The Semitic Roots of “Gospel”
In the Syriac Peshitta—the Aramaic version of the New Testament—Jesus is described as teaching the “Good News” using the word ܒܫܪܬܐ (beshartā), a Semitic cognate of the Hebrew בְּשׂוֹרָה (besorah), meaning “good news” or “glad tidings.”
This word comes from the Aramaic/Syriac root ܒܫܪ (b-sh-r), “to announce good news,” the same concept expressed in Hebrew b-s-r.
When Jesus preaches the Kingdom of God in the Peshitta Gospels, this Semitic expression is used naturally within his native linguistic environment.
Peshitta Example: Jesus’ “Good News” in Mark 1:14–15
Syriac (Peshitta):
Transliteration:
W-batar eshtalem Yuḥanan, ata Yeshua l-Galila, karaz b-sabrta d-Alaha.
W-amar: d-mleh zbanā w-maṭt malkutha d-Alaha; tuvū w-haymenū b-sabrta.
Translation:
“After John was delivered up, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Good News of God, and saying: ‘The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent and believe in the Good News.’”
(Mark 1:14–15, Peshitta)
In this passage, the Peshitta uses the native Syriac word sabrta (ܒܣܒܪܬܐ)—a direct Semitic term for “good news.”
Greek Version: The Same Passage
Greek (Mark 1:14–15):
Transliteration:
Ēlthen ho Iēsous eis tēn Galilaian kēryssōn to euangelion tou Theou, kai legōn: Metanoeite kai pisteuete en tō euangeliō.
Translation:
“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of God, and saying: ‘Repent and believe in the Gospel.’”
(Mark 1:14–15, Greek New Testament)
In Greek, both Jesus and Paul consistently use the same word Εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion), meaning good news, gospel.
Paul’s Letters: From Semitic “Sbrta” to Greek “Ewangeliyon”
While Jesus’ sayings in the Peshitta use the Semitic term sabrta, the Epistles of Paul in the same Syriac Bible use the transliterated Greek word ܐܘܢܓܠܝܘܢ (ewangeliyon), borrowed directly from euangelion.
This shift reflects the Greek influence on early Christian writings as the faith spread among Gentile (non-Semitic) communities.
Peshitta Example: Paul’s “Ewangeliyon” in Romans 2:16
Syriac (Peshitta):
Transliteration:
B-yoma d-daʿen Alaha kasyata d-bnay nasha, aik ewangeliyon d-li b-yad Yeshua Mshikha.
Translation:
“On the day when God judges the secrets of men, according to my Gospel, by Jesus the Messiah.”
(Romans 2:16, Peshitta)
This verse demonstrates the adoption of a Greek loanword (ܐܘܢܓܠܝܘܢ / ewangeliyon).
The translators of the Peshitta preserved the Greek theological term for Paul’s writings while using native Aramaic vocabulary for the sayings of Jesus.
Language, Revelation, and Transition
By the 4th–6th centuries, most Christian believers were Greek-speaking Gentiles, not Semitic-speaking Israelites.
The Greek “Euangelion” became the standard term for the Gospel, even in Semitic Christian communities.
This historical evolution explains why the Qur’an, revealed in 7th-century Arabia, refers to the Christian revelation using a form of the same Greek word.
The Qur’an and the “Injīl”
The Qur’an confirms that revelation was always delivered in the language of its people, so they could understand:
Arabic (Q. 41:44):
Transliteration:
Wa law ja‘alnāhu Qur’ānan a‘jamiyyan la-qālū lawlā fuṣṣilat āyātuhu, afa‘jamiyyun wa ‘arabiyy? Qul huwa li-lladhīna āmanū hudan wa shifā’.
Translation:
“Had We made it a Qur’an in a foreign language, they would have said, ‘Why are its verses not explained clearly?’ Is it foreign and an Arab [prophet]? Say: It is, for those who believe, a guidance and a healing.”
(Qur’an 41:44)
Later, the Qur’an directly references the revelation given to Jesus:
Arabic (Q. 5:46):
Transliteration:
Wa qaffaynā ‘alā āthārihim bi-‘Īsā ibn Maryam muṣaddiqan limā bayna yadayhi mina at-Tawrāt, wa ātaynāhu al-Injīl fīhi hudan wa nūr.
Translation:
“And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus son of Mary, confirming the Torah that came before him. And We gave him the Injīl (Gospel), in which was guidance and light.”
(Qur’an 5:46)
The Qur’anic Injīl (ٱلْإِنجِيل) is derived from the Syriac “Ewangeliyon”, which in turn comes from the Greek Euangelion — tracing the linguistic journey of “Good News” from Aramaic to Greek to Arabic.
Conclusion
Across Scripture, the “Gospel” evolves not only as a spiritual concept but also as a linguistic bridge among Semitic and Indo-European tongues:
| Stage | Language | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hebrew | בְּשׂוֹרָה (Besorah) | Good news / glad tidings | |
| 2. Aramaic/Syriac | ܒܫܪܬܐ (Beshartā / Sabrta) | The good news | |
| 3. Greek | Εὐαγγέλιον (Euangelion) | The Gospel | |
| 4. Syriac (loan) | ܐܘܢܓܠܝܘܢ (Ewangeliyon) | Gospel (Greek loan) | |
| 5. Arabic | ٱلْإِنجِيل (Injīl) | The Gospel (Arabic form) |
This linguistic trail mirrors the spread of the Gospel message—from the Semitic tongue of Jesus, to the Greek-speaking world of Paul, and finally to the Arabic revelation of the Qur’an.
As the Qur’an reminds, every message was revealed “in the language of its people” (Qur’an 14:4).
Thus, the Good News—whether called Besorah, Sabrta, Euangelion, or Injīl—remains one message across languages: a divine announcement of guidance and light.
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