Aramaic language

Aramaic was the common language of the Eastern Mediterranean during and after the Neo-Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian, and Achaemenid Empires (722–330 BC) and remained a common language of the region in the first century AD. In spite of the increasing importance of Greek, the use of Aramaic was also expanding, and it would eventually be dominant among Jews both in the Holy Land and elsewhere in the Middle East around 200 AD and would remain so until the Islamic conquests in the seventh century. It is generally agreed that Jesus and his disciples primarily spoke Aramaic.

History

Aramaic is an ancient language spoken by Arameans and Hebrews since ancient times. The word "Aramaic" comes from Aramaic word "Aramait." Aramait can be seen in Aramaic Revelation of Crawford Codex manuscript. Aramaic commonly uses the prefix "Nun" for the conjugation of the imperfect in "third person singular (masculine), third person plural, first person plural." In Aramaic New Testament, the imperfect of "third person singular (masculine), third person plural, first person plural" is conjugated with prefix "Nun." Some Aramaic speaking regions prefer to use prefix "yodh" instead of prefix "nun" for the imperfect of "third person singular (masculine), third person plural, first person plural" which can be read in Birecik inscription mentioned in Book "The Old Syriac Inscriptions of Edessa and Osrhoene" by Han J.W. Drijvers and John F. Healey.

Aramaic called Hebrew in 1st century AD

Unlike Hebrew Priest Josephus and other Hebrew Priests at Jerusalem, the people of first century Israel had no knowledge of Hebrew. That is why whenever the Apostles say Hebrew, the word comes up is Aramaic. In John 19:17 & John 19:13, Golgotha and Gabbatha are called Hebrew ("Ebraith"). But Golgotha and Gabbatha are transliteration of Aramaic words, because "tha" in Golgotha and Gabbatha is Aramaic definite article on a feminine noun in an emphatic state.

Aramaic word "Gagultha" is mistransliterated as Golgotha and Aramaic word "Gpiptha" is mistransliterated as "Gabbatha" in Greek. Mistransliteration of Aramaic words in Greek can also be seen in Josephus' Judean wars. Aramaic Peshitta (Aramaic NT) points out that Gagultha (commonly used by Hebrews in Judea and in Idumea) is called Qarqaptha by Hebrews and Arameans in Galilee and Northern regions like Lebanon, Syria, etc. For Example, Apostle Paul uses Qarqaptha in his letter to Romans .

Aramaic Peshitta points out that Gpiptha (commonly used by Hebrews in Judea and in Idumea) is called Rtsiptha by Hebrews and Arameans in Galilee and Northern regions like Lebanon, Syria, etc.

In first century Israel, Hebrew ("Ebraith") refers to Aramaic script (used in Judea, Idumea, and Egypt), Aramaic accent (used in Judea, Idumea, and Egypt), and few certain Aramaic words commonly used among Hebrews living in Judea and in Idumea such as Gagultha, Gpiptha, Abadu (pronounced as "Awadu"), etc while Aramait refers to Aramaic written in Estrangela script (used in Galilee, Lebanon, Syria, and Northern Aramaic speaking regions), Aramaic accent (used in Galilee and Northern regions such as Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, etc.), and few certain Aramaic words commonly used among Hebrews and Arameans (living in Galilee, Lebanon, Syria, and Northern Aramaic speaking regions) such as Qarqaptha, Rtsiptha, Shara, etc . It must be noted that Simon Peter was exposed by his Aramaic accent from Galilee.