The Bible and Christian books use words that are not part of everyday conversation. Some come from Hebrew and Greek; others are older English words. This simple glossary explains thirty of the most common terms in plain language.
A–C
Apostle — "One who is sent." Usually the twelve men Jesus chose, plus Paul. They were sent to be witnesses of Jesus' resurrection and to lay the foundation of the church.
Atonement — Making peace between God and people by dealing with sin. In the Old Testament this involved sacrifices; the New Testament teaches that Jesus' death on the cross is the full and final atonement (Romans 5:11; Hebrews 9:12).
Baptism — A washing with water that marks a person's identification with Jesus' death and resurrection and their entry into the church (Romans 6:3–4; Matthew 28:19). Christian traditions differ on its mode and timing.
Blessing — God's favour and goodness given to people; also words spoken asking for God's favour on someone.
Christ — From the Greek Christos, meaning "anointed one" — the same meaning as the Hebrew Messiah. It is a title, not a surname: "Jesus Christ" means "Jesus the Messiah".
Church — From the Greek ekklesia, "assembly". In the Bible, the church is the community of believers, not a building.
Covenant — A solemn, binding relationship with promises. See the main covenants in the Bible.
D–G
Disciple — A learner or follower. Anyone who follows Jesus is his disciple.
Faith — Trust in God and his promises. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1, KJV).
Gentile — A person who is not Jewish. The New Testament celebrates that the gospel is for Gentiles as well as Jews.
Glory — The visible splendour and weight of God's presence; also honour and praise given to God.
Gospel — "Good news": the message that God saves sinners through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It also refers to the four books that tell Jesus' story.
Grace — God's undeserved kindness and favour. "For by grace are ye saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8).
H–L
Holy — Set apart; pure; belonging to God. God is holy, and he calls his people to be holy (1 Peter 1:16).
Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost) — The third person of the Trinity, who gives new life, lives in believers, guides them and empowers the church.
Justification — Being declared right with God. The New Testament teaches that this comes through faith in Christ, not by our own good works (Romans 5:1).
Kingdom of God (kingdom of heaven) — God's reign and rule. Jesus announced that the kingdom had come near in him (Mark 1:15), and it will come fully when he returns.
Law — God's instructions, especially those given through Moses. The word may also refer to the first five books of the Bible.
Lord — Master or ruler. In many English Bibles, LORD in capital letters translates God's personal name in Hebrew (often written YHWH), while "Lord" translates a word meaning "master".
M–R
Mercy — Not receiving the punishment we deserve; God's compassion toward the suffering and the guilty.
Messiah — Hebrew for "anointed one": the promised deliverer and King from David's line. Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah.
Parable — A short story Jesus told to teach a spiritual truth. See how to understand parables.
Prophet — A person who speaks God's message, often calling people back to God and announcing future events.
Redemption — Being bought back or set free at a price, like a slave being freed. Christians are redeemed through the death of Jesus (Ephesians 1:7).
Repentance — A change of mind and direction: turning away from sin and turning to God.
Resurrection — Rising from the dead to new, bodily life. Jesus rose on the third day, and the Bible promises resurrection for believers (1 Corinthians 15).
Righteousness — Being right with God and living rightly before him.
S–Z
Salvation — Rescue by God from sin and its consequences, bringing forgiveness, new life and eternal life.
Sanctification — The lifelong process by which the Holy Spirit makes believers more like Christ.
Sin — Rebellion against God; failing to live as God intended, in thought, word and deed. "For all have sinned" (Romans 3:23).
Trinity — The Christian belief that God is one God in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The word is not found in the Bible, but Christians believe the teaching is (see Matthew 28:19).
Old English words in the KJV
If you read the King James Version, a few older words are worth knowing:
- Charity — love (1 Corinthians 13).
- Conversation — way of life, conduct.
- Prevent — go before.
- Quick — living ("the quick and the dead").
- Suffer — allow ("Suffer little children to come unto me", Mark 10:14).
- Thee, thou, thy, thine — you, your (singular).
Keep a dictionary handy
A good Bible dictionary explains thousands of words, people and places. See Bible reference books explained and browse our Bible dictionaries.