Where Did the Names of the 12 Disciples Come From?

[Jamal5000]

My dad and I had a discussion about the origin of the 12 disciples' names.

Are their names translations of Greek names or were they assigned as the Bible was translated into English?

 

[Johnv]

Like the name "Jesus", the names were written in Greek, but were Greek versions of Hebrew names:

James (Iakobos) was actually Jacobus.
John (Ioannes) was actually Jochanan.
Simon (Simon) was actually Shimon.

We know them by the English versions of the Greek names. If we had gone by their actual Hebrew names, James would be Jacob, John would be Joacim, and Jesus would be Joshua.

 

[Jim1999]

They are obviously Anglicized forms of the biblical names. Too bad the authors hadn't Anglicized some of those Old Testament names we love to mispronounce.

Cheers,

Jim (Jacobus (old Latin), Jacob, The Supplanter, Hebrew..The English can be, Jakobos, Jacob, Jake, Jack, Jocko, Jeames, Jamie, Jemmy. Jimmie, Jimmy, Jim, or the Greek Iakobos.)

 

[LandonL]

I'm thinking the names originated with their parents...

 

[Jamal5000]

Originally posted by Johnv:
Like the name "Jesus", the names were written in Greek, but were Greek versions of Hebrew names:

James (Iakobos) was actually Jacobus.
John (Ioannes) was actually Jochanan.
Simon (Simon) was actually Shimon.

We know them by the English versions of the Greek names. If we had gone by their actual Hebrew names, James would be Jacob, John would be Joacim, and Jesus would be Joshua.

Thanks Johnv.

But why did translators decide to Anglicize them?

Why not keep the original names? To avoid confusion or something with names in the OT?

 

[Artimaeus]

Originally posted by Jim1999:
Jim (Jacobus (old Latin), Jacob, The Supplanter, Hebrew..The English can be, Jakobos, Jacob, Jake, Jack, Jocko, Jeames, Jamie, Jemmy. Jimmie, Jimmy, Jim, or the Greek Iakobos.)

I can hear it now, "Turn with me in your Bibles if you will to Jimmy 2:10." I know it only sounds funny because I am not used to it but, it still sounds funny.

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by Jamal5000:
... why did translators decide to Anglicize them? Why not keep the original names?

That's the 20,000 question. My understanding is that the Apostles were already being known by the English versions of their names prior to the first English translation bibles. It's often hard to fight tradition. For example, had the KJV authors decided to refer to Jesus as "Joshua", the version no doubt would have been critically berated more than it did.

To avoid confusion or something with names in the OT?

Interestingly, there's one instance in the KJV (Hebrews 4) where Joshua was translated as "Jesus". Since we realte the name "Jesus" to the son of Mary and Joseph, and "Joshua" to the OT hero, Hebrews 4 should have been translated as "Joshua", not "Jesus".

 

[Dr. Bob]

The CJB (Complete Jewish Bible) uses all names in their original tongue.

Eleazar, common name, was changed to Lazarus.

It is a joy to read and all names, places and many key concept words are in Hebrew.

Thank the God of Av'ram, Yitzak and Ya'akov.
Moshie (Moses)
Shlomo (Solomon)
Miriam (Mary)

 

[Dr. Bob]

SHIMEON bar Y'Honah (Simon Peter, Kephas)

ANDREW bar Y'Honah (Andrew)

Y'AKOV bar Zebedee (James the Great)

Y'HONAH bar Zebedee (John)

PHILIP (Philip)

NATHAN'EL bar Tholomai (Nathaniel or Bartholomew)

THOMAS (Didymus or Twin)

LEVI bar Alphaeus (Matthew)

Y'AKOV bar Alphaeus (James the Short)

Y'HUDAH bar Y'akov (Judas/Thaddaeus)

SHIMEON h'Kana (Simon the Zealot)

Y'HUDAH bar Shimeon (Judas Iscariot - from Kerioth)

I do Christian Growth Seminars in churches on the character traits of each of these twelve men.