Greek word · G2408

Ἱερεμίας

hieremias

Jeremiah

The Greek form of Hebrew Yirmeyāhû. It refers to the prophet active from about 627 BC to after 587 BC, who announced that Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed, was beaten, imprisoned and called a traitor, and wept over his people.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 30, 2026

What it means

Ἰερεμίας (T, Rec. Ἱερ-; see WH, § 408), -ου, ὁ

Heb. Jeremiah the prophet: Matthew 2:17 16:14 27:9 (a ref. to Zechariah 11:13).†

(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 Matthew 16:14

Range of meaning: The Greek form of Hebrew Yirmeyāhû. It refers to the prophet active from about 627 BC to after 587 BC, who announced that Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed, was beaten, imprisoned and called a traitor, and wept over his people.
Against the English: KJV has "Jeremias", after the Greek. Modern versions have "Jeremiah". Matthew is the only Gospel that names Jeremiah, here and at 2:17 and 27:9. Mark 8:28 and Luke 9:19 do not mention him.
Used elsewhere in the period: 2 Maccabees 2:1-8 says Jeremiah hid the tent of meeting, the ark and the incense altar in a cave on Mount Nebo, to stay hidden "until God gathers his people together again." In 2 Maccabees 15:13-16 Jeremiah appears in Judas Maccabeus's dream as "the lover of his brothers who prays much for the people," and hands Judas a golden sword. The Lives of the Prophets (a Jewish work of roughly the 1st century AD) repeats the hidden-ark tradition and ties it to the resurrection. Rabbinic tradition (b. Baba Bathra 14b) puts Jeremiah first in one ordering of the Latter Prophets.

From the study of Matthew 27:9

Range of meaning: Jeremiah, the prophet of Judah's last years before the Babylonian destruction (c. 627–580s BC); by extension, the book bearing his name.
Against the English: English readers expect a citation to point to one exact source. Ancient Jewish citation could name only the more prominent prophet when blending texts. Mark 1:2–3 says 'in Isaiah the prophet' before a combined quotation from Malachi, Exodus and Isaiah.
Used elsewhere in the period: Jeremiah 18:1–12 (the potter's house); 19:1–13 (a potter's jar bought and smashed in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom, the place renamed 'Valley of Slaughter', where they will bury until there is no room); 32:6–15 (Jeremiah buys a field with silver weighed out). The early Jewish view that Jeremiah's destiny was suffering rejection by Israel's leaders is also relevant; Matthew alone names Jeremiah in 2:17 and 16:14.

Where it appears

Matthew · 3

Matthew 2:17 Ἰερεμίου Jeremiah

Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

Here: The Greek form of Hebrew Yirmeyahu. This is the first of only two places where Matthew names Jeremiah in a fulfilment formula. The other is 27:9, the price of betrayal and the potter's field. Both introduce grim events.
Matthew 16:14 Ἰερεμίαν Jeremiah

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Here: The prophet of the temple's fall in 587 BC, who was rejected and persecuted by his own people. Only Matthew includes him in this list.
Matthew 27:9 Ἰερεμίου Jeremiah

Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on Him by the people of Israel,

Here: The named source. The wording that follows is mostly from Zechariah 11:12–13, while the potter, the field and the burial place echo Jeremiah (chs. 18–19, 32). See the debates below.

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