Amen An affirmation meaning “trustworthy” or “surely” that is often used to end prayers or religious statements.

Annunciation The announcement by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive the Son of God by the Holy Spirit.

Anoint To apply oil or ointment to a person or object to mark their dedication to God.

Apocrypha (or apocryphal) Books of the Bible added to the Hebrew Old Testament by Catholic and Orthodox churches. Jews and Protestants do not accept the Apocrypha as part of the canon.

Apostles Special messengers commissioned by Jesus to preach with authority in His name. These included 11 of the 12 original disciples and Paul.

Ark of the Covenant A wooden box overlaid with gold that God instructed the Israelites to build to contain the Ten Commandments.

Armageddon The place of God’s ultimate victory over evil. It is mentioned only once in the Bible, in the Book of Revelation.

Ascension Jesus’s ascent to heaven on the 40th day after His resurrection.

Baal The storm god of the Canaanites and the most important (though not chief) god in the Canaanite pantheon.

Baptism A Christian ceremony in which the “washing away” of sins with water symbolizes rebirth and admission to the Church.

Beatitudes, The A series of blessings that Jesus bestows on those with special qualities in His Sermon on the Mount. These blessings echo His teachings.

Birthright The right of a firstborn son to inherit a larger share of his father’s property than his siblings.

Blasphemy The offense of misusing or desecrating God’s name in action, speech, or writing.

Burnt offering A type of sacrifice common in the Old Testament—in which an entire animal is consumed by fire. Such offerings were either thanksgivings for God’s goodness or atonements for sin.

Canaan The land between the River Jordan, the Dead Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. It is sometimes referred to as the Promised Land.

Canon, The From Greek for “rule.” It refers to the list of books accepted as part of the Bible.

Cherub (plural cherubim) An angelic being with a human face and wings that serves God.

Chief Priests The men in charge of Temple worship in Jerusalem.

Christ From Christos, Greek for “messiah,” the anointed one. In the New Testament, this is Jesus.

Circumcision The removal of the foreskin done when a Jewish boy is 8 days old as a sign of membership in God’s Covenant.

Codex A handwritten manuscript with writing on both sides of the page that can be made into a book.

Council of Jerusalem Possibly the first assembly of the Christian Church, in 49 CE. It affirmed that Gentiles did not need to adopt the custom of circumcision for entry into the community of believers.

Covenant A binding agreement, based on faithful loyalty, between God and His people.

Cubit An ancient measure, both of length and distance, of about 18 inches (0.5m)—the distance from the fingertips to the elbow.

Cult A system of religious worship. In the Hebrew Bible, the Temple cult was a system of sacrifices and rituals.

Cuneiform A writing system developed by the Sumerians that used wedge-shaped characters.

Denarius A Roman coin and the standard pay for a day’s work during the time of Jesus.

Diaspora, The The dispersal or scattering of large groups of people throughout the world.

Disciple A follower who serves Jesus Christ. In the Gospels, the term refers to Christ’s inner circle.

Elder A local community leader. In the New Testament, elders are senior members of the Church.

Epistle A letter. Twenty-one of the New Testament’s books are epistles.

Evangelist One who preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are not believers, aiming to bring people to recognize Jesus as Lord and Messiah.

Exiles, The The name given to expelled inhabitants of Israel after the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom in 722 BCE and also to those forced from the southern kingdom of Judah after the Babylonian conquest a century later.

Exodus, The The Israelites’ release from slavery in Egypt and their journey to Canaan, the Promised Land, under the leadership of Moses.

Fall, The The disobedience of Adam and Eve that led to judgment of mankind. In Christian doctrine, this is when sin enters the world and pervades all humanity.

Gentile A non-Jewish person.

Gnosticism A general term for 2nd-century heretical sects that sought to live a purely spiritual life by way of a secret knowledge (gnosis).

Gospel The teaching that God offers redemption to humanity through the salvation Jesus Christ brought by His life, death, and resurrection. When written with an initial capital, it refers to the first four books of the New Testament.

Grace Abundant love freely given to humanity by God through Christ.

Hanukkah A Jewish religious festival lasting eight days that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees in 160 BCE and the rededication of the Temple.

Hebrew Bible The name used by some non-Jews to refer to the Jewish Scriptures. The Hebrew term is Tanakh.

Hellenism The characteristics and spirit of Alexander the Great’s empire and its successors. Additionally, the attempt by those empires to impose Greek language, culture, and religion on the peoples they had conquered.

Herodian Of, or concerning, Herod the Great, king of Judea (37–4 BCE), or members of his family.

High place A raised place used for religious worship, hence a sanctuary. Often used in relation to shrines for Canaanite gods.

High priest The senior Jewish leader responsible for the nation’s spiritual well-being.

Idol An image, often carved and made of wood, metal, or stone, which is worshipped as a god.

Israel and Judah The northern and southern Jewish kingdoms, respectively, created after the United Monarchy was divided in c.930 BCE.

Jehovah A name for God related to the Hebrew term Yahweh.

Jews The tribespeople of Israel and their descendants.

Judgment Day The day when Jesus returns to Earth. Some believe it is also the end of the world, when God will assess every human being by identifying and condemning sin and absolving and rewarding believers.

Judges Leaders who governed the tribes of Israel from the death of Joshua to the time of Samuel; and the name of the Old Testament book concerning that same period.

Kingdom of God The teaching that the entire world will come to accept sovereign rule of God; the Kingdom of God comes wherever God’s authority is recognized.

Law, The Mosaic Law given to the Israelites by God, aimed at creating a society based on their obligations to each other, to the land, and to God under the Covenant.

Leprosy An infectious skin disease. In the Bible, leprosy denotes a wider range of ailments than just the modern definition.

Living God Term denoting God as a living, active, and powerful deity in contrast to the idols of nations opposed to Israel.

Lots, casting of A traditional Israelite method of discerning the will of God in conflicts or disputes.

Manna Food provided by God for the Israelites on their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, with the appearance of coriander seed and the taste of honey.

Martyr Initially used to refer to one who spread the word of Jesus, it is later used to refer specifically to those who die for their faith.

Menorah A sacred candelabrum with seven branches used in the Temple in Jerusalem. It became an emblem of Israel and Judaism.

Mesopotamia Land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that included such cities as Babylon, Ur, and Nineveh.

Messiah Hebrew term meaning “the anointed one.”

Midrash A Jewish commentary on the Hebrew Bible.

Ministry The Old Testament associates the term with the work of the Temple priests. The New Testament cites Jesus as the model for Christian ministry.

Miracle An event defying natural laws that is usually attributed to divine powers.

Mishnah Jewish teachings, compiled in the late 2nd century CE, which forms the earlier portion of the Talmud.

Most Holy Place (also known as Holy of Holies) The most sacred part of the Temple in Jerusalem. It originally contained the Ark of the Covenant.

Ordination A ceremony in which someone is officially appointed into a religious leadership role.

Pagan From Latin paganus, meaning rural or of the countryside, the word came to refer to one who did not follow the one true God.

Parable A short story that uses everyday language and events to convey moral and spiritual truths.

Paradise A blessed place in which the righteous live. Paradise can refer to heaven or to the Garden of Eden prior to the Fall.

Passover The annual Jewish holiday commemorating the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt.

Pentateuch A Greek word used by Christians to describe the first five books of the Bible that comprise the original Torah.

Pentecost A feast, celebrated 50 days after Passover, when harvest fruits were offered at the Temple. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit descended on believers at Pentecost.

Pharaoh The title of the ancient Egyptian rulers.

Pharisees One of the main Jewish religious groups of the New Testament, known for their strict adherence to the Law.

Philistines Descendants of a people who possibly came from Crete, the Philistines infiltrated the eastern Mediterranean. Arriving in Canaan around the same time as the Israelites, they are their most notorious enemies.

Polytheistic Of, or concerning, the belief that there are many gods.

Praetorium Originally used to refer to a general’s tent in a camp or a military headquarters; also, the governor’s official residence in Jerusalem.

Prefect A title given to a local military or civil official of the Roman Empire.

Promised Land Canaan, the homeland God promised to the Israelites upon their escape from Egypt in Exodus.

Prophecy A message concerning the past, present, or future that is inspired and/or revealed by God and delivered by a prophet.

Prophets People who spoke words of prophecy. In the Old Testament, they are often called by God to explain the responsibilities and privileges of God’s Covenant.

Proverb A short popular saying that conveys a lesson about how to live wisely, often based on observations of everyday life.

Psalm A song, often used in worship to demonstrate praise and thanksgiving.

Rabbi From Hebrew for “teacher,” a title of honor given to a qualified Jewish religious teacher.

Repentance A complete change of heart leading to a change of action, involving confession of, deep regret for, and sincere turning away from sin to God.

Resurrection The giving of new life to a dead person, especially in relation to the raising of Jesus Christ by God after His death on the cross.

Revelation The disclosure of God’s will, nature, and purpose through the scriptures.

Righteous, The Especially in the Old Testament, the designation of people who lead lives that have spiritual and moral integrity according to God’s commands.

Sabbath The seventh day of the week, set aside as a day of rest and for the worship of God. It originally began on Friday evening for both Jews and Christians, but as Christ’s resurrection took place on Sunday, this displaced the Sabbath for Christians.

Sacrifice In the Hebrew Bible, an offering made to God, often involving slaughtering an animal. For Christians, the death of Jesus Christ is the one sacrifice that secures forgiveness by God.

Sadducees A Hellenized aristocracy of Jewish priests in the New Testament who dominated both temple worship and also the Sanhedrin. They opposed the Pharisees and Jesus.

Sanhedrin A Jewish council, either local or, in Jerusalem, the supreme council that was directed by the high priest. Members included teachers of the Law, elders, and chief priests.

Scripture The biblical writings received as the word of God; for example, the Hebrew Bible and/or the New Testament.

Septuagint The name of the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. The Bible of the early Church, the books of the New Testament were added as they became accepted.

Seraph (plural seraphim) Celestial being with two or three sets of wings that is a guardian of God’s throne.

Sheol Used in the Hebrew Bible to refer to a grave, pit, or tomb, cut off from God.

Showbread “Bread of the presence,” made from the finest ingredients, which was placed on a table in the Tabernacle and, later, in the Temple of Jerusalem.

Speaking in tongues A phenomenon in which people speak in languages unknown to them to praise God or to deliver a message from God.

Spirit The innermost nonmaterial part of a human being—one’s soul. The Old Testament sometimes describes the “Spirit of God.” In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.

Synoptic From Greek for “seeing things together.” The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels, because they share much material and have similar frameworks.

Tabernacle The large portable tent that formed the sanctuary in which the Israelites carried the Ark of the Covenant during their journey from Egypt to Canaan.

Talent A unit of weight equivalent to about 75 pounds (34kg) in Old Testament times. In the New Testament, it was a unit of value worth the wages of a laborer for 20 years.

Talmud A Jewish work containing interpretation of, and commentary on, the Torah, and the primary source of Jewish religious law.

Tanakh An acronym comprising the initial letters of the three sections of the Hebrew Bible: the Torah (the Teaching/Law), Nev’im (the Prophets), and Kethuvim (the Writings), combined in one work.

Temple, The In Jerusalem, the place where sacrifices could be made. The First Temple was built by King Solomon. The Second was built after the exile and was the one known to Jesus.

Teraphim Household gods or images venerated by ancient Semitic peoples.

Torah A term that used to refer solely to the Pentateuch, but in Jewish tradition came to mean the whole Hebrew Bible.

Transfiguration The revelation of Christ’s glory, witnessed by His closest disciples.

Transubstantiation The Catholic belief in the conversion of the wine and bread given at communion into the blood and body of Christ.

Typology The interpretation of figures or events in the Old Testament as foreshadowing those in the New Testament, particularly in relation to Christ.

Yahweh The name for God given by God to Moses. Yahweh stems from the letters “YHWH.”

Zealots Jewish rebels who fought against the Roman occupation of Judea at the time of Jesus Christ.

Ziggurat An Assyrian or Babylonian tower in which each successive storey is smaller than the one beneath it.

Zion Synonym for Jerusalem. The Temple was also known as Mount Zion. Zion is also used to refer to Israel, the Church, and heaven and is often represented as a peak extending into the heavens.