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Study · 30 days
Words of the original
30 Hebrew and Greek words, each with its meaning and a verse.
- Day 1
bara — to create
Gen 1:1 · Strong’s H1254To shape, fashion, create. In this sense the subject of the verb is always God: the heavens and the earth, living creatures, humankind. In the passive it is used of a birth and of something new and astonishing coming into being. Another form means “to cut down”.
- Day 2
chen — favor, grace
Gen 6:8 · Strong’s H2580Favor and grace; also elegance, charm. Most often it is the favor, the acceptance, that one person finds with another: to “find favor in someone’s eyes” is to be accepted and treated kindly. It comes from the verb chanan, “to show favor, to be gracious”.
- Day 3
tsedaqah — righteousness
Gen 15:6 · Strong’s H6666Righteousness, what is right and just: in the way a ruler governs, in a case brought to court, in truthful speech and in right conduct. It can also mean being proved right — vindication, deliverance. In the plural it means “righteous acts”.
- Day 4
yeshuah — salvation, rescue
Exod 15:2 · Strong’s H3444Deliverance, rescue, salvation; also welfare and victory. Most often it is rescue by God — first of all from outward dangers such as enemies, often with a spiritual sense added. It comes from yasha, “to deliver, set free”, the root of the names Joshua and Jesus (Yeshua).
- Day 5
shabbat — Sabbath, rest
Exod 20:8 · Strong’s H7676The Sabbath, the seventh day of rest. The word is also used of the Day of Atonement, of the sabbath year when the land rested, and of what grew by itself in that year. It comes from shavat, “to cease, to stop, to rest”.
- Day 6
kavod — glory, honor
Exod 33:18 · Strong’s H3519From kaved, “to be heavy, weighty”: what gives a person weight. It means abundance and riches; honor, splendor and dignity of position; a good reputation; in poetry “my glory” is a person’s inner self. Of God it is the glory and honor that belong to him.
- Day 7
shalom — peace
Num 6:26 · Strong’s H7965Completeness and soundness, from shalem, “to be whole, complete”. It covers safety and health, welfare and prosperity, quiet and contentment, friendship between people and with God, and freedom from war. It closes the priestly blessing that Aaron and his sons spoke over Israel.
- Day 8
shema — hear, listen
Deut 6:4 · Strong’s H8085To hear — and with it to listen, pay attention, understand and obey; in the passive, to be heard, to be heeded. Another form means “to make heard, to proclaim”. “Hear, O Israel” opens the prayer that Jews call the Shema, recited every morning and evening.
- Day 9
goel — redeemer, kinsman
Job 19:25 · Strong’s H1350The one who acts as kinsman, “doing the part of the next of kin” (gaal): buying back a relative’s land or freedom by paying its value, or avenging a relative’s blood. Used of God, the word implies a personal relationship. Boaz acts as goel for Ruth.
- Day 10
torah — instruction, law
Ps 1:2 · Strong’s H8451Direction, instruction, law. It comes from yarah, which first means “to throw, to shoot” and in another form “to point out, to teach”. Torah is the teaching of parents, wise men, priests and prophets; a law or a body of laws; rarely, a custom.
- Day 11
mashiach — anointed one
Ps 2:2 · Strong’s H4899From mashach, “to smear, anoint”: one set apart for an office with oil poured on the head. It is used of Israel’s kings, of the high priest, of the Persian king Cyrus as commissioned by the LORD, and of a prince to come in Daniel 9. Greek translated it christos.
- Day 12
hesed — loyal love, kindness
Ps 136:1 · Strong’s H2617Goodness and kindness. Between people it is doing favors and good to one another, especially kindness to the lowly and needy — mercy; rarely, love and devotion toward God. Of God it is lovingkindness in meeting the needs of his creatures. Psalm 136 repeats it in every verse.
- Day 13
qadosh — holy
Isa 6:3 · Strong’s H6918Sacred, holy. The words of its family center on being set apart: qodesh is “apartness, sacredness”, and qadash means “to be set apart, consecrated”. Places, days, objects and people were holy when set apart for God. The seraphim in Isaiah’s vision call it out three times.
- Day 14
ruach — wind, breath, spirit
Ezek 37:9 · Strong’s H7307Breath, wind, spirit. It means the breath of mouth or nostrils, the wind, a person’s temper or disposition, the spirit of a living being and the seat of feeling, and the Spirit of God. In Ezekiel 37 the one word is translated breath, wind and Spirit.
- Day 15
emunah — faithfulness, firmness
Hab 2:4 · Strong’s H0530Firmness, steadiness — Moses’ hands stayed “steady” until sunset — then steadfastness, fidelity, faithfulness. It comes from aman, “to support, make firm”; another form of that verb means “to trust, believe”, and amen is from the same root. The Greek translation rendered it pistis.
- Day 16
makarios μακάριος — blessed, happy
Matt 5:3 · Strong’s G3107In older Greek poetry the word described the happy state of the gods. In the New Testament it congratulates people: “happy, fortunate is the one who…”. The Beatitudes each begin with it.
- Day 17
splanchnizomai σπλαγχνίζομαι — to feel compassion
Matt 14:14 · Strong’s G4697Built on splanchna, the inner organs, which Greek speakers saw as the seat of feelings. It means to be moved deep inside, to feel pity. In the Gospels it is used almost only of Jesus and of characters in his parables.
- Day 18
euangelion εὐαγγέλιον — good news, gospel
Mark 1:1 · Strong’s G2098In classical Greek, a reward given to a messenger who brought good news; later, the good news itself — for example, of a victory. In the New Testament it is the good news about Jesus; the books about his life came to be called Gospels.
- Day 19
doxa δόξα — glory, honor
Luke 2:14 · Strong’s G1391Originally “opinion”, then a good opinion — reputation, honor, praise. The Greek translators of the Hebrew Bible used it for kavod, so in the New Testament doxa also means the splendor and majesty of God.
- Day 20
metanoia μετάνοια — repentance
Luke 15:7 · Strong’s G3341Literally “a change of mind”, an afterthought. In the New Testament it is a turning around of the whole person: leaving wrongdoing behind and turning to God, as the prodigal son turns back home.
- Day 21
logos λόγος — word
John 1:1 · Strong’s G3056A word that carries a thought; a saying, a message, an account, also reason. Greek philosophers used logos for the order behind the world, and the Greek Old Testament for the word of God. John’s Gospel begins with it.
- Day 22
pneuma πνεῦμα — wind, breath, spirit
John 3:8 · Strong’s G4151Like Hebrew ruach, it means moving air: wind, breath, and also spirit. Jesus’ words to Nicodemus play on this double sense — the wind blows where it wishes, and so does the Spirit.
- Day 23
anastasis ἀνάστασις — resurrection
John 11:25 · Strong’s G0386Literally “a standing up again”, a rising: from sleep, or from the dead. In Jesus’ time the Pharisees believed in a resurrection at the end of the age and the Sadducees did not.
- Day 24
paraklētos παράκλητος — helper, advocate
John 14:16 · Strong’s G3875“One called to stand beside”: in Greek courts, a friend who spoke for the accused. Translations give advocate, counselor, comforter or helper. In John’s Gospel Jesus uses it of the Holy Spirit.
- Day 25
teleō τελέω — to finish, complete
John 19:30 · Strong’s G5055To bring to an end, complete, carry out; also to pay what is owed. Jesus’ last word in John’s Gospel is one form of this verb, tetelestai: “it is finished, it is accomplished”.
- Day 26
koinōnia κοινωνία — fellowship, sharing
Acts 2:42 · Strong’s G2842From koinos, “common”: having a share in something together with others. It means fellowship and close relationship, and also a practical sharing of goods — Paul uses it for the collection for the poor in Jerusalem.
- Day 27
abba ἀββά — father
Rom 8:15 · Strong’s G0005An Aramaic word for “father”, used in the family. It appears three times in the New Testament, always followed by the Greek translation: “Abba, Father”. Jesus prays with this word in Gethsemane.
- Day 28
agapē ἀγάπη — love
1 Cor 13:13 · Strong’s G0026Love, goodwill, esteem. The noun is very rare outside the Bible and Christian writings. The Greek Old Testament used it for the Hebrew ahavah, and the New Testament for the love of God and the love people show one another.
- Day 29
charis χάρις — grace, favor
2 Cor 12:9 · Strong’s G5485Charm and graciousness; kindness and goodwill freely given; also the thanks given in return. The Greek Old Testament used it for Hebrew chen, favor. Paul opens and closes nearly every letter with it.
- Day 30
pistis πίστις — faith, trust
Heb 11:1 · Strong’s G4102Trust and confidence in someone, and also faithfulness — being worth trusting. The Greek Old Testament used it for Hebrew emunah. Hebrews 11 describes it through a long line of people who acted on what they had not yet seen.
In the app the plan keeps your place, marks the days read and reminds you each day. Berean Standard Bible.
Greek meanings shortened from STEPBible Data, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 — STEPBible Data (CC BY 4.0).
Hebrew meaning condensed from Brown–Driver–Briggs (1906, public domain), digital edition: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project · CC BY 4.0. Gloss: STEPBible Data · CC BY 4.0 — Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project (CC BY 4.0).
