Greek word · G1445

Ἑβραῖος

hebraios

a Hebrew

Hebraios is an ancient name for Abraham's people (Genesis 14:13; Jonah 1:9). In the first century it also marked Jews who spoke Hebrew or Aramaic and held to traditional ways, as distinct from 'Hellenists', Jews who spoke Greek (Acts 6:1).

Appears 4 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 24, 2026

What it means

Ἑβραῖος (WH, Ἐβ-), -α, -ον (Aram, עִבְרַי), as subst., ὁ Ἑ.,

[in LXX for עֵבֶר, עִבְרִי ;]

a Hebrew.

1. In OT, of Israelites in contrast with those of another race (Genesis 14:13, Exodus 1:15, Deuteronomy 15:12, al.).

2. In NT as the correlative of Ἑλληνιστής, a Jew who had adopted, in greater or less degree, Greek culture and Greek language. The distinction was not merely linguistic (DB, ii, 325); as far as it was so, Συριστής would be a more correct Greek term for the Jew of Semitic speech (see: Ἑβραΐς, and cf. Dalman, Words, 7): Acts 6:1, 2 Corinthians 11:22, Philippians 3:5.

† (AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Philippians 3:5

Range of meaning: Hebraios is an ancient name for Abraham's people (Genesis 14:13; Jonah 1:9). In the first century it also marked Jews who spoke Hebrew or Aramaic and held to traditional ways, as distinct from 'Hellenists', Jews who spoke Greek (Acts 6:1). With ex, 'out of', it means 'a Hebrew born of Hebrews', that is, of Hebrew parents.
Against the English: 'A Hebrew of Hebrews' (KJV, BSB, ESV, NASB) follows the Greek word for word. English readers tend to hear it as a superlative like 'King of kings', meaning 'the most Hebrew of all'. The Greek has the preposition ex ('from'), which points mainly to parentage. Some emphasis is likely, but the basic claim is ancestry. NLT's 'a real Hebrew if there ever was one' gets the tone and loses the parentage.
How it drifted: The English phrase looks like Hebrew superlative idioms such as 'holy of holies' and 'king of kings'. Those are built differently in Greek, without ek.
Used elsewhere in the period: Acts 6:1 contrasts 'Hellenists' and 'Hebrews' within the Jerusalem church. In 2 Corinthians 11:22 Paul answers rivals with 'Are they Hebrews? So am I.' Acts 21:40 and 22:2 show Paul addressing a Jerusalem crowd 'in the Hebrew dialect', probably Aramaic. Acts 22:3 says he was brought up in Jerusalem. BDAG s.v. Ἑβραῖος notes the linguistic and cultural sense alongside the ethnic one.

From the study of 2 Corinthians 11:22

Range of meaning: (1) A member of the ancient people descended from Abraham. The word has an old-fashioned, ancestral ring. (2) In the first century it often meant a Jew who spoke Hebrew or Aramaic and kept close ties to the land of Israel, as opposed to a Greek-speaking Jew of the dispersion. (3) 'The Hebrew language', which by then could also mean Aramaic (John 5:2; Acts 21:40).
Against the English: Every major English version says 'Hebrews', which is correct. A modern reader, though, may take it as just another word for 'Jews', or think of the New Testament letter to the Hebrews. The extra point, that this person belongs to the homeland and its language, is easy to miss.
How it drifted: In modern English 'Hebrew' is mainly the name of a language, or an old-fashioned word for 'Jewish'. The first-century contrast between Hebrew-speaking and Greek-speaking Jews has dropped out of everyday knowledge.
Used elsewhere in the period: Acts 6:1 sets 'Hellenists' (Greek-speaking Jewish believers) against 'Hebrews' (Aramaic-speaking ones) in the Jerusalem church. Paul calls himself 'a Hebrew of Hebrews' in Philippians 3:5. In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) the word often marks Israel as distinct from foreigners: Abram 'the Hebrew' (Gen 14:13), and Jonah 'I am a Hebrew' (Jonah 1:9). 4 Maccabees uses 'Hebrews' for the faithful martyrs, which gives the word a noble, traditional tone. Josephus and Philo use it for the ancient people and their language.

Similar words

Where it appears

Acts · 1

Acts 6:1 Ἑβραίους, Hebrews,

In those days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Grecian Jews among them began to grumble against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

Here: Here it means Jewish believers rooted in the land, who spoke Aramaic (and used Hebrew in worship). It names one group of Jews set beside another. It is not a general word for Jews.

2 Corinthians · 1

2 Corinthians 11:22 Ἑβραῖοί Hebrews

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

Here: Comes first in the sentence for emphasis. It probably names Jews tied to the homeland and its language, Hebrew or Aramaic, more than Jews by birth in general. It is the most 'ancestral' of the three labels.

Philippians · 2

Philippians 3:5 Ἑβραῖος Ἑβραίων, a Hebrew, Hebrews,

circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;

Here: An old, honoured name for the people. In the first century it often pointed to Jews who kept the ancestral language (Hebrew or Aramaic) and traditional ways, as opposed to Greek-speaking Jews (compare Acts 6:1).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.