Abstract
This paper traces how the Divine Name, first revealed in Hebrew as YHWH, entered the multilingual world of the Bible through translation and culminated in the Pentecost event. It examines the linguistic transmission from Hebrew to Greek, Latin, and modern languages, demonstrating that God Himself authorised the multilingual proclamation of His Name. The analysis shows that translation does not diminish holiness but extends revelation, ensuring that the same divine identity is confessed by every tongue. The miracle of Pentecost is therefore not uniform speech but the sanctification of linguistic diversity.
1 Introduction: Language, Revelation and Universality
The Old Testament presents divine revelation as inseparable from human language. God speaks in the tongue of His people so that His will may be understood (Deut. 30 : 11–14). As Israel’s Scriptures moved beyond their homeland, translation became the means by which God’s Name reached other nations. The transition from YHWH to Kyrios (“Lord”) and later Dominus laid the linguistic foundation for the Christian confession that “Jesus is Lord” (Phil. 2 : 11).
2 The Septuagint: The First Translation of the Divine Name
During the third century BC, Jewish scholars in Alexandria translated the Hebrew Torah into Greek—the Septuagint (LXX)—for diaspora Jews who no longer spoke Hebrew fluently. In this translation the sacred YHWH was rendered as Κύριος (Kyrios), “Lord.” This decision was not arbitrary:
- It respected Jewish avoidance of pronouncing YHWH aloud.
- It communicated God’s sovereignty in a language accessible to Greek readers.
- It ensured theological continuity: the Kyrios of the Old Testament became the Kyrios confessed in the New.
The LXX thus became the authoritative Bible for early Christians and shaped the linguistic landscape of the New Testament (Jobes & Silva, 2015).
3 From Hebrew to Greek to Latin to English
The divine and messianic names travelled through successive linguistic stages:
| Hebrew / Aramaic | Greek (NT) | Latin (Vulgate) | Modern English | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YHWH | Kyrios | Dominus | LORD | “I AM / The Eternal One” |
| Elohim | Theos | Deus | God | “Mighty One” |
| Adonai | Kyrios | Dominus | Lord | “Master / Sovereign” |
| Yeshua (ישוע) | Iēsous (Ἰησοῦς) | Iesus | Jesus | “YHWH saves” |
| Mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ) | Christos (Χριστός) | Christus | Christ | “Anointed One” |
The process illustrates that translation is theological communication: God’s self-disclosure moves through cultures while maintaining its essence.
4 Pentecost: The Universality of the Divine Name
4.1 The Event
Acts 2 describes the outpouring of the Holy Spirit when “each one heard them speaking in his own language” (Acts 2 : 6). The nations listed—Parthians, Medes, Arabs, Cretans, and others—represent the known world. The miracle lay not in a single heavenly language but in many languages united by one message: the “mighty works of God” (Acts 2 : 11).
4.2 Theological Significance
Pentecost reverses the dispersion of Babel (Gen. 11 : 1–9). Whereas human pride once fractured language, divine grace now sanctifies it. The Name of God becomes intelligible in every culture, fulfilling Zephaniah 3 : 9: “I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD.”
5 The Spread of the Name through the Roman World
As Christianity expanded, so did the translated Name:
- Greek-speaking regions retained Kyrios Iēsous Christos.
- Latin-speaking churches confessed Dominus Iesus Christus.
- Syriac communities used Mar Isho Meshicha (Lord Jesus Messiah).
- Coptic and Ethiopic versions followed soon after.
By the fourth century, the Name of Jesus was recognised from Britain to North Africa and from Armenia to India—testimony to divine intention that no tongue should be excluded from worship.
6 Faith and Translation: Meaning Above Sound
Some object that names should never be translated, only transliterated. Yet Scripture itself demonstrates otherwise. Yeshua (Hebrew) and Iēsous (Greek) differ phonetically but not semantically. The authority of the Name rests not in phonetic form but in referential identity—the person it signifies (Carson, 1991). When believers pray “in the name of Jesus,” they invoke the same divine authority revealed to Moses and fulfilled in Christ.
7 Divine Intention in Linguistic Diversity
Human language diversity, originally a consequence of sin (Gen. 11), becomes a vessel of grace. God does not abolish linguistic difference but redeems it for proclamation. The use of multiple languages in Scripture—Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek—demonstrates that divine truth transcends cultural boundaries while affirming their value.
8 The Spirit’s Role in Understanding
The Holy Spirit is the divine interpreter who bridges the gap between human tongues and divine meaning. Jesus promised, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, will teach you all things” (John 14 : 26). At Pentecost, the Spirit enabled comprehension beyond human ability, showing that revelation depends on spiritual illumination as well as linguistic form (1 Cor. 2 : 10–13).
9 Theological Implications for Translation Today
Because God’s Word has always moved through translation, modern translators participate in the same sacred task. Faithful translation honours the pattern of revelation:
- God speaks in the language of His people.
- The Spirit empowers understanding.
- The Church proclaims the Name to every nation.
Thus, the universality of Scripture rests on divine precedent, not human invention (Nida, 1964).
10 Conclusion: The Name Heard in Every Tongue
The journey of the Divine Name from Hebrew revelation to Pentecostal proclamation shows that linguistic transformation serves divine purpose. The same God who declared YHWH to Moses made His Name known as Jesus to the nations. Translation does not change God; it reveals His desire to be known by all peoples. The miracle of Pentecost therefore continues wherever Scripture is faithfully translated and believers proclaim, in their own language yet in one faith, that “Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2 : 11).
References
Carson, D.A. (1991) The Gospel According to John. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.
Jobes, K.H. & Silva, M. (2015) Invitation to the Septuagint, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
Nida, E.A. (1964) Toward a Science of Translating. Leiden: Brill.
O’Donnell, J. (1996) ‘Language and Revelation in Biblical Perspective’, Journal of Theological Studies, 47 (2), pp. 215–233.
Wright, N.T. (2012) How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels. London: SPCK.