's question: While the use of κύριος for יהוה in Christian copies of the Septuagint may perhaps be attributed to the influence of the New Testament, where did the New Testament itself get the usage from? She suggests that it came from use of κύριος for יהוה by Greek-speaking Palestinian Jews, and she cites Howard's assertion that from at least the third century BCE אדני was used in speech for יהוה, as suggested also by Qumran manuscripts of Ben Sira and Psalm 151 and by Philo's use of κύριος for יהוה in his Old Testament quotations. She accepts that the evidence comes from manuscripts of the Christian era and is therefore inconclusive, but she considers doubtful any explanation as due to Christian influence in the 1st or 2nd century the pronunciation of יהוה as κύριος by Hellenistic Jews.^[83]

Pietersma agrees with Dahl and Segal that, "while preserved Jewish fragments of the Greek version have some form of transliteration for the tetragrammaton, Philo must have read kyrios in his texts",^[84] and then he adds that: "there is only one way to negate the force of Philo's evidence on the equation of kyrios and the tetragram, and that is by making a distinction between what Philo saw in his Bible and what he understood and read, but that issue we will turn to at a later point". (On this, see the view of Royse, below.)

In 1957, Patrick W. Skehan proposed four chronological stages in the writing of the name of God in some books of the Greek Septuagint: 1. Ιαω; 2. יהוה‎ in the usual Aramaic script; 3. 𐤉𐤅𐤄𐤅 in Paleo-Hebrew script; and finally 4. κύριος.^[85] Writing of the then as yet unpublished manuscript 4QpapLXXLev^b, which contains the form Ιαω, he said: "This new evidence strongly suggests that the usage in question goes back for some books at least to the beginnings of the Septuagint rendering."^[86] By 1980, he had modified his view to the extent of explicitly excluding the prophetic books, much of which, he said, "comes to hand with its earliest attainable stage showing leanings toward Κύριος ὁ θεός as an equivalent for אדני יהוה, in accordance with the Palestinian qěrē. Also, as far back as it is possible to go, the Kyrios term is employed in these books for both יהוה and אדני, on the basis of the spoken Adonay that stood for either separately [...] This cannot have come about as exclusively the work of Christian scribes".^[87]

Emanuel Tov states that "the writing of the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew characters in Greek revisional texts is a relatively late phenomenon. On the basis of the available evidence, the analysis of the original representation of the Tetragrammaton in Greek Scriptures therefore focuses on the question of whether the first translators wrote either κύριος or Ιαω".^[88][89]

Robert J. Wilkinson cites George Kilpatrick as expressly contradicting Howard in a review of his theory by suggesting that "the early Christian LXX documents were essentially private, less expensive, less elaborate, non-calligraphic copies – with, possibly, kurios for the Tetragrammaton".^[90] Anthony R. Meyer, as indicated below, just as expressly says that "the Septuagint manuscripts of the first century CE, which Philo and NT authors rely on for their quotations, could well have contained κύριος, but this does necessarily require that κύριος goes back to the Old Greek translation."^[91]

John William Wevers "registers agreement with Albert Pietersma's argument that the use of the Hebrew YHWH in some Old Greek manuscripts (as well as other devices, e.g., ΙΑΩ, ΠΙΠΙ), represents 'a revision' that took place within the textual transmission of the Greek of the Hebrew scriptures".^[92] Lincoln H. Blumell also holds that the Tetragrammaton in Septuagint manuscripts was due to a tendency of Jewish copyists "to substitute the Hebrew tetragrammaton (YHWH) for κύριος".^[31] Larry Perkins also agrees with Pietersma: "This study accepts the hypothesis that the original translators used κύριος as the rendering of the Tetragram".^[93][94] And Raija Sollamo states that "Pietersma refuted the arguments put forward in 1977 by George Howard in his article 'Tetragram and the New Testament'."^[95] Eugene Ulrich says that Pietersma's argument goes against the "early, even pre-Christian, MS evidence" for ΙΑΩ, and adds that "it is difficult to imagine a scribe introducing the not-to-be-pronounced divine name where the more reverent κύριος was already in the text", and declares possible the view that the original Old Greek text had ΙΑΩ, replaced later by the Tetragrammaton in either normal or archaic Hebrew letters or by κύριος,^[96] the view expressed with regard to the Septuagint translation of the Pentateuch, but not of the writings of the prophets, by Skehan.^[97] Ulrich sees a parallel with this Ιαω-Κύριος substitution in the replacement of the Tetragrammaton in a Hebrew Qumran scroll by אדני (Adonai).

In contradiction to what Skehan says of the prophetic books of the Septuagint,^[87] Frank Crüsemann says that all extant unequivocally Jewish fragments of the Septuagint render God's name in Hebrew letters or else with special signs of different kinds, and it can accordingly even be assumed that the texts the New Testament authors knew looked like those fragments; he does not say that the writers themselves would have used either of these ways of representing the Hebrew Tetragram rather than as he says Christian manuscripts of the Septuagint represent it: with Κύριος.^[98]

Sean M. McDonough declares implausible the idea, on which Howard's hypothesis is based, that κύριος first appeared in the Septuagint only when the Christian era had begun. He says the idea is convincingly contradicted by the testimony both of Philo (c. 20 BCE – c. 50 CE) and of the New Testament itself. Howard's attribution to Christian copyists the consistent use of κύριος as a designation for God in Philo's writings is countered by Philo's frequent interpretation and even the etymology of the word κύριος. As for the New Testament, even its earliest manuscript fragments have no trace of the use of the Tetragrammaton that Howard hypothesizes and which in some passages of Paul would even be ungrammatical. While some Septuagint manuscripts have forms of the Tetragrammaton, and while some argue that κύριος was not in the original Septuagint, it is certain that, when the New Testament was written, some manuscripts did have κύριος.^[99]

David B. Capes admits that Philo's text, as now extant, has been transmitted by Christian scholars, and cites the argument that Howard based on this fact. However, he follows James R. Royse in concluding that Philo, while using manuscripts that had the Tetragrammaton, quotes them as they were pronounced in the synagogue. Capes declares accordingly: "Philo, not Christian copyists, is likely responsible for the presence of kyrios in his biblical quotations and exposition".^[100]

Robert J. Wilkinson remarks that evidence from manuscripts of the Septuagint is inconclusive about what was in what the New Testament writers read ("While no indisputably early Jewish Greek biblical manuscript currently known has contained kurios, no early indisputably Christian Greek biblical [New Testament] manuscript has been found with the Tetragrammaton written in paleo-Hebrew or Aramaic script or with 'pipi'"), there is no doubt about what they wrote ("We may be uncertain what the New Testament writers read in Scripture on any particular occasion (and how far they pronounced what they had read), but there is no question [...] of what they wrote).^[101]

Speaking of the Qumran manuscript, the Greek Minor Prophets Scroll from Nahal Hever, which is a kaige recension of the Septuagint, "a revision of the Old Greek text to bring it closer to the Hebrew text of the Bible as it existed in ca. 2nd-1st century BCE" (not a faithful copy of the original), Kristin De Troyer remarks: "The problem with a recension is that one does not know what is the original form and what the recension. Hence, is the paleo-Hebrew Tetragrammaton secondary – a part of the recension – or proof of the Old Greek text? This debate has not yet been solved." She then mentions the 4Q120 manuscript, which has ΙΑΩ as the name of God, and adds that in the Greek Minor Prophets Scroll God is at one point labeled παντοκράτωρ. She mentions also Greek manuscripts with the tetragrammaton in square Aramaic script, the paleo-Hebrew abbreviation 𐤉𐤉‬‬, κύριος, θεός, and concludes that "it suffices to say that in old Hebrew and Greek witnesses, God has many names [...] Finally, before Kurios became a standard rendering Adonai, the Name of God was rendered with Theos."^[102]

In view of the conflicting opinions of scholars, the question of how the Septuagint originally represented the Tetragrammaton (יהוה? ιαω? or κύριος?) is of doubtful relevance in relation to what was in the copies in use in the second half of the first century CE, when the New Testament texts were first composed. Frank Shaw, taking as his starting point the Septuagint manuscript 4Q120, which renders the name of the Israelite God not by κύριος or ΠΙΠΙ or 𐤉𐤅𐤄𐤅, but by the word Ιαώ, rejects the arguments put forward in support of the various proposals: "The matter of any (especially single) 'original' form of the divine name in the LXX is too complex, the evidence is too scattered and indefinite, and the various approaches offered for the issue are too simplistic" (p. 158). He rejects not only the arguments for an original κύριος put forward by Pietersma, Rösel and Perkins and the idea that the tetragrammaton was put in its place for the sake of making the Greek text conform more closely to the Hebrew.^{[103][104][105]} but all others, and holds that "there was no one 'original' form but different translators had different feelings, theological beliefs, motivations, and practices when it came to their handling of the name".^[106] There was, he says, "considerable choice among ancient Jews and early Christians regarding how to refer to God".^[107]

As Wilkinson comments, that question has even less relevance to what the New Testament writers wrote, rather than read.^[108]

Old Testament quotations in the New TestamentEdit

Quotations from the Hebrew Bible in the New Testament are generally taken from the Septuagint and in all extant New Testament manuscripts mostly use the Greek word κύριος ("Lord"), rarely the Greek word θεός ("God"), never the Tetragrammaton itself or a transcription such as ιαω. For example, Luke 4:17 uses κύριος when recounting how Jesus read Isaiah 61:1–2 from the Isaiah scroll at the synagogue in Nazareth.^[109]

In 1984, Albert Pietersma stated with regard to non-biblical sources: "When we put aside the biblical MSS and look for literary sources which may enlighten us on whether kyrios was a surrogate for the tetragram, we might possibly appeal to such books as Wisdom of Solomon, 2 Maccabees, 3 Maccabees, et al., all of which use kyrios as a divine epithet (or name?) extensively. But since there is no sure proof that kyrios in these works is a substitute for the tetragram, we had better not draw on them. Similarly, we might appeal to Aristeas 155 which contains a near quotation of Deut 7:18, and Aristobulus who seems to make reference to Exod 9:3; but since these authors were transmitted by Christians, kyrios could be secondary."^[84]

In what in May 2019 Larry W. Hurtado called "the most recent and most detailed study" on the biblical sources,^[71] Anthony R. Meyer states in relation to Greek biblical manuscripts: "While ιαω and the Hebrew Tetragrammaton are clearly attested in Greek biblical texts, absent from all Second Temple copies is the title κυριος as a replacement for the Hebrew Tetragrammaton. κυριος is the standard title for God in the major Christian codices of the fourth and fifth centuries CE Vaticanus, Sinaiticus, and Alexandrinus [...] this practice enters the extant record in the second century CE, and from that point on, Christian copies of Greek biblical texts invariably use the term κύριος where the underlying Hebrew text reads the Tetragrammaton."^[110] A. R. Meyer's study centers on Greek biblical manuscripts and Jewish-Greek literature from "Hellenistic and early Roman periods, including Jewish-Hellenistic poets, historians, apologists, Philo, New Testament writings, and many works known today as Pseudepigrapha," and additionally in his work it reads that "the Greek copies of these works date on paleographic grounds much later than the Second Temple period. As such, they do not offer a direct window into Jewish divine name practices from earlier times."^[111] A. R. Meyer claim: "overall, the extant Second Temple Greek biblical manuscripts show the avoidance of the divine name in speech, but not in writing, the latter continued well into the first century CE, until Christian scribes largely took over the transmission of Jewish Greek biblical texts and worked to standardize terms for God with κύριος in the nomina sacra, a convention which seems to have been in force since earliest Christian transmission. Yet, it is improbable that κύριος entered Greek biblical manuscripts only in the first century CE. Apart from the widely held view that κύριος was used in reading Greek biblical texts that show evidence for avoiding the Tetragrammaton, Jewish religious uses of κύριος, as indicated by epigraphic and literary sources that are implausible to explain as the result of later Christian scribal habits—Greek additions to Esther, 2–3 Macc, Ach 70 and 71, 4Q126 (?), P. Fouad 203, and others—show that Jews began using κύριος in writing around the second century BCE."^[112] Accordingly, he writes that "the Septuagint manuscripts of the first century CE, which Philo and NT authors rely on for their quotations, could well have contained κύριος, but this does necessarily require that κύριος goes back to the Old Greek translation.";^[113] and states: "In summary of the use and non-use of κύριος, the available epigraphic and literary evidence suggests that Jews began using κύριος in writing approximately during the second and first centuries BCE, but such uses are not uniform or standard. At both ends there are writers for whom κύριος was not significant: the Jewish-Hellenistic authors of the early second century BCE and Josephus and 4 Macc of the late first century CE. But among these, other writers use κύριος, including the Greek additions earlier works (Esther, A–F), original Jewish-Greek compositions (2 Macc), and also epigraphic sources (Ach 70 and Ach 71). Further evidence may be adduced from 4Q126, if the reading is accurate, and the apotropaic prayer of P. Fouad 203."^[114]

New Testament treatment of Old Testament quotationsEdit

In 1871, Robert Baker Girdlestone, who later became principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, wrote:

If [the Septuagint] had retained the word [Jehovah], or had even used one Greek word for Jehovah and another for Adonai, such usage would doubtless have been retained in the discourses and arguments of the N.T. Thus our Lord in quoting the 110th Psalm, [...] might have said "Jehovah said unto Adoni."

Supposing a Christian scholar were engaged in translating the Greek Testament into Hebrew, he would have to consider, each time the word Κύριος occurred, whether there was anything in the context to indicate its true Hebrew representative; and this is the difficulty which would arise in translating the N. T. into all languages if the title Jehovah had been allowed to stand in the O. T. The Hebrew Scriptures would be a guide in many passages: thus, wherever the expression 'the angel of the Lord' occurs, we know that the word Lord represents Jehovah; a similar conclusion as to the expression 'the word of the Lord' would be arrived at, if the precedent set by the O. T. were followed: so also in the case of the title 'the Lord of Hosts.' Wherever, on the contrary, the expression 'My Lord' or 'Our Lord' occurs, we should know that the word Jehovah would be inadmissible, and Adonai or Adoni would have to be used. But many passages would remain for which no rules could be framed.

It is to be noticed, in connection with this subject, that there are several passages in the O.T. referring to Jehovah which are adopted in the N.T. as fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, in Joel 2.32, we read, 'Whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be saved'; but these words are applied to Jesus Christ in Rom. 10.13. St John (chap. 12.41), after quoting a certain passage from Isaiah, which there refers to Jehovah, affirms that it was a vision of the Glory of Christ (see Isa. 6.9,10). In Isa. 4.3, the preparation of the way of Jehovah is spoken of, but John the Baptist adopts it as referring to the preparation of the way of the Messiah. In Mal. 3.1, there seems to be a very important identification of Jehovah with the Messiah, for we read, 'Jehovah, whom ye (profess to) seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the angel of the covenant whom ye (profess to) delight in.' In Rom. 9.33, and in 1 Pet. 2.6−8, Christ is described as 'a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence', titles which appear to be given to Jehovah in Isa. 8.13,14. Again in Isa. 45.23−25, Jehovah says, 'Unto me every knee shall bow ... in Jehovah shall all the seed of Israel be justified'. But in Phil. 2.3, we read that God 'hath highly exalted Christ Jesus, and hath given him the name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD (surely Jehovah), to the glory of God the Father'.^[115]

Five of the oldest fragmentary manuscripts of the Septuagint discovered since Girdlestone's time have in place of the Κύριος of later manuscripts either the name ΙΑΩ or the tetragrammaton itself in Hebrew/Aramaic or Paleo-Hebrew script, but do not affect his statement about how the New Testament writers understood the Septuagint texts that they were familiar with and that they quoted.

Girdlestone's indication of how the New Testament writers did interpret certain Septuagint references to what in the Hebrew text appears as יהוה is repeated in the 21st century in, for instance, the introduction to Beale and Carson's Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament:

[I]t is very common for NT writers to apply an OT passage that refers to YHWH (commonly rendered "LORD" in English Bibles) to Jesus. This arises from the theological conviction that it is entirely appropriate to do so since, granted Jesus' identity, what is predicated of God can be predicated no less of him. In other passages, however, God sends the Messiah or the Davidic king, and Jesus himself is that Davidic king, thus establishing a distinction between God and Jesus. The subtleties of these diverse usages of OT texts meld with the complexities of NT Christology to constitute the essential building blocks of what would in time come to be called the doctrine of the Trinity.^[116]

An example often remarked on of a New Testament writer's application to Jesus of an Old Testament passage concerning the God of Israel is the use in Hebrews 1:10 of Psalm 102:25.^{[117][118][119][120]} And in placing the double vocative κύριε κύριε (corresponding to אדני יהוה)^[121] as a self-designation in the mouth of Jesus, Matthew and Luke have been seen as representing even Jesus as applying the name of the God of Israel to himself.^[122][123] This double vocative appears 18 times in the Septuagint, four times in the New Testament, once in Philo and six times in the Pseudepigrapha.^[124]

Shaw's Ιαω modificationEdit

In his 2014 book The Earliest Non-Mystical Jewish Use of Ιαω,^{[105][125][126]} Frank Shaw put forward, as he himself wrote, "a modification of George Howard's thesis that tetragrams were present in certain New Testament autographs", viz. "the notion that some books of the New Testament may have had original instances of Ιαω in them and such variants [as those between deum and dominum in James 3:9] are the remnants of proto-orthodox copyists replacing Ιαω with standard substitutes found within Judaism".^[127]

Tentative agreement with the possibility ("may have had") that Shaw envisages is expressed by Pavlos D. Vasileiadis: "There is compelling evidence, both explicit and implicit, that some of the Greek Bible copies—like the ones read by Christians such as Irenaeus of Lyons, Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea, Tertullian, Jerome, and Ps-John Chrysostom—were employing the use of Ιαω for the Tetragram. If this conclusion is valid, this would imply that for a few centuries Ιαω was prevailingly present within the Bible copies read by the dispersed Christian communities, side-by-side with Hebrew Tetragrammata and the increasingly dominant scribal device of nomina sacra. As a result, a possible consequence is that Ιαω (or, less possibly, a similar Greek term) might well have appeared in the original NT copies".^[128]

Further observations on the Howard hypothesisEdit

Learn more This section may be confusing or unclear to readers. (July 2019)

According to Didier Fontaine, no specialist has provided a satisfactory (written) solution to the variants reported by Howard. As a background here one might seemingly advance the idea that the Christological controversies are behind these variants – which seems satisfactory at first, but Shaw points out some latent problems. In an astounding way, great specialists in textual criticism like Metzger and Ehrman do not directly address the thesis of Howard on the variants, which is readily described as "highly speculative." (Osburn). Those who have endorsed Howard's thesis often quote Romans 10.13 as an emblematic case; but Howard has never quoted this verse in his study: one cannot suspect his thesis on this ground. Shaw cites certain scholars who understand this passage, and the quotation of Joel, as referring to the Father.^[129]

Albert Pietersma studied the Pentateuch, proposed an original Kurios in the LXX,^[130] and states:

If correct, Howard's theory could produce interesting results for students of early Christianity, but as will be argued below, the foundation on which it has been built, namely, the ancient LXX, will not sustain it, though it might possibly still be debated whether perhaps the Palestinian copies with which the NT authors were familiar read some form of the tetragram.^[130]

D. Fontaine claim that "Indeed, it is particularly important to discredit the original presence of the tetragrammaton in the Septuagint (whatever its form may have been) because it is the starting point of G. Howard's thesis. It is therefore not surprising that from the beginning of the study, Pietersma is attacking Howard."^[131] D. Fontaine citing The Earliest Non-Mystical Jewish Use of Ιαω wrote about A. Pietersma that "[Frank] Shaw reports: "his arguments are quite often sprinkled with provisos such as 'presumably' (94, 96), 'evidently' (96), 'in our view', 'at times' and 'it would seem' (98). To the critical reader all this hardly inspires any real notion of 'proof'" (141).^[132] D. Fontaine also wrote that "Shaw begins to address the most crucial topics. He thus attacks the thesis of Pietersma (134-149) and shows that it is not sustainable".^[132] D. Fontaine also states:

[Frank] Shaw investigates the problem of dictation among NT writers, Paul, for example: did he dictate from the text of the LXX while using a substitute when he read the Name? Would one have sought out the manuscript in order to quote it exactly? (177) Shaw provides no answer: however, is clear from 1QIsaa (-II) this type of pro-cedure is not unknown – and above all it does not prevent the tetragram from appearing! For example, in Is. 3.17 אדני is put for יהוה, and in the same verse, יהוה is put for אדני . This proves that an amanuensis could very well have heard the qeré "Lord" and decided that, according to the context, whether he had to write אדני or יהוה . In the case of a Christian amanuensis, nothing forbids thinking of an identical process: while hearing the qeré κύριος, "Lord", the scribe could have decided according to the context to write the tetragram or not. Incidentally, this could account for the variants which Howard highlights… Furthermore, the hypothesis of a Hebrazing recension would not be an obstacle for this scenario: the Christian authors were quite able to turn to these types of "more exact" manuscripts, and we know that they existed at their time (cf. 179).^[65]

Emanuel Tov affirmed: "in some book of the New Testament and in early Christian literature, Hebraizing revisions of the OG often were quoted rather than the OG version itself, reflecting the beginning of the decline of the LXX (the OG) in Judaism.^[133] According to Tuukka Kauhanen, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Faculty of Theology at University of Helsinki, the authors of the New Testament could to know a kaige type Septuagint text.^[134] Some scholars have exposed different views to explain why in citation of Zechariah 12:10 in John 19:37 "with known forms of the text reveals that it demonstrates many similarities with the Hebrew Masoretic text",^[135] which includes Martin Hengel (Emeritus Professor of New Testament and Ancient Judaism, University of Tübingen), who "speak of possibly identifying John's citation with... 8HevXII gr.^{[135]: 4–5} Tov also wrote that D. A, Koch has shown that in his letters, Paul sometimes "refers to recensions of the Old Greek towards a proto-Masoretic text."^[136]

Paul E. Kahle, whose theory of a multiple origin of the Septuagint is rejected by Frank Moore Cross and H. H. Rowley^[137] and by Anneli Aejmelaeus,^[138] said: "We now know that the Greek Bible text did not as far as it was written did not translate the Divine Name by ky'rios, but the Tetragrammaton written with Hebrew or Greek letters was retained in such MSS", but later Christians replaced the tetragrammaton by Kyrios.^[139] D. Fontaine said that in scholarship it is not widely accepted the Paul E. Kahle's affirmation, unlike F. Shaw,^[140] and in the world scholarship there are "remnants of Baudissin at work."^[140] D. Fontaine also wrote that "Pietersma's thesis is still quite popular. But it could be an illusion. What is sure is that Shaw's thesis will contribute to change things" and "naturally, via Pietersma's views. Such a prolific scholar as L. Hurtado seems to agree with Pietersma and Rösel's views, by willingly quoting them with approval."^[140]

D. Fontaine claim that "to the question of the kyrios/theos variants reported by G. Howard (which would be perfectly explained in the context of the initial presence of the tetragrammaton in the NT), L. Hurtado answers: "Well, maybe so. But his theory doesn't take adequate account of all the data, including the data that "kyrios" was used as a/the vocal substitute for YHWH among Greek-speaking Jews. There's no indication that the Hebrew YHWH ever appeared in any NT text."^{[141][verification needed]} Then D. Fontaine objects that: "Even if kyrios was used orally by the Hellenic-speaking Jews (which is very far from being acquired, see Shaw 2002), the written practice might be different" and he adds that "what is annoying is that Pietersma supports a thesis that not only has no textual proof, but is mostly overturned by textual evidence."^[141] P. D. Vasileiadis gives an answer that L. Hurtado calls his "(final?) reiteration": "it is hard to believe that more than 4 centuries of manuscripts extant today would have not included even a trace of the "Kyrios" use in the Greek Bible/LXX copies [...] That is, if the rabbinical practice of using (or better, writing) "Kyrios" (as rendering of the Tetragrammaton) into the Bible text of the Greek-speaking Judaism was the pre-Christian mainstream practice we should have at least a sample of it. But this is not the case up to today. So, despite the hardly attempt to convince the audience for the rightness of Pietersma's proposal and overturn the "scholarly consensus" and "the prevailing assumption" "that the original translators of the LXX never rendered the divine name with Kyrios, but kept the tetragrammaton in Hebrew or Palaeo-Hebrew characters, or that they used the transcription IAO" (Rösel 2007:416), I think that Pietersma's proposal is not convincing. The hard (manuscript) evidence does not support this well-built theory. Moreover, it seems that more and more researchers admit that the "Jewish practice of never pronouncing the name as it is written" was not as widespread as it has been believed to be until recently. It is probable that despite the fact that the Temple/priestly intelligentsia might refrain or even forbade pronouncing the Tetragrammaton, at least the knowledge of the correct pronunciation of God's name (as was heard at least by the high priest until 70 CE) and respectively its utterance was common practice until at least the 1st century CE. The widespread use of the form IAO is supporting this view.^[26]

In an article that according to D. Fontaine, P. D. Vasileiadis "carefully examines the different perspectives",^{[142][verification needed]} P. D. Vasileiadis affirm that "a most obvious reason for the wide repetition of Pietersma's position is exactly because it provides a facile solution that supports the centuries-long held traditional thesis that κύριος originality rendered the Tetragrammaton within the original Greek NT. However, as G. Howard argued, this scenario does not satisfactorily explain the subsequent Christological implications of the NT textual variants and the long and bloodstained theological disputes provoked. [...] Pietersma tried to revive the core of Baudissin's thesis, that is, that "the LXX had rendered the divine name as kurios right from the beginning" but "today, however, Baudissin's view is generally discarded." [...] Regarding the sequence in which Ιαω appeared, M. Rösel concluded: "I would speculate that the strange reading of ΙΑΩ is a secondary replacement that comes from a community (in Egypt?) that still pronounced the name of God in this way." [...] But the question remains: If there were a 'community in Egypt that still pronounced the name of God' during the first century BCE and the first century CE, why might there not have been such a community two centuries earlier when the LXX Torah was written down?.^[128]

Along with Howard, Rolf Furuli suggested that the tetragrammaton may have been removed from the Greek manuscripts.^{[143][144][145]} Regarding nomina sacra, R. Furuli wrote "we cannot deny that these abbreviations show that a tampering with the NT text has occurred because the abbreviations cannot be original…. We have a corrupt text!^[146] Mark A. House avouch: "there is little basis for this argument" but then states: "It is true that we do not possess the autographs (originals) of any New Testament document, and that the copies we do possess show some evidence of error on the part of the copyists. However, we simply do not know whether or not the original writers may have abbreviated the word kurios as the copyists have done. Whether they did so or not, it seems clear that there would have been no question among early readers that KS consistently represented the word kurios, and thus the abbreviation can hardly be said to represent a textual corruption that leaves the reader's mind in doubt as to the original wording.^[147]

David Trobisch proposes that YHWH survived in the manuscripts until c. 150, when the biblical canon was compiled.^{[24][23][148]} Jason T. Larson asseverate that D. Trobisch "notes that there are a more or less uniform number of words that usually appear in the manuscripts as nomina sacra in contracted form. All of the textual witnesses display the same system of notation, and Trobisch suggests that these forms were present from the beginning of the editorial process. However, while the notation is consistent, there is a problem with the application of the system: there are a number of instances where a nomen sacrum is contracted at one place in a manuscript, whereas in other locations it is not (12). Finally, while there is a uniform list of terms that can be designated as nomina sacra, it is highly significant that only θεος, κυριος, Ἰησοῦς, and Χριστός are consistently and regularly noted as nomina sacra in virtually all extant New Testament manuscripts. The upshot is that since the notation of nomina sacra does not appear to have originated with authors of the autograph texts, their presence reflects "a conscious editorial decision made by a specific publisher"."^[149]

Lloyd Gaston suggest that Howard's thesis is "a very important discovery that has been strangely neglected in New Testament studies".^[150] P. D. Vasileiadis inform that L. Gaston affirm that "G. Howard points out that in none of the now considerable LXX texts from the first century is kyrios used for the tetragrammaton, which is written in Hebrew letters. He concludes that the use of kyrios was begun by Christian scribes in the second century, who applied it also to New Testament texts. This means that Old Testament citations in New Testament manuscripts originally contained the tetragrammaton. It will be seen that this makes a considerable difference in the interpretation of many texts",^[148] and that "F. Shaw proposed that the Greek form Ιαω 'would more likely have been the familiar form understood by the earliest Christians and by those to whom they preached' as far as it was "a word in Greekscript that existed in the Greek-speaking world of the early Christians", 'a form familiar to gentiles.'"^[148]

The Jewish custom of writing the tetragrammaton in Hebrew characters within the Greek text continued in the first centuries CE.^[151] In the book Archaeology and the New Testament, John McRay wrote that: "another fact worth noting is that as late as the third century some scribes who copied the Greek manuscripts did not use the Greek word κυριος for the Tetragram, but transcribed the Aramaic characteres יהוה (Yahweh) into Greek as ΠΙΠΙ (PIPI)" and referring to the New Testament autographs, he wrote: "this whole issue becomes even more intriguin when we consider the possibility that the New Testament autographs, written almost entirely by Jewish Christians (the possible exception being Luke-Acts), may have preserved the Jewish custom and retained the divine name in Aramaic scripts in quotations from the Old Testament. Thus they may have followed the lead of some Jewish author who used one scripts for the divine name when they quoted scripture and another when they themselves referred to God. Similarly, it was customary at Qumran to use the Tetragram freely when one was either copying or intruducing Scripture quotations into a commentary, but to use El ("God") in original material written for a commentary."^[152][153]

The autograph New Testament manuscripts were lost, and it is widely accepted that were from Jewish origin,^[154][155] (i.e. Richard Bauckham,^[156] Professor at the University of St. Andrews and Mark Allan Powell,^[157] Professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary). The oldest known 𝔓⁵² is a Christian manuscript,^[158][159] and it is assumed that nomina sacra were absent.^{[160][161][162]} Robert Shedinger (Professor of Religion at Luther College) quoting Howard and internal evidence of the Diatessaron, gives θεος as an intermediate change before κυριος in the New Testament Greek copies,^{[163][62][164]} like Kristin De Troyer (Professor of Old Testament at the University of Salzburg) proposed it in the Old Testament.^[165][166]

Before G. Howard's thesis Gerard Mussies (retired Senior Lecturer in the Hellenistic Background of the New Testament at University of Utrecht) postulated an original tetragram in form of tetrapuncta in Rev. 1:4, due, among other reasons, this verse contains the words ὁ ὤν.^{[167][168][169]} D. Fontaine aver that F. Shaw "points to other instances in Revelation that could support the G. Mussies position (Rev 1.8, 4.8, 2.13)."^[63]

The manuscripts of the Septuagint and other Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible that are pre-Christian or contemporary to the Apostolic Age present the tetragrammaton in Hebrew within the Greek text^[151][170] or use the Greek transliteration ΙΑΩ (4Q120), which, according to Wilkinson, may have been the original practice before a Hebraicizing tendency set in.^[171][170] Even post-New Testamentary Septuagint manuscript LXX^{P.Oxy.VII.1007} that contains a double yodh to represent the name of God,^[170][172] and P.Oxy.LXXVII 5101 dated from 50 CE to 150 CE that has tetragrammaton, both from a post-historical Jesus period, like other Greek translations made in the 2nd century by Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotion, and other anonymous translations contained in the Hexapla (Quinta, Sextus and Septima).

Pavlos D. Vasileiadis, does not agree with the point of view of an original κύριος instead of tetragrammaton in the Alexandrian Bible, and related to the New Testament in the work Aspects to Rendering the Sacred Tetragrammaton in Greek he assured: "Did Jesus, his early movement, and consequently the NT authors follow this practice? During the last decades this question comes again increasingly frequently in the research foreground. The answer is not as obvious as it may seem."^[163] Then P. D. Vasileiadis cites some of his previous works to support his establishment,^{[173][174][170]} and then cites to other previous arguments by another scholars:

Concerning the oral use of the divine name by early Christians, McDonough notes that "Jewish Christians could possibly have used the name YHWH when (and if) they spoke Hebrew" (YHWH at Patmos, 98). Regarding the early text of the Christian Scriptures, Howard supported the thesis that the original texts of the New Testament preserved the Tetragrammaton (either in Hebrew scripts or in a Greek transliteration) in citations and allusions of the OT (Howard, "The Tetragram"; idem, "The Name of God"; idem, "Tetragrammaton"). Shedinger proposed that the Syriac Diatessaron, composed some time after the middle of the second century C.E., may provide additional confirmation of Howard's hypothesis (Tatian and the Jewish Scriptures, 136–140). Additionally, within the Syriac Peshitta is discernible the distinction between κύριος rendered as ܐܳܪܝܳܡ (marya, which means "lord" and refers to the God as signified by the Tetragrammaton; see Lu 1:32) and ܢܰܪܳܡ (maran, a more generic term for "lord"; see Joh 21:7).^[163]

Pavlos D. Vasileiadis continues and cites to Muraoka, A Greek-Hebrew Aramaic Two-way Index to the Septuagint (72), and believes that kurios cannot be a synonym for YHWH: "Bearing in mind that κύριος in the late LXX copies is used to render more than twenty corresponding Hebrew terms or term combinations of the HB, in a similar manner the term κύριος does comprise richer information in the Greek NT."^[163] P. D. Vasileiadis and Nehemia Gordon in 2019 establish:

On the conceptual level, while some maintain that Jesus and his disciples observed the proscription against speaking the Tetragrammaton, others have concluded that "it is possible that in oral speech Jesus and the disciples vocalized the divine name." Some have gone as far as to suggest that 'Jesus did not know the Jewish fear of pronouncing God's name.

On the textual level, the Tetragrammaton has not been found in any surviving Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. Does this mean that the Christian authors opted to use terms like θεος and κυριος to translate the Tetragrammaton? For the time being we cannot give a definitive answer. As discussed above, it seems improbable that the Tetragrammaton-to-κυριος convention—as a kind of Septuagintalism—existed when the New Testament texts were authored. The earliest surviving copies of the New Testament use the nomina sacra, a scribal convention for rendering terms like God and Lord, that expanded rapidly and widely along with the rapid increase of Christian Bible copying. But it becomes obvious from the parallel development of the Old Greek/Septuagint tradition that this practice first appears only in the second century CE and without following a strictly uniform pattern.

Although the support for the use of the Tetragrammaton in Greek New Testament manuscripts is lacking, it is often possible to identify where κυριος reflects the Tetragrammaton in contrast to where it reflects Hebrew terms such as adoni used of mortal men and angels. Several scholars have attempted this undertaking..., with the result being an average of 64.4 instances of the Tetragrammaton in the Gospels.^[175]

R. Kendal Soulen in a review of Robert J. Wilkinson suggests that:

Contrary to what was commonly supposed as recently as a generation ago, the Tetragrammaton remains comparably important in the New Testament—if anything, it becomes more important still. It occupies a central place in the piety of Jesus... the fact that whereas the Tetragrammaton routinely appears in Jewish biblical texts, in both Hebrew and Greek, it virtually never appears in biblical texts of Christian origin, being represented instead by... the distinctively Christian abbreviation ΚΣ. The implications of "eclipse" notwithstanding, however, the author makes the important point that this shift in scribal convention does not signal a lack of Christian interest in the Tetragrammaton. Though the divine name may be physically absent in New Testament texts, yet "its presence can be detected indirectly", inasmuch as the New Testament writers often allude to it obliquely in formulating their convictions about God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.^[176]

Extant New Testament manuscripts are from the late Ante-Nicene Period rather than the Apostolic Age.^[177] R. J. Wilkinson wrote that there are authors "wish to promote or prohibit a devotional or liturgical use of the Tetragrammaton or hold strong views about its pronunciation and meaning" and in a footnote he cite to D. Fontaine and P. D. Vasileiadis.^[178] R. J. Wilkinson declare that D. Fontaine follows the belief that he "regards the eclipse of the name as a part of a Satanic strategy and [the belief]... that Tetragrammaton appear in early New Testament texts",^[178] and "consider that Christian apostasy from the practice and teaching of the original disciples led to hostilly to the Tetragrammaton and its removal to the New Testament."^{[66][179][180]} P. D. Vasileiadis avouch that: "Following a similar procedure with the Greek copies of the Hebrew Scriptures, it is probable that the insertion of kyrios into the Greek text of the Christian Scriptures in places where the Tetragrammaton originally might have stood was a matter of time".^[181]

Scholar George Howard has suggested that the tetragrammaton appeared in the original New Testament autographs,^{[39][verification needed]} and that "the removal of the Tetragrammaton from the New Testament and its replacement with the surrogates κυριος and θεος blurred the original distinction between the Lord God and the Lord Christ."^[182] In the Anchor Bible Dictionary, edited by David Noel Freedman, Howard states: "There is some evidence that the Tetragrammaton, the Divine Name, Yahweh, appeared in some or all of the OT quotations in the NT when the NT documents were first penned."^[183]: 392

Wolfgang Feneberg (Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies) comments in the Jesuit magazine Entschluss/Offen (April 1985): "He [Jesus] did not withhold his father's name YHWH from us, but he entrusted us with it. It is otherwise inexplicable why the first petition of the Lord's Prayer should read: 'May your name be sanctified!'". He also says that, "in pre-Christian manuscripts for Greek-speaking Jews, God's name was not paraphrased with kýrios [Lord], but was written in the tetragram form in Hebrew or archaic Hebrew characters. ... We find recollections of the name in the writings of the Church Fathers; but they are not interested in it. By translating this name kýrios (Lord), the Church Fathers were more interested in attributing the grandeur of the kýrios to Jesus Christ."

Mogen Müller says that no Jewish manuscript of the Septuagint has been found with κύριος representing the tetragrammaton, and it has been argued that the use of Κύριος shows that later copies of the Septuagint were of Christian character; but other Jewish writings of the time show that Greek-speaking Jews did in fact use κύριος for Yahweh and it was because the Septuagint, before the later Hebraizing Tetragram was inserted, spoke of Yahweh as κύριος that what it said of Yahweh κύριος could be transferred to κύριος Jesus.^[184]

The consistent use of Κύριος to represent the tetragrammaton has been called "a distinguishing mark for any Christian LXX manuscript",^[185] Alan Mugridge (Senior Lecturer of New Testament at Sydney Missionary and Bible College) states regarding Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1007 and Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 656:

"It has been suggested that two OT papyri, listed here as Christian, are actually Jewish. In 3 [ie, P. Oxy. VII 1007] (2nd half III AD) two yodhs (...) appear for the Divine Name. A second hand wrote the Divine Name as κυριος with a different 'pen' from the rest of the text in 9 [ie, P. Oxy. IV 656] (II/III AD), perhaps a second writer assigned to insert the Divine Name. This is not sufficient reason, however, to conclude that these two papyri are Jewish, since Jewish strands within early Christianity existed throughout the period under review, as we noted earlier. Hence, this practice may just reflect current practice in Jewish-Christian groups, which did not fade away as early or as completely as is often thought. (...) If 3 [ie, P. Oxy. VII 1007] is a Christian papyrus – and the use of the nomen sacrum θς would seem to support this – it is the only example of an attempt to write something resembling Hebrew characters in a Christian manuscript."^[186]

A. Mugridge also offers a point of view in which some assume that "the Early Christians had their text reproduced 'in house,' making little or no use of 'secular' 'professional' scribes" - that is, they had their works copied using whatever pool of writing ability lay within their own ranks, mostly of a non-professional nature" and then cites Bruce M. Metzger who wrote in relation to the NT: "In the earlier ages of the Church, Biblical manuscripts were reproduced by individual christians".^[186]: 1 A. Murgridge also cites to Kurt and Barbara Aland who "maintained that the copying of manuscripts of Christian works must have been done 'privately by individuals in the early period" and adds that there is also the possibility that professional writers have converted to Christians and produced in-house early Christian codices.^[186]: 1

According to Edmon Gallagher, some Christian scribes "would have produced a paleo-Hebrew Tetragrammaton", concluding that "if the scribe copied poorly the paleo-Hebrew script... as πιπι, which can be a corruption only of the Tetragrammaton in square script."^[187]

Jerome wrote that by 384CE, some ignorant readers of the LXX assumed the tetragrammaton to be a Greek word, πιπι (pipi), suggesting its pronunciation had been forgotten, but affirming its existence at the end of the 4th century.^[188] Professor Robert J. Wilkinson suggests that Jews in mixed communities would not tolerate articulations of the tetragrammaton, and that gentiles would have trouble pronouncing it if it were not ΙΑΩ or Κύριος.^[189] Some Jews may have continued to pronounce YHWH in one form or another, (e.g., ιαω in Greek) until the late of Second Temple Period.^[190][105] According to Pavlos Vasileiadis, "The indications denote that it was 'still being pronounced by some Hellenistic Jews' and also by non-Jews as late as the third century C.E.^[163]

Sidney Jellicoe wrote that "the evidence most recently to hand is tending to confirm the testimony of Origen and Jerome, and that Kahle is right in holding that LXX texts, written by Jews for Jews, retained the divine name in Hebrew Letters (paleo-Hebrew or Aramaic) or in the Greek-letters imitative form ΠΙΠΙ, and that its replacement by Κύριος was a Christian innovation".^[191] Jellicoe cites various scholars (B. J. Roberts, Baudissin, Kahle and C. H. Roberts) and various segments of the Septuagint concluding that the absence of Adonai from the text^[clarify] suggests that the insertion of the term Κύριος was a later practice;^[191] that the Septuagint Κύριος is used to substitute YHWH; and that the tetragrammaton appeared in the original text, but Christian copyists removed it.^[192]

DiatessaronEdit

Ulrich B. Schmid states that "Tatian composed his armony of the canonical Gospels in Greek probably in the 60s or 70s of the second century" and use the "Gospels in the form that they had at that time".^[193] Ulrich B. Schmid claim: "in raw of chronological terms, the Diatessaron antedates virtually all the MSS of NT. Consequently the Diatessaron is of fundamental importance for the study of the text of the Gospels and for the study of the evolution of the Gospel tradition."^[41] R. F. Shedinger suggest that "Tatian preserves authentic early Gospel readings which have all disappeared from Greek manuscripts tradition, but survive in a few versional and patristic writings."^[194] Tatian's Diatessaron shows some variance in applying Κύριος to YHWH, but this may be because of dependence on the Peshitta.^[164] R. F. Shedinger assert it must be asked if "it is possible that in the middle of the second century, Tatian had Gospels texts which consistently read "God" in Old Testament citations where the Hebrew text being cited had the Tetragrammaton, and the LXX read Κύριος?^[195] Due to variants in the titles "Lord" and "God" even in the Greek manuscripts, Professor Robert Shedinger wrote that in the Greek New Testament copies after originals it could have been changed יהוה by θεος, and later by Κύριος,^[62] and Diatessaron may provide additional confirmation of Howard's hypothesis:

It is at least possible that the regular use of "God" in the Diatessaron is further confirmation of Howard's thesis. However, it must be stressed that Howard's thesis is somewhat speculative, and the textual evidence he cites from the New Testament in support of it is far from overwhelming. But if Howard is wrong, and Κύριος was the original reading of the New Testament, some other plausible explanation must be found for the use of "God" in both the Diatessaron and the other textual and patristic witnesses cited above that for the most part have no connection to the Diatessaron tradition. If nothing else, this phenomenon of the regular use of "God" in place of "Lord" in the Diatessaron is further evidence of Tatian's independence of the OTP.^[42]

Kyrios appears over 700 times in the New Testament, and in a few instances some Greek manuscripts also use the term in place of Theos. The consistency in rendering YHWH as Κύριος in all New Testament references would be difficult to explain if there were not already either an established tradition to read Κύριος where YHWH appears in a Greek manuscript, or an established body of texts with Κύριος already in the Greek.^[196] Κύριος is not an exact synonym of the Hebrew Tetragrammaton.^[196]: 39

Howard's other hypothesisEdit

Shem Tob's Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, found in a 14th-century Jewish polemical work, employs ה״‎ (apparently an abbreviation for הַשֵּׁם‎, Ha-Shem, meaning "The Name").^[197][198] Referring to the term Ha-Shem (not YHWH) as "the Divine Name", Howard says of this gospel:

The Divine Name occurs in the following situations: (1) In quotations from the Hebrew Bible where the MT contains the Tetragrammaton. (2) In introductions to quotations. For example: 1:22. "All this was to complete what was written by the prophet according to the LORD"; 22:31, "Have you not read concerning the resurrection of the dead that the LORD spoke to you saying." (3) In such phrases as "angel of the LORD" or "house of the LORD": 2:13, "As they were going, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto Joseph saying"; 2:19, "It came to pass when King Herod died the angel of the LORD in a dream to Joseph in Egypt"; 21:12, "Then Jesus entered the house of the LORD"; 28:2, "Then the earth was shaken because the angel of the LORD descended from heaven to the tomb, overturned the stone, and stood still."^{[197][182][199]}

Didier Fontaine interprets Howard as saying that the term Ha-Shem appeared in the original New Testament and considers interesting that, while Howard's claim that this gospel is really a relatively primitive form of the Gospel of Matthew met with widespread and sometimes "virulent" criticism, there was "complete silence" regarding this idea.^[200]

Possible rabbinical referencesEdit

In rabbinic literature reference is sometimes, but rarely,^[201] made to גיליונים (gilyonim). The word is a disputed term^[202] and has been interpreted in various ways: most commonly^[203] as a reference to Christian gospels.^[201]

The uncertainty of the meaning of the term is remarked on by James Carleton Paget: "The association of the term gilyonim with the Gospels has not gone undisputed and the term has also been understood as apocalypses or the margins of biblical scrolls. Identification with the canonical Gospels arises precisely from its linguistic proximity to the term used in b. Šabb 116a-b, where it seems certain that the reference is to something like a Christian Gospel."^[204]

In view of the setting of a mention of the term in the Tosefta, Günter Stemberger also considers uncertain the meaning as "gospels": "It has been suggested already long ago that gilyonim is a slightly distorted form of evangelyonim and refers to the gospels. The problem with such an interpretation is that the earliest Christian reference to gospels in the plural are later than the attributions in the context of the Tosefta seem to suggest (first half of the second century). In spite of this difficulty, Steven Katz with many other recent authors identifies the gilyonim as gospels."^[202]

In reference to a passage that says gilyonim and books of the minim are not to be saved from fire on the sabbath, Daniel Boyarin writes: "The gilyonim have been interpreted in the past as 'Evangilyon' [εὐαγγέλιον] not least by the Talmudic Rabbis themselves, who variously distorted it into Awen Gilyon and Awon Gilyon, namely, 'gilyon of wretchedness' and 'gilyon of sin', which would suggest that Jewish Christians are the actual object of this passage, and thus has the passage been taken in the scholarly literature, Shlomo Pines [...] has shown, however, that the word is used in Syriac too in the sense of apocalypses. This would be an even more attractive interpretation, and the reference would be to books like Enoch."^[203]

On the other side, Yair Furstenberg declares: "The rare term gilyonim stands for a particular group of heretical books, the Gospels (euangelion), and not fragments of parchments as some scholars have interpreted."^[201]

The following are translations of the passage of the Tosefta (Shabbat 13:5) that mentions the gilyonim:

• The "Gilyon[im]" and the [Biblical] books of the Judæo-Christians ["Minim"] are not saved [on the Sabbath] from fire; but one lets them burn together with the names of God written upon them."^[205]
• The Gilyon[im] (i.e., gospel books) and the books of the minim (i.e., Jewish heretics) are not saved [on the Sabbath] from fire; but one lets them burn together with the names of God [Tetragrammaton ] written upon them.^[206]
• The Gospels (gilyonim) and books of the heretics (sifrei minim) are not saved but are left where they are to burn, they and their sacred names.^[204]
• The books of the Evangelists and the books of the minim they do not save from a fire [on the Sabbath]. They are allowed to burn up where they are, they and [even] the references to the Divine Name that are in them.^[207]
• We do not save from the fire (on the Sabbath) the Gospels (gilyonim) and the books of the minim ("heretics"). Rather, they are burned in their place, they and their Tetragrammata.^[208]

The Jewish Encyclopedia recalls that "the Jewish Christians of Palestine had a Gospel of their own, the so-called Hebrew Gospel, from which still later Church Fathers quote". It states that the correct reading has "Gilyon" in the singular and argues that the text refers specifically to "the Hebrew Gospel", not to other Gospels, of which there were many, including those of the Gnostics.^[205] Frederick Fyvie Bruce also says that the gilyonim "were not the canonical Gospels which we are familiar with but documents in Hebrew or Aramaic, bearing some kind of relation to our Gospel of Matthew or to a work later in vogue".^[209]

Robert J. Wilkinson says that there seems to be no unambiguous rabbinic testimony to Christians using the Tetragrammaton.^[90]

As already mentioned, Paget^[204] and Pines^[203] hold, against the more common opinion, that the Gilyonim were not Gospels but Apocalypses like the Book of Enoch.

Some modern adaptations of the New TestamentEdit

A few modern versions use the Tetragrammaton or equivalents like "Yahweh" or "Jehovah" to replace the words κύριος (Lord) and θεός (God) in the text of the New Testament as it appears in the manuscripts. Some long predate Howard's 1977 hypothesis and so are not linked with it.

135 such adaptations have been listed. The oldest, dating from the 14th century, are translations into Hebrew, and therefore use as the equivalent of κύριος יהוה (the Tetragrammaton) or השם ("The Name") without thereby proposing that the original Greek texts had either of these forms in place of κύριος.^[210]

These 135 are a minute proportion of the existing translations of the New Testament, which by 1 October 2019 has been translated into 2246 different languages, in some of which it exists in dozens of distinct translations.^[211]

None have been produced by mainstream publishers. Generally, the individual or group that makes such a version publishes it either on the Internet or on paper.^[212] Very few have been noted or reviewed by scholars outside the Sacred Name Movement.^[213]

Several of the 135 are known as Sacred Name Bibles. In the New Testament, as well as in the Old, they "consistently use Hebraic forms of God's name".^[214][215]

An example is the Holy Name Bible by Angelo B. Traina, whose publishing company, The Scripture Research Association, released the New Testament portion in 1950. On the grounds that the New Testament was originally written not in Greek but in Hebrew, he substituted "Yahweh" for the manuscripts' Κύριος. In place of their Θεός, he sometimes used "Yahweh", sometimes "Elohim".^[216]

Instead of a transliteration such as "Yahweh" or "Jehovah", the South Africa-based publishing company "Institute for Scriptural Research" produced in 1993 its The Scriptures, the first to use the Tetragrammaton in its Hebrew letters in the midst of its English text.^[217][218] An adaptation using instead the paleo-Hebrew script was published in 2008 by Urchinsea Designs, Florida under the title, The Besorah.^[219]

Others have based their adaptations on the supposition that the New Testament was written not in Greek but in a Semitic language:

• Andrew Gabriel Roth (2008). The Aramaic English New Testament (Third ed.). Israel: Netzari Press.
• The Hebraic Roots Bible. Word of Truth Publications. 2012.
• The Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition (1981), which uses "Yahweh" .

See alsoEdit

• Authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews
• Biblical criticism
• Chronology of the Bible
• Chronology of Jesus
• Dating the New Testament
• Earlier Epistle to the Ephesians
• Historical background of the New Testament
• Historicity of the Bible
• Names of God in Christianity
• Names of God in Judaism
• Novum Testamentum Graece
• Papyrus Fouad 266
• Papyrus Rylands 458

ReferencesEdit

CitationsEdit

1. ^ See, for example, Second Epistle to the Corinthians.
2. ^ Jump up to:^a b c d Howard 1977, pp. 63–83.
3. ^ The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia 1979, p. 508.
4. ^ Jump up to:^a b c d Mack 1979.
5. ^ Elwell & Yarbrough 2013, p. 297.
6. ^ Wright 1992.
7. ^ Harris 2008, p. 30.
8. ^ Loewen 1984, pp. 208–211.
9. ^ Bock 2006, p. 127.
10. ^ For instance, Matthew 1:20
11. ^ Kysar 2007, p. 8.
12. ^ Jump up to:^a b New Testament Tools, Studies and Documents 2012, p. 626.
13. ^ Koester 1995, p. 18.
14. ^ Jump up to:^a b Petzer 2007, p. 36.
15. ^ Jump up to:^a b Andrews 2017, pp. 153–156.
16. ^ Comfort 2005, p. 289.
17. ^ "Encyclopedia of the Bible: Text and Manuscripts of the New Testament". www.biblegateway.com.
18. ^ Charles Elliott (1 January 2017). A Treatise on the Inspiration of The Holy Scriptures. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-60608-919-4.
19. ^ Andrews 2019, p. 34.
20. ^ Koester 1995, p. 21.
21. ^ David Trobisch, "The New Testament in the Light of Book Publishing in Antiquity in John S. Klppenborg and Judith H. Newman (editors), Editing the Bible: Assessing the Task Past and Present (Society of Biblical Literature, 2012), pp. 160−170
22. ^ John S. Kloppenborg; Judith H. Newman (21 June 2012). Editing the Bible: Assessing the Task Past and Present. Society of Biblical Literature. pp. 160–170. ISBN 978-1-58983-649-5.
23. ^ Jump up to:^a b Bowman & Komoszewski 2007, p. 159.
24. ^ Jump up to:^a b Trobisch 2000, pp. 66–67.
25. ^ Trobisch 2000, pp. 9–11.
26. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d e} Larry Hurtado (3 July 2013). "The Divine Name and Greek Translation". Larry Hurtado's Blog.
27. ^ Aland & Aland 1995, p. 99.
28. ^ Aland & Aland 1989, p. 109.
29. ^ INTF.
30. ^ Koester 1995, p. 23.
31. ^ Jump up to:^a b Paul M. Blowers; Peter W Martens, eds. (2019). The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Biblical Interpretation. Oxford University Press. p. 8. ISBN 9780191028212.
32. ^ Griffin, Bruce W. (1996), "The Paleographical Dating of P-46"
33. ^ Philip Charleston (2009). Shattering the Christian Looking Glass. Trafford Publishing. p. 114. ISBN 978-1425183950.
34. ^ Michael R. Licona; Craig A. Evans (2016). Why Are There Differences in the Gospels?: What We Can Learn from Ancient Biography. Oxford University Press. p. 24. ISBN 978-0190264284.
35. ^ Norman L. Geisler; William C. Roach; J. I. Packer (2012). Defending Inerrancy: Affirming the Accuracy of Scripture for a New Generation. Baker Books. p. 95. ISBN 978-1441235916.
36. ^ Josh McDowell; Sean McDowell (2010). Evidence for the Resurrection: What It Means for Your Relationship with God. Baker Books. p. 24. ISBN 978-1441224163.
37. ^ Norman Geisler (2004). "Are Miracles Actual?". Miracles and the Modern Mind: A Defense of Biblical Miracles. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 131. ISBN 1592447325.
38. ^ Howard 1977, pp. 78–82.
39. ^ Jump up to:^a b c "The Tetragram and the New Testament", included in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Volume 6, Edited by David Noel Freedman Anchor Bible: New York. 1992 ISBN 978-0385261906
40. ^ Howard 1977, pp. 74–75.
41. ^ Jump up to:^a b New Testament Tools, Studies and Documents 2012, p. 116.
42. ^ Jump up to:^a b Shedinger 2001, pp. 138–139.
43. ^ Wallace 2011, p. 30.
44. ^ K. Aland (1986). Das Neue Testament-zuverlässig überliefert (The New Testament-Reliably Transmitted). Stuttgart. pp. 27, 28
45. ^ F. F. Bruce (2003). The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? (reprinted ed.). Eerdmans Publishing Company. ISBN 9780802822192.
46. ^ Sir Frederic George Kenyon (1940). The Bible and Archaeology. University of California: Harper & brothers. pp. 288–289.
47. ^ Jack Finegan (2017). Light from the Ancient Past. Vol. 2: The Archaeological Background of the Hebrew-Christian Religion (reprinted ed.). Princeton University Press. p. 449. ISBN 9781400885916.
48. ^ Comfort 2005, p. 290.
49. ^ Paul D. Wegner (2006). A Student's Guide to Textual Criticism of the Bible: Its History, Methods and Results. InterVarsity Press. p. 39. ISBN 0830827315.
50. ^ Jeffery T. Riddle, Review of Wegner's book
51. ^ New Testament Tools, Studies and Documents 2012, p. 7.
52. ^ Andreas J. Köstenberger; Michael J. Kruger (9 June 2010). The Heresy of Orthodoxy (Foreword by I. Howard Marshall): How Contemporary Culture's Fascination with Diversity Has Reshaped Our Understanding of Early Christianity. Crossway. p. 191. ISBN 978-1-4335-2179-9.
53. ^ Philip Wesley Comfort (2005). Encountering the Manuscripts: An Introduction to New Testament Paleography & Textual Criticism. B&H Publishing Group. p. 199. ISBN 978-0-8054-3145-2.
54. ^ Tomas Bokedal (5 December 2013). The Formation and Significance of the Christian Biblical Canon: A Study in Text, Ritual and Interpretation. A&C Black. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-567-07546-8.
55. ^ MICHAEL J KRUGER (21 May 2020). The Question of Canon: Challenging The Status Quo In The New Testament Debate. IVP. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-78974-017-2.
56. ^ Jump up to:^a b Larry W Hurtado (2017). "The origin of the Nomina Sacra". Texts and Artefacts: Selected Essays on Textual Criticism and Early Christian Manuscripts, The Library of New Testament Studies. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 127. ISBN 978-0567677709.
57. ^ Tomas Bokedal, The Formation and Significance of the Christian Biblical Canon: A Study in Text, Ritual and Interpretation (A&C Black 2013), pp. 97–99
58. ^ Cilliers Breytenbach, Christiane Zimmermann (2018). Early Christianity in Lycaonia and Adjacent Areas: From Paul to Amphilochius of Iconium, Early Christianity in Asia Minor. BRILL. ISBN 9789004352520. Following the usage in Greek New Testament manuscripts, abbreviation of nomina sacra occurs as early as the late 2nd century
59. ^ Wilkinson 2015, p. 89.
60. ^ Trobisch 2000, p. 19.
61. ^ Comfort 2005, pp. 209–211.
62. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Shedinger 2001, p. 138.
63. ^ Jump up to:^a b Fontaine 2014, p. 11.
64. ^ Howard 1977, p. 82.
65. ^ Jump up to:^a b Fontaine 2014, pp. 11–12.
66. ^ Jump up to:^a b Wilkinson 2015, p. 94.
67. ^ Wilkinson 2015, pp. 92–93.
68. ^ Larry W. Hurtado (18 August 2014). "Writing & Pronouncing the Divine Name in Second-Temple Jewish Tradition". Larry Hurtado's Blog.
69. ^ Howard 1977, p. 77.
70. ^ George Howard (March 1978). "The Name of God in the New Testament. Did the earliest Gospels use Hebrew letters for the Tetragrammaton?". Biblical Archaeology Review. 4 (1): 14. Official website.
71. ^ Jump up to:^a b Larry Hurtado (8 May 2019). "The Divine Name in Second-Temple Jewish Biblical Texts". Larry Hurtado's Blog.
72. ^ Pietersma, Cox & Wevers 1984, p. 90.
73. ^ Jump up to:^a b Rösel 2007, p. 411.
74. ^ Rösel 2007, pp. 414–419.
75. ^ Rösel 2007, p. 419.
76. ^ Rösel 2007, p. 420.
77. ^ Rösel 2007, pp. 421–422.
78. ^ Rösel 2007, p. 424.
79. ^ Jump up to:^a b Rösel 2007, p. 425.
80. ^ Christian B. Amphoux, ed. (2014). "4". L'Ancien Testament du Nouveau Testament. Manuel de critique textuelle du Nouveau Testament. Bruxelles: Éditions Safran. p. 195. ISBN 978-2-87457-080-3.
81. ^ Ernst Wurthwein, Alexander Achilles Fischer, The Text of the Old Testament: An Introduction to the Biblia Hebraica (Eerdmans 2014), p. 105
82. ^ Ernst Würthwein, The Text of the Old Testament: An Introduction to the Biblia Hebraica (Eerdmans 1995), p. 194
83. ^ Mª Vª Spottorno y Díaz Caro, "The Divine Name in Ezekiel Papyrus 967" in Natalio Fernández Marcos (editor), La Septuaginta en la Investigación Contemporánea (V Congreso de la IOSCS) (Editorial Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Scientíficas, 1985), pp. 213, 216–217
84. ^ Jump up to:^a b Pietersma, Cox & Wevers 1984, p. 93.
85. ^ Skehan 1980, pp. 28–34.
86. ^ Patrick W. Skehan, "The Qumran Manuscripts and Textual Criticism" in Vatus Testamentum supp. 4 (1957) 148–160, reprinted in Frank Moore Cross; Šěmaryahū Ṭalmōn (1975). Qumran and the History of the Biblical Text. Harvard University Press. p. 221. ISBN 978-0-674-74362-5.
87. ^ Jump up to:^a b Skehan 1980, p. 38.
88. ^ Emanuel Tov, Hebrew Bible, Greek Bible and Qumran: Collected Essays (Mohr Siebeck 2008), chapter 23
89. ^ Extract of chapter 23, p. 20
90. ^ Jump up to:^a b Wilkinson 2015, p. 96.
91. ^ Meyer 2017, pp. 255−256.
92. ^ Larry W. Hurtado, "YHWH in the Septuagint" (22 August 2014)
93. ^ Larry Perkins, "ΚΥΡΙΟΣ – Articulation and Non-articulation in Greek Exodus" in Bulletin of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies, volume 41 (2008), p. 23
94. ^ "Larry Perkins, "ΚΥΡΙΟΣ – Proper Name or Title in Greek Exodus", p. 6" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
95. ^ Raija Sollamo, "Significance of Septuagint Studies" in Emanuel: Studies in the Hebrew Bible, the Septuagint, and the Dead Sea Scrolls in Honor of Emanuel Tov (BRILL 2003), p. 508
96. ^ Eugene Ulrich, The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Developmental Composition of the Bible (BRILL 2015), p. 154
97. ^ Martin Rösel, Tradition and Innovation: English and German Studies on the Septuagint (SBL Press 2018), p. 295
98. ^ Frank Crüsemann (2011). Das Alte Testament als Wahrheitsraum des Neuen: Die neue Sicht der christlichen Bibel. Gütersloher Verlagshaus. ISBN 9783641067779.
99. ^ McDonough 1999, pp. 60−62.
100. ^ Loren T. Stuckenbruck; Wendy North, eds. (2004). YHWH texts and monotheism in Paul's christology. Early Jewish and Christian Monotheism. Vol. 263 of The Library of New Testament Studies. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 122−123. ISBN 9780567429179.
101. ^ Wilkinson 2015, pp. 88−89.
102. ^ Kristin De Troyer (February 2007). "The Names of God. Their Pronunciation and Their Translation. A Digital Tour of Some of the Main Witnesses". European Electronic Journal for Feminist Exegesis. 2.
103. ^ Bob Becking, Review of Frank Shaw, The Earliest Non-Mystical Jewish Use of Ιαω in Theologische Literaturzeitung (November 2016)
104. ^ Fontaine 2014, p. 9.
105. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Meyer 2016.
106. ^ Shaw, Frank, The Earliest Non-Mystical Jewish Use of Ιαω (Contributions to Biblical Exegesis and Theology, 70; Leuven/Paris/Walpole, Mass.: Peeters, 2014), p. 271
107. ^ David T. Runia, Philo of Alexandria: An Annotated Bibliography 1997–2006 (BRILL 2012), pp. 229–230
108. ^ Wilkinson 2015, p. 88.
109. ^ Joseph A. Fitzmyer (1997). "The use of explicit Old Testament quotations in Qumran literature and in the New Testament". Essays on the Semitic Background of the New Testament. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 32. ISBN 0802848451. Joseph A. Fitzmyer records the episode of Christ's reading from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue of Nazareth, he quotes Is 61:1–2.
110. ^ Meyer 2017, pp. 217–218.
111. ^ Meyer 2017, p. 218.
112. ^ Meyer 2017, p. 279.
113. ^ Meyer 2017, pp. 255–256.
114. ^ Meyer 2017, p. 265.
115. ^ R. Girdlestone (2000). "How Translators deal with Name Jehovah". Old Testament Synonyms. Sovereign Grace Publishers. pp. 43−44. ISBN 1589600304.
116. ^ Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament 2007, p. xxv.
117. ^ Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews (Eerdmans 1987), p. 69
118. ^ Robert L. Alden, Psalms - Everyday Bible Commentary (Moody 2019)
119. ^ David L. Allen, Hebrews: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture (B&H Publishing 2010), p. 182
120. ^ Africa Bible Commentary (Zondervan Academic 2010), p. 1518
121. ^ John W. Olley, "Divine Name and Paragraphing in Ezekiel: Highlighting Divine Speech in an Expanding Tradition" in Bulletin of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies, vol. 37 (2004), p. 90
122. ^ Jason A. Staples, "'Lord, LORD': Jesus as YHWH in Matthew and Luke" in New Testament Studies, vol. 64, 1 (January 2018), pp. 1-19
123. ^ Douglas Sean O'Donnell, "Insisting on Easter" in Aaron White, David Wenham, Craig A. Evans (editors), The Earliest Perceptions of Jesus in Context: Essays in Honor of John Nolland (Bloomsbury 2018), p. 191
124. ^ Anthony R. Meyer, "The Divine Name in Early Judaism: Use and Non-Use in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek", p. 267
125. ^ Review by Bob Becking in Theologische Literaturzeitung, November 2016
126. ^ D.T. Runia, Philo of Alexandria: An Annotated Bibliography 1997-2006 (BRILL 2011), pp. 229–230
127. ^ Frank Shaw, "Three Developments in New Testament Textual Criticism: Wettlaufer, Houghton and Jongkind(-Williams)" in Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism, volume 14 (2018), pp. 114–115
128. ^ Jump up to:^a b Vasileiadis 2017, p. 29.
129. ^ Fontaine 2014, p. 16.
130. ^ Jump up to:^a b Pietersma, Cox & Wevers 1984, p. 87.
131. ^ Fontaine 2014, p. 3.
132. ^ Jump up to:^a b Fontaine 2014, pp. 7–8.
133. ^ Emanuel Tov (2008). Hebrew Bible, Greek Bible and Qumran: Collected Essays. Mohr Siebeck. ISBN 9783161495465.
134. ^ Tuukka Kauhanen (2017). Anneli Aejmelaeus, Tuukka Kauhanen (ed.). The Legacy of Barthelemy: 50 Years After Les Devanciers D'Aquila. V&r Academic. ISBN 978-3525540626.
135. ^ Jump up to:^a b Wm. Randolph Bynum (2012). "One". Introduction John, LXX and MT. The Fourth Gospel and the Scriptures: Illuminating the Form and Meaning of Scriptural Citation in John 19:37. BRILL. pp. 1–5. ISBN 9789004229143.
136. ^ Tov 2009, p. 61.
137. ^ Sidney Jellicoe, The Septuagint and Modern Study (Eisenbrauns 1983), pp. 62–63
138. ^ Anneli Aejmelaeus, "The Septuagint and Oral Translation" in Melvin K. Peters (editor), XIV Congress of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies, Helsinki, 2010 (Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, 2013), p. 5
139. ^ Paul Kahle (1959). The Cairo Geniza, Schweich lectures. Schweich lectures (2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell. p. 222. OCLC 9617721.
140. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Fontaine 2014, p. 2.
141. ^ Jump up to:^a b Didier Fontaine (29 June 2014). "Ἰαώ, θεός, κύριος? Le Nom dans la LXX "originale"…". Πάντα δὲ δοκιμάζετε, τὸ καλὸν κατέχετε· (in French). Archived from the original on 12 September 2014.
142. ^ Didier Fontaine (29 January 2017). "Ιαω dans le 4QpapLXXLevb (Vasileiadis, 2017)". Πάντα δὲ δοκιμάζετε, τὸ καλὸν κατέχετε·. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
143. ^ Furuli 1999, pp. 179–191.
144. ^ Furuli 2011.
145. ^ Andrews 2018, p. 154.
146. ^ Furuli 2011, p. 238.
147. ^ Andrews 2018.
148. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Vasileiadis 2017, p. 28.
149. ^ Larson 2001.
150. ^ Gaston 2006, pp. 117–118.
151. ^ Jump up to:^a b H. Bietenhard, "Lord," in the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, C. Brown (gen. ed.), Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1986, Vol. 2, p. 512, ISBN 0310256208 It reads: "recent textual discoveries cast doubt on the idea that the compilers of the LXX translated the tetragrammaton YHWH by kyrios. The oldest LXX MSS (fragments) now available to us have the tetragrammaton written in Heb[rew] characters in the G[ree]k text. This custom was retained by later Jewish translators of the O[ld] T[estament] in the first centuries A.D."
152. ^ McRay 2008, p. 129.
153. ^ Edward D. Andrews (2016). CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY: The Evangelism Study Tool. Christian Publishing House. p. 129. ISBN 978-1945757037.
154. ^ McRay 2008, p. 371.
155. ^ John Thomas (1870). R. Roberts (ed.). Phanerosis: an exposition of the doctrine of the Old and New Testament, concerning the manifestation of the invisible eternal God in human nature, etc. British Library.
156. ^ Richard Bauckham (2010). The Jewish World Around the New Testament. Vol. 233 Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament (reprint ed.). Baker Academic. p. 212. ISBN 978-0801039034.
157. ^ Powell, Mark A. (2009). Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic. ISBN 9780801028687.
158. ^ Ernest Cadman Colwell (July 1936). "An Unpublished Fragment of the Fourth Gospel in the John Rylands Library C. H. Roberts". The Journal of Religion. The University of Chicago Press. 16, Issue 3. (3): 368–369. doi:10.1086/481869.
159. ^ Larry W. Hurtado (2006). The Earliest Christian Artifacts: Manuscripts and Christian Origins. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 170. ISBN 0802828957.
160. ^ Hurtado, Larry W. P52 (P.Rylands Gr 457) and the Nomina Sacra; Method and Probability, Tyndale Bulletin 54.1, 2003
161. ^ Christopher M. Tuckett, P52 and Nomina Sacra, New Testament Studies 47, 2001 pp 544-48
162. ^ Didier Fontaine, Le P52 (P. Rylands.Gr.457) contenait-il des nomina sacra?
163. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d e} Vasileiadis 2014, p. 64.
164. ^ Jump up to:^a b Robert F. Shedinger (2001). Tatian and the Jewish scriptures: a textual and philological. The University of Virginia. pp. 136–140. ISBN 2877235890.
165. ^ Vasileiadis 2014, p. 61.
166. ^ De Troyer, Kristin. The Pronunciation of the Names of God, With Some Notes Regarding Nomina Sacra. In Gott nennen: Gottes Namen und Gottals Name (Religion in Philosophy and Theology, Volume 35). Edited by Ingolf U. Dalferth and Philipp Stoellger, 143–172. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2008.
167. ^ G. Mussies (1971). The Substantive System. The Morphology of Koine Greek As Used in the Apocalypse of St. John: A Study in Bilingualism. Vol. 27 Novum Testamentum/Supplements. Leiden: Brill. p. 94. doi:10.1163/9789004266049. ISBN 978-90-04-26604-9.
168. ^ Dr. David Aune (2017). Revelation 1-5. Vol. 52A Word Biblical Commentary. Zondervan. ISBN 978-0310586975.
169. ^ Gerard Mussies (2001). "Reviewed Work: 𝚼HWH at Patmos: Rev 1:4 in its Hellenistic and Early Jewish Setting (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 2.107) by Sean M. McDonough". Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman Period. No. 3. Leiden: brill. 32 (3): 328–331. JSTOR 24668754.
170. ^ Jump up to:^a b c d Vasileiadis, Pavlos. "Jesus, the New Testament, and the sacred Tetragrammaton." Presented at the International Biblical Conference "Biblical Studies, West and East: Trends, Challenges, and Prospects," organised by the Ukrainian Catholic University (19–20 September 2013, Lviv, Ukraine).
171. ^ Wilkinson 2015, pp. 58–59.
172. ^ Larry W Hurtado (2017). "Text, Collections and Canon". Texts and Artefacts: Selected Essays on Textual Criticism and Early Christian Manuscripts, The Library of New Testament Studies. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 19. ISBN 978-0567677709.
173. ^ Vasileiadis, Pavlos, "The Holy Tetragrammaton: A historical and philological approach of God's name", (Bulletin of Biblical Studies), 28 (Jul.–Dec. 2010), 82–107. In Greek.
174. ^ Vasileiadis 2013, pp. 5–20.
175. ^ Vasileiadis & Gordon 2019, p. 6.
176. ^ R. Kendall Soulen (2015). "Review of Robert J. Wilkison". Journal of Jesuit Studies. 2: 723–724.
177. ^ T. & J. Swords, ed. (1817). The Christian Register, and Moral and Theological Review. Vol. 1. University of Chicago.
178. ^ Jump up to:^a b Wilkinson 2015, p. 38.
179. ^ Didier Mickaël Fontaine (2007). Le nom divin dans le nouveau testament (in French). Paris: Editions L'Harmattan. ISBN 978-2296176096.
180. ^ Didier Fontaine (2009). S. Pizzorni (ed.). Il nome di Dio nel Nuovo Testamento. Perché è scomparso dai testi greci nel I e II secolo? (in Italian). Translated by S. Appiganesi. Azzurra 7. ISBN 978-8888907109.
181. ^ Vasileiadis 2013, p. 8.
182. ^ Jump up to:^a b George E. Howard (1995). Hebrew Gospel of Matthew. Mercer University Press. pp. 194–196. ISBN 0-86554-442-5.
183. ^ David Noel Freedman, ed. (1992). Tetragrammaton in the New Testament. The Anchor Bible Dictionary. Vol. 6. New York. pp. 392–393. ISBN 978-0385261906.
184. ^ Mogens Müller (1996). The First Bible of the Church: A Plea for the Septuagint. Copenhagen international seminar, Journal for the study of the Old Testament: Supplement series. Vol. 1. A&C Black. p. 118. ISBN 978-1-85075571-5.
185. ^ Eugen J. Pentiuc (2014). "Septuagint Manuscripts and Printed Editions". The Old Testament in Eastern Orthodox Tradition. Oxford University Press USA. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-19533123-3.
186. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Alan Mugridge (2016). Copying Early Christian Texts: A Study of Scribal Practice. Mohr Siebeck. p. 120. ISBN 9783161546884.
187. ^ Gallagher, Edmon (2013). "The religious provenance of the Aquila manuscripts from the Cairo Genizah". Journal of Jewish Studies. 64:2 (2): 283–305. doi:10.18647/3141/JJS-2013.
188. ^ Sylvester Joseph Hunter, Aeterna Press (1895). Outlines of Dogmatic Theology. Vol. 1, Manuals of Catholic theology. Aeterna Press.
189. ^ Wilkinson 2015, p. 95.
190. ^ Shaw, Frank Edward (2002). The Earliest Non-Mystical Jewish Use of Ιαω. Cincinnati: Peeters. ISBN 9042929782.
191. ^ Jump up to:^a b Sidney Jellicoe, Septuagint and Modern Study (Eisenbrauns, 1989, ISBN 0-931464-00-5) pp. 271, 272.
192. ^ Gerald Sigal (1981). The Jew and the Christian Missionary: A Jewish Response to Missionary Christianity. Ktav Publishing House. ISBN 0870688863.
193. ^ New Testament Tools, Studies and Documents 2012, pp. 115–116.
194. ^ Shedinger 2001, p. 136.
195. ^ Shedinger 2001, p. 137.
196. ^ Jump up to:^a b David B. Capes (1992). Old Testament Yahweh texts in Paul's christology. J.C.B. Mohr. ISBN 316145819-2.
197. ^ Jump up to:^a b George Howard (2005). G. Howard (ed.). The Divine Name. Hebrew Gospel of Matthew. Mercer University Press. p. 229. ISBN 9780865549890.
198. ^ Victor Paul Furnish (December 1986). "Annual Index". JBL. The Society of Biblical Literature. 105: 57.
199. ^ George E. Howard, ed. (June 1998). "Shem-Tob's Hebrew Matthew and Early Jewish Christianity". Journal for the Study of the New Testament. Sheffield: Mercer University Press. 70: 19[3–20]. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
200. ^ Fontaine 2014, p. 12.
201. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Yair Furstenberg, "The Midrash of Jesus and the Bavli's Counter-Gospel" in Jewish Studies Quarterly, 22 (2015), 4
202. ^ Jump up to:^a b Günter Stemberger, "Rabbinic Reactions to the Christianization of Roman Palestine: A Survey of Recent Research" in Antii Laato, Pekka Lindqvist, eds., Encounters of the Children of Abraham from Ancient to Modern Times (BRILL 2010), p. 144
203. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Daniel Boyarin, Border Lines: The Partition of Judaeo-Christianity (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2010), pp. 57–58
204. ^ Jump up to:^a b c James Carleton Paget (2010). Jews, Christians and Jewish Christians in Antiquity. Mohr Siebeck. p. 272. ISBN 9783161503122.
205. ^ Jump up to:^a b Ludwig Blau, "Gilyonim (='Gospels'; lit. 'scrolls')" in Jewish Encyclopedia (1910)
206. ^ Jacob Neusner (2008). Judaism and Christianity in the Age of Constantine: History, Messiah, Israel, and the Initial Confrontation. Chicago Studies in the History of Judaism. University of Chicago Press. p. 99. ISBN 978-0226576473.
207. ^ Jacob Neusner, Neusner on Judaism, vol. 1 (Routledge 2017)
208. ^ Steven T. Katz, ed., The Cambridge History of Judaism: Volume 4, The Late Roman-Rabbinic Period (Cambridge University Press 1984), p. 278
209. ^ Frederick Fyvie Bruce, The Growing Day: The Progress of Christianity from the Fall of Jerusalem to the Accession of Constantine (A.D. 70-313) (Paternoster Press 1951), p. 150
210. ^ Matteo Pierro (2000). Geova e il Nuovo Testamento [Jehovah and the New Testament]. Sacchi Editore, Rescaldina (Milano), Italy. pp. 140–146.
211. ^ "Scripture Access Statistics (Wycliffe Global Alliance)". Archived from the original on 26 August 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
212. ^ Unseth, Peter. 2011. Sacred Name Bible translations in English: a fast-growing phenomenon. The Bible Translator 62.3: 190.
213. ^ Review of The Scriptures
214. ^ Peter Unseth (2011). "Sacred Name Bible translations in English: a fast-growing phenomenon". Bible Translator. 62 (3): 185–194. doi:10.1177/026009351106200306. S2CID 163735860.
215. ^ Gary Mink, "What Is a Sacred Name Bible?"
216. ^ Gary Mink, "The Holy Name Bible"
217. ^ The Scriptures, First Edition (1993) ISBN 0-620-17989-9
218. ^ "Home". isr-messianic.org.
219. ^ The Besorah

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• Kysar, Robert (2007). John, the Maverick Gospel. Presbyterian Publishing Corp. ISBN 978-0-664-23056-2.
• Larson, Jason T. (2001). "Trobisch, David. The First Edition of the New Testament. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN: 0-19-511240-7. pp. viii+175. US$29.95". TC: A Journal of Biblical Textual Criticism. 6. ISSN 1089-7747.
• Loewen, Jacob A. (1 April 1984). "The Names of God in the New Testament". The Bible Translator. 35 issue: 2 (2): 208–211. doi:10.1177/026009438403500202. S2CID 172043076.
• McCann, J. C. (2011). A Theological Introduction to the Book of Psalms: The Psalms as Torah. Abingdon Press. ISBN 978-1-426-75007-6.
• McDonough, Sean M. (1999). "2: The Use of the Name YHWH". YHWH at Patmos: Rev. 1:4 in Its Hellenistic and Early Jewish Setting, Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament. Mohr Siebeck. pp. 60−61. ISBN 978-31-6147055-4.
• Mack, Edward (1979). "God, Names Of". International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia.
• McRay, John (1 February 2008). Archaeology and the New Testament. Baker Academic. ISBN 978-0801036088.
• Menken, M.J.J. (1996). M. F. F. Menken (ed.). Old Testament Quotations in the Fourth Gospel: Studies in Textual Form. Peeters Publishers. ISBN 978-9-039-00181-3.
• Menken, M.J.J. (2004). Matthew's Bible: The Old Testament Text of the Evangelist. Peeters Publishers. ISBN 978-9-042-91419-3.
• Meyer, Anthony R. (2016). "Review: Shaw, Frank, The Earliest Non-Mystical Jewish Use of Ιαω (Contributions to Biblical Exegesis and Theology, 70; Leuven/Paris/Walpole, Mass.: Peeters, 2014). Pp. x + 431. Hardcover. €60.00. ISBN 978-90-429-2978-4". Journal of Hebrew Scriptures. 16. doi:10.5508/jhs.2016.v16.r6. ISSN 1203-1542. OCLC 807285611. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
• Meyer, Anthony R. (2017). The Divine Name in Early Judaism: Use and Non-Use in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek (Thesis). McMaster University: Religious Studies. hdl:11375/22823.
• Moyise, S. (2005). S. Moyise; M.J.J. Menken (eds.). Isaiah in the New Testament: The New Testament and the Scriptures of Israel. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 978-0-567-61166-6.
• Moyise, S. (2004). S. Moyise; M.J.J. Menken (eds.). The Psalms in the New Testament: The New Testament and the Scriptures of Israel. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 978-0-567-08913-7.
• "The World of the New Testament: Jewish backgrounds". New Testament Abstracts. Cambridge, Massachusetts Phillip Place 3: Weston School of Theology. 21 (3): 306. 1977. ISSN 0028-6877. OCLC 263593573. In pre-Christian Greek [manuscripts] of the O[ld] T[estament], the divine name (yhwh) was not rendered by 'kyrios' [lord] as has often been thought. Usually the Tetragram was written out in Aramaic or in paleo-Hebrew letters.... At a later time, surrogates [substitutes] such as 'theos' [God] and 'kyrios' replaced the Tetragram... There is good reason to believe that a similar pattern evolved in the N[ew] T[estament], i.e. the divine name was originally written in the NT quotations of and allusions to the OT, but in the course of time it was replaced by surrogates.
• Pao, David W. (2016). Acts and the Isaianic New Exodus. Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 9781498299435.
• Pentiuc, Eugen J. (2006). Jesus the Messiah in the Hebrew Bible. Paulist Press. ISBN 978-0-809-14346-7.
• Pietersma, Albert; Cox, Claude E.; Wevers, John William (1984). Albert Pietersma; John William Wevers (eds.). Kyrios or Tetragram: A Renewed Quest for the Original LXX (PDF). De Septuaginta: Studies in Honour of John William Wevers on His Sixty-Fifth Birthday. Mississauga, Ont., Canada: Benben Publications. ISBN 0920808107. OCLC 11446028.
• Piotrowski, Nicholas G. (2016). Matthew's New David at the End of Exile: A Socio-Rhetorical Study of Scriptural Quotations. BRILL. ISBN 978-9-004-32688-0.
• Porter, Stanley E. (2016). When Paul Met Jesus: How an Idea Got Lost in History. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-12796-8.
• Prabhu, George M. Soares (1976). The Formula Quotations in the Infancy Narrative of Matthew: An Enquiry into the Tradition History of Mt 1-2. Gregorian Biblical BookShop.
• Rösel, Martin (1 June 2007). "The Reading and Translation of the Divine Name in the Masoretic Tradition and the Greek Pentateuch". Journal for the Study of the Old Testament. 31 (4): 411–428. doi:10.1177/0309089207080558. S2CID 170886081.
• Sargent, Benjamin (2014). David Being a Prophet: The Contingency of Scripture upon History in the New Testament. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. ISBN 9783110362008.
• Schliesser, B. (2007). Abraham's Faith in Romans 4: Paul's Concept of Faith in Light of the History of Reception of Genesis 15:6. Mohr Siebeck. ISBN 978-3-161-49197-9.
• Schweizer, Eduard (1975). The Good News According to Matthew. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-804-20251-0.
• Shedinger, Robert F. (2001). Per Visibilia ad Invisibilia. Subsidia Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum orientalium. Vol. 591. Peeters Publishers. ISBN 9042910429.
• Shum, Shiv Lun (2002). Paul's Use of Isaiah in Romans: A Comparative Study of Paul's Letter to the Romans and the Sibylline and Qumran Sectarian Texts. Mohr Siebeck. ISBN 978-3-161-47925-0.
• Skehan, Patrick W. (1980). "The Divine Name at Qumran in the Masada Scroll and in the Septuagint" (PDF). Bulletin of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies (BIOSCS). The Catholic University of America. 13.
• Skehan, Patrick W. (1957). Volume du Congrès International pour l'étude de l'Ancien Testament, Strasbourg 1956. Vetus Testamentum, Supplements. Leiden: BRILL. ISBN 9789004275270.
• Steyn, Gert J. (2011). A Quest for the Assumed LXX Vorlage of the Explicit Quotations in Hebrews. Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments. Vol. 235. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. ISBN 9783647530994.
• Surburg, Raymond F. (September 1972). "Did the Patriarchs know Yahweh or Ex 6:3 and its relationship to the four Documentary Hopothesis?" (PDF). Springfielder. 36 (2).
• Swindoll, Charles R. (2016). Insights on Romans. Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary. Vol. 6. Tyndale House. ISBN 9781496400697.
• Talbert, Charles H. (2004). Reading the Sermon on the Mount: Character Formation and Decision Making in Matthew 5-7. Univ of South Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-570-03553-1.
• Tov, Emanuel (2009). Armin Lange; Matthias Weigold; József Zsengellér (eds.). From Qumran to Aleppo: A Discussion with Emanuel Tov about the Textual History of Jewish Scriptures in Honor of His 65th Birthday. Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments. Vol. 230. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. ISBN 9783525530948.
• Treier, Daniel J.; Elwell, Walter A. (2017). Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (3 ed.). Baker Academic. ISBN 9781493410774.
• Trobisch, David (2000). The First Edition of the New Testament. New York: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195112405.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-195-11240-5. OCLC 827708997.
• Turner, David L. (2008). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Baker Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-801-02684-3.
• Vasileiadis, Pavlos D. (2013). "The pronunciation of the sacred Tetragrammaton: An overview of a nomen revelatus that became a nomen absconditus" (PDF). Judaica Ukrainica. National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. 2.
• Vasileiadis, Pavlos D. (2014). "Aspects of rendering the sacred Tetragrammaton in Greek". Open Theology. Berlin, Germany: De Gruyter. 1 (1): 56–88. doi:10.2478/opth-2014-0006. ISSN 2300-6579. OCLC 927128789.
• Vasileiadis, Pavlos D. (2017). "The god Iao and his connection with the Biblical God, with special emphasis on the manuscript 4QpapLXXLevb ("Ο θεός Ιαώ και η σχέση του με τον Βιβλικό Θεό, με ιδιαίτερη εστίαση στο χειρόγραφο 4QpapLXXLevb")". Vetus Testamentum et Hellas. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece: School of Pastoral and Social Theology. 4: 48–51. ISSN 2459-2552. OCLC 1085412017.
• Vasileiadis, Pavlos D. (2018). ""Jesus, the New Testament, and the sacred Tetragrammaton" ("Ο Ιησούς, η Καινή Διαθήκη και το ιερό Τετραγράμματο")". Synthesis.
• Vasileiadis, Pavlos D.; Gordon, Nehemia (2019). "Transmission of the Tetragrammaton in Judeo-Greek and Christian Sources ("Η Μεταβίβαση του Τετραγράμματου στις Ιουδαιο-Ελληνικές και Χριστιανικές Πηγές")". Accademia: Revue de la Société Marsile Ficin. 18. ISSN 1296-7645. OCLC 43343733.
• Wagner, J. Ross (2003). Heralds of the Good News: Isaiah and Paul in Concert in the Letter to the Romans. BRILL. ISBN 978-0-391-04204-9.
• Wilkinson, Robert J. (4 February 2015). Tetragrammaton: Western Christians and the Hebrew Name of God: From the Beginnings to the Seventeenth Century. Studies in the History of Christian Traditions. Vol. 179. Leiden: Brill. doi:10.1163/9789004288171. ISBN 978-90-04-28817-1. S2CID 161026434.
• Wright, Nicholas Thomas (1992). The New Testament and the People of God. Fortress Press. ISBN 0800626818.

External linksEdit

• Complete Greek text of the New Testament
• Complete Greek text of the Septuagint hyperlinked to Strong's concordance
• Brenton's English translation of the Septuagint
• Brenton's English translation and Greek text in parallel columns
• Instances where the New Testament quotes the Septuagint against the Masoretic Hebrew
• Instances where the New Testament agrees with the Masoretic Hebrew meaning