What Is Aramaic, and How Does It Relate to the Bible and Jesus’ Ministry?

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Aramaic (Heb. אֲרָמִית ʾĂrāmît; Gr. Ἀραμαϊκός Aramaikos)

Aramaic: (Heb. אֲרָמִית ʼAra·mith; Gr. Ἀραμαϊκός Aramaikos) An ancient Semitic language originally spoken by the Aramaeans, closely related to Hebrew. Over time, it developed into various dialects and gained extensive use, especially in Southwest Asia from the second millennium B.C.E. to about 500 C.E. Aramaic is one of the three languages in which the Bible was originally written. Biblical Aramaic appears in portions of Ezra (4:8 to 6:18 and 7:12-26), Jeremiah (10:11), and Daniel (2:4b to 7:28). Aramaic expressions also appear sporadically throughout other parts of Scripture. The term ʼAra·mithʹ is translated as “in the Syrian language” or “in the Aramaic language” and appears five times in the Bible.—2 Kings 18:26; Isaiah 36:11; Daniel 2:4; Ezra 4:7 (twice).

Aramaic and Hebrew are classified under the Northwest Semitic family of languages. Despite considerable differences, Aramaic is a cognate language of Hebrew, sharing the same alphabet. Like Hebrew, it is written from right to left, and the Aramaic portions in the Bible were vowel-pointed by the Masoretes. The language demonstrates influences from Hebrew, Akkadian, and Persian languages, particularly in religious, political, and financial terms. Aramaic has two states for its verbs: the imperfect (indicating incompleted action) and the perfect (indicating completed action). The language also employs singular, dual, and plural nouns, as well as masculine and feminine genders.

Aramaic in the Hebrew Bible

Aramaic appears explicitly in the following biblical passages:

Ezra 4:8–6:18 and 7:12–26: Correspondence and decrees issued under Persian rule.
Daniel 2:4b–7:28: Narrative and prophetic visions.
Jeremiah 10:11: A single verse within a Hebrew context.
Also referenced in 2 Kings 18:26 and Isaiah 36:11, where Judean officials request to speak in “the Aramaic language” to avoid alarming the general populace.

In these contexts, Aramaic is clearly distinct from Hebrew, and its inclusion underscores the multicultural and multilingual environment in which Israel existed, especially during and after the Babylonian exile.

Aramaic is traditionally divided into Western and Eastern groups, but from a historical standpoint, four major groups are recognized: Old Aramaic, Official Aramaic, Levantine Aramaic, and Eastern Aramaic. Old Aramaic inscriptions date from around the 10th to the 8th centuries B.C.E., mostly in northern Syria. Official Aramaic became the lingua franca during the time of the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires, continuing into the Hellenistic period.

Aramaic was not unfamiliar to the people of Israel, given their long-standing interactions with the Aramaeans and other Semitic tribes. Some of the earliest translations of Hebrew Scriptures are the Aramaic Targums, early fragments of which have been discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. It appears that Aramaic was understood by Hebrew officials, but not necessarily by the common people in Jerusalem during the 8th century B.C.E., as evidenced in Isaiah 36:11 and 2 Kings 18:26.

Linguistic Features and Development

Aramaic and Hebrew both belong to the Northwest Semitic branch of languages and share common features such as a right-to-left script and grammatical gender. Like Hebrew, Aramaic utilizes perfect and imperfect verb forms to indicate completed and incomplete action. Nouns display singular, dual, and plural forms and show distinctions in gender.

The Masoretes, Jewish scribes who preserved the Hebrew Bible’s textual integrity between the 6th and 10th centuries C.E., also vowel-pointed the Aramaic sections for pronunciation and clarity.

Historically, Aramaic is divided into several stages:

Old Aramaic (10th–8th centuries B.C.E.): Found in inscriptions from Syria.
Official (Imperial) Aramaic (700s–300s B.C.E.): Adopted by the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires as the administrative language.
Levantine and Eastern Aramaic: Later dialects spoken in Judea, Galilee, and Mesopotamia, influencing the cultural world of Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity.

Aramaic became so prevalent that it was the lingua franca across large swaths of the ancient Near East, from Egypt to India, especially in bureaucratic, religious, and commercial affairs.

Aramaic in Jesus’ Time

By the first century C.E., Aramaic had become widely spoken in Judea, Galilee, and neighboring territories. While Greek dominated official and urban contexts, especially under Roman rule, and Latin was used among soldiers and administrators, Aramaic was the everyday language for many Jewish communities. A late form of Hebrew also persisted among devout religious circles.

This linguistic landscape raises the question: What language did Jesus speak?

The New Testament preserves several Aramaic expressions spoken by Jesus:

Talitha koum (“Little girl, I say to you, arise!” – Mark 5:41),
Ephphatha (“Be opened!” – Mark 7:34),
Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani? (“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” – Mark 15:34).

These direct transliterations, retained in Greek manuscripts, strongly support the view that Jesus regularly spoke Aramaic, especially in informal or emotionally intense moments. However, this does not exclude His knowledge or use of Hebrew, particularly in liturgical or synagogue contexts (Luke 4:16–21).

Evidence of Multilingualism

Several Scriptural and historical indicators show that multiple languages coexisted in first-century Palestine:

Acts 21:40 describes Paul addressing a Jerusalem crowd in the “Hebrew language,” which likely refers to a Hebrew dialect or Aramaic with Hebrew features.
Matthew 26:73 mentions Peter’s Galilean dialect betraying his origin—suggesting regional variations within Aramaic or Hebrew speech.
Acts 6:1 distinguishes between Greek-speaking and Hebrew-speaking Jews, showing that linguistic divisions affected social and religious life in the early Christian community.

Church fathers such as Eusebius and Jerome state that Matthew originally wrote his Gospel in Hebrew, possibly a Semitic dialect incorporating Aramaic elements. This further affirms the coexistence of both languages in the religious life of Jews in the land of Israel.

What Language Did Jesus Speak?

The question of what language Jesus spoke has been a subject of considerable scholarly debate. In the era when Jesus lived, multiple languages were spoken in Palestine. According to Professor G. Ernest Wright, Greek and Aramaic were the dominant languages in urban areas, including cities like Caesarea and Samaria. Latin could occasionally be heard among Roman soldiers and officials. A late form of Hebrew, distinct from both classical Hebrew and Aramaic, may have also been spoken among devout Jews.

When it comes to Jesus’ own linguistic capabilities, Wright suggests that Jesus likely communicated in either Aramaic or a highly Aramaized form of popular Hebrew. This assertion is supported by the Biblical account of Paul speaking “Hebrew” to a crowd at the Temple (Acts 21:40), which scholars generally interpret as possibly being a form of popular Hebrew.

Additional clues can be found in the New Testament. For example, when Peter was identified on the night Jesus was arrested, it was said, “your dialect gives you away” (Matthew 26:73). This could indicate that Peter was speaking Galilean Aramaic, or perhaps a dialect of Galilean Hebrew distinct from that spoken in Jerusalem or other parts of Judea. Moreover, when Jesus read a passage from Isaiah in a Nazareth synagogue, it is assumed the text was in Hebrew, suggesting that the audience understood Biblical Hebrew (Luke 4:16-21). Acts 6:1 also differentiates between Greek-speaking and Hebrew-speaking Jews in Jerusalem shortly after Pentecost in 33 C.E.

Professor Harris Birkeland argues that just because Aramaic was the written language doesn’t mean it was necessarily the spoken language of the masses. He contends that Jesus could have typically spoken popular Hebrew but occasionally used Aramaic expressions.

Evidence also exists for the usage of a form of Hebrew during Jesus’ time on earth. For example, it is recorded by early church historians like Eusebius and Jerome that Matthew initially wrote his Gospel in Hebrew. This lends credence to the idea that both a form of Hebrew and a dialect of Aramaic could have been languages Jesus used while he was alive.

Aramaic’s Lasting Influence

Aramaic’s impact extends beyond the biblical period. It became the language of several early Jewish commentaries on Scripture, known as the Targums—paraphrastic translations of the Hebrew Bible. Fragments of early Targums have been discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls, confirming their use during the Second Temple period.

Even today, Syriac, a dialect of Eastern Aramaic, survives in liturgical use among certain Christian communities in the Middle East. Though diminished, Aramaic’s legacy remains etched into the fabric of biblical history, Jewish tradition, and the linguistic backdrop of the life of Jesus.

Conclusion

Aramaic was not merely a language of political administration—it was a vital part of the biblical world, deeply integrated into the religious, social, and prophetic life of Israel and Judah. Portions of God’s inspired Word were preserved in Aramaic, and Jesus Himself likely used this language in His earthly ministry. Understanding Aramaic enhances one’s appreciation for Scripture and helps clarify the rich cultural and linguistic context in which God’s redemptive work unfolded.

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About the author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).