Which Language Did Jesus Really Speak?

The Bible mentions Hebrew and Greek, but what language did Jesus really speak? The answer might surprise you.

By Staff Writer

Edited by Jovan Mijailovic

Published February 17, 2025.

A painting of jesus talking to a group of men.

Evidence for Aramaic as Jesus's LanguageJesus probably spoke Aramaic since it was the main language for Jewish people in first-century Galilee. We even see it in the Gospels when Jesus cries out on the cross, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (Mark 15:34).
The historian Josephus also said Aramaic was the language everyone spoke in Galilee. And we've even found writings on bone boxes and synagogue floors from that time to prove it.
Did You Know?Aramaic poetry influenced Jesus's speaking. It uses a lot of parallelism—repeating ideas in different ways for emphasis. For example, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7). 
» Explore the places Jesus may have visited﻿
Other Languages Jesus Could Have SpokenJudea was a multilingual society, which means Jesus may have also spoken:
The Hebrew language was sacred, and people used it mostly in religious ceremonies. The Gospels say that Jesus read from Hebrew scrolls (Luke 4:16-21), which means he was familiar with the language.
Greek was a common tongue in the Eastern Roman Empire. People would have spoken it in many Galilean towns and marketplaces when trading. Jesus' interaction with the Roman centurion (Matthew 8:5-13) is an example of such Greek usage.
Latin was less common, but it was the official language of the Roman Empire's administration, law, and military. While Jesus likely had little knowledge of it, he might have spoken it during his trial before Pontius Pilate, a Roman governor.
Further Reading:
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