What Language Did Jesus Speak?

It is widely agreed among historians that Jesus primarily spoke Aramaic, the common language of Palestine and Syria. By the 6th century bce, Aramaic had largely replaced Hebrew as the everyday language of Jews, while Hebrew remained in use for religious and scholarly purposes.

As a Galilean from Nazareth, Jesus would have naturally spoken Aramaic, the lingua franca of the region. The influence of Aramaic was so strong that parts of the Bible, including the books of Daniel and Ezra, were written in it.

Jesus would also have been familiar with Hebrew, particularly for reading scripture and participating in religious ceremonies, though it was not the language he used for everyday conversation or teaching.

Greek was the language of administration and trade in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire, and it later became the language of the New Testament writings. Jesus likely had some knowledge of Greek, especially for interactions with non-Jews and urban dwellers, but it is unlikely to have been his primary language of communication.