Nazarene — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Nazareth was Jesus’ hometown during the first 30 years of his life. Since the name Jesus was a common name among the Jews, and since surnames were not used, perhaps the designation Nazarene differentiated Jesus of Nazareth from others with the same name (see Greek texts of Mt 27:16-17; Acts 7:45; Col 4:11; and Heb 4:8, where the name Jesus refers to other men).

Show passage in OET: MAT 27:16–17

OET-RV MAT 27:16

16 At that time, there was a well-known prisoner named Bar -Aba (Grk. Barabbas),

OET-RV MAT 27:17

17 so when all the people had gathered, Pilatos (Pilate) shouted down to them, “Who would you all like me to release: Bar-Aba or Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) who’s also being called the messiah?”

OET-LV MAT 27:16

16 And they _were _having then the_ notable _prisoner being _called Barabbas.

OET-LV MAT 27:17

17 Therefore of _them having _been _gathered _together, the Pilatos said to _them:
Whom are _you _all _willing I _may _send _away to _you _all, Barabbas or Yaʸsous, who is being _called the_chosen _one /messiah?

Show passage in OET: ACT 7:45

OET-RV ACT 7:45

45 Our ancestors then carried that tent into the land, having inherited it along with Yehoshua (Joshua) from the possession of the pagans which God drove out ahead of them. The tent remained there until the time of David

OET-LV ACT 7:45

45 which also the fathers of _us they _brought _in, having _inherited with Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) in the possession of _the nations, whom the god drove _out from the_face of _the fathers of _us, until the days of _Dawid/(Dāvid),

Show passage in OET: COL 4:11

OET-RV COL 4:11

11 Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) who’s nicknamed Yustos also sends his greetings. These guys are from strict Jewish backgrounds, but they’re my only fellow-workers for God’s kingdom who became an encouragement to me.

OET-LV COL 4:11

11 and Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa), the one being _called Youstos, these are the ones being of the_circumcision, the_only fellow-workers for the kingdom of_ the _god, who were _become an_encouragement to _me.

Show passage in OET: HEB 4:8

OET-RV HEB 4:8

8 Because if Yehoshua (Joshua) had given them rest, God wouldn’t be speaking afterwards about another day.

OET-LV HEB 4:8

8 For/Because if them Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) rested, not would about another he _was _speaking after these things day.

Jump to OET MAT 27:16–17 section.

Jump to OET ACT 7:45 section.

Jump to OET COL 4:11 section.

Jump to OET HEB 4:8 section.

In the original texts, the designation Jesus the Nazarene was used by demons (Mk 1:24; Lk 4:34), the crowd outside Jericho (Mk 10:47; Lk 18:37), a servant girl (Mk 14:67), soldiers (Jn 18:5-7), Pilate (Jn 19:19), the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:19), and the angel at the tomb (Mk 16:6).

Show passage in OET: MRK 1:24

OET-RV MRK 1:24

24 “What are we to you, Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) of Nazaret (Nazareth)? You’ve come to destroy us. I know that you’re God’s holy one.”

OET-LV MRK 1:24

24 saying:
What to _us and to _you, Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) Nazaraʸnos?
You _came to _destroy us?
I _have _known who you are, the holy one of_ the _god.

Show passage in OET: LUK 4:34

OET-RV LUK 4:34

34 “Ha! What do we have in common with you, Yeshua the man from Nazaret (Nazareth)? Did you come here to destroy us? I know who you are—you’re the holy one from God.”

OET-LV LUK 4:34

34 Ha.
What to _us and to _you, Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) Nazaraʸnos?
Came _you to _destroy us?
I _have _known who you are, the holy one of_ the _god.

Show passage in OET: MRK 10:47

OET-RV MRK 10:47

47 When he heard that it was Yeshua from Nazaret going past, he yelled out, “Yeshua, promised descendant of David, help me please.”

OET-LV MRK 10:47

47 And having _heard that it _is Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) the from _Nazaret, he _began to _be _crying _out and to _be _saying, son of _Dawid/(Dāvid), Yaʸsous, show _mercy to _me.

Show passage in OET: LUK 18:37

OET-RV LUK 18:37

37 and they told him that Yeshua from Nazaret was passing by,

OET-LV LUK 18:37

37 And they _reported to _him, that Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) the from _Nazaret is _passing _by.

Show passage in OET: MRK 14:67

OET-RV MRK 14:67

67 and seeing Kefa warming himself, she looked more closely and said, “Hey, you were with that Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) from Nazaret (Nazareth)!”

OET-LV MRK 14:67

67 and having _seen the Petros warming himself, having _focused _in to _him she _is _saying:
You also were with Yaʸsous the the Nazaraʸnos.

Show passage in OET: JHN 18:5–7

OET-RV JHN 18:5

5 And they answered, “Yeshua—the one from Nazaret.”
¶ Yeshua responded, “I am the one.”
¶ Yehudah, the one handing him over, was standing there among them.

OET-RV JHN 18:6

6 But when Yeshua had said that he is the one, they backed away and fell to the ground.

OET-RV JHN 18:7

7 So he asked them again, “Who are you all looking for?”
¶ And they answered, “Yeshua—the one from Nazaret.”

OET-LV JHN 18:5

5 They _answered to _him:
Yaʸsous the from _Nazaret.
Yaʸsous he _is _saying to _them:
I am he.
and also Youdas, who giving_ him _over had _stood, with them.

OET-LV JHN 18:6

6 Therefore when he _said to _them:
I am he, they _went _away back to the things and they _fell on _the _ground.

OET-LV JHN 18:7

7 Therefore again he _asked them:
Whom are _you _all _seeking?
And they said:
Yaʸsous the from _Nazaret.

Show passage in OET: JHN 19:19

OET-RV JHN 19:19

19 Pilatos (Pilate) wrote out a title and put it on the post: Yeshua from Nazaret, the king of the Yehudim (Jews).

OET-LV JHN 19:19

19 And the Pilatos wrote also a_title, and put on the stake.
And it _was having _been _written:
Yaʸsous the from _Nazaret, the king of _the Youdaiōns.

Show passage in OET: LUK 24:19

OET-RV LUK 24:19

19 “What happened?” he asked.
¶ “What happened to the man, Yeshua from Nazaret (Nazareth),” they answered. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles and delivered a powerful message in front of God and all the people.

OET-LV LUK 24:19

19 And he _said to _them:
What things?
And they said to _him:
The things concerning Yaʸsous the Nazaraʸnos, who became a_man, a_prophet, powerful in work and message, before the god and all the people,

Show passage in OET: MRK 16:6

OET-RV MRK 16:6

6 He assured them, “Don’t be surprised. I know you’re looking for Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) from Nazaret (Nazareth), the one who was executed on a post. But see there where his body was—he’s not there, because he came back to life.

OET-LV MRK 16:6

6 And he is _saying to _them:
Be_ not _being _greatly _amazed.
You _all _are _seeking Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) the Nazaraʸnos, the one having _been _executed _on _a _stake.
He _was _raised.
He _is not here, see, the place where they _laid him.

Jump to OET MRK 1:24 section.

Jump to OET LUK 4:34 section.

Jump to OET MRK 10:47 section.

Jump to OET LUK 18:37 section.

Jump to OET MRK 14:67 section.

Jump to OET JHN 18:5–7 section.

Jump to OET JHN 19:19 section.

Jump to OET LUK 24:19 section.

Jump to OET MRK 16:6 section.

The apostles in Acts used the designation to identify Jesus. Peter speaks of Jesus the Nazarene in his sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:22), and at the temple gate in a subsequent healing (3:6; 4:10). Paul identifies Jesus as such in Acts 26:9.

Show passage in OET: ACT 2:22

OET-RV ACT 2:22

22 “Fellow Israelis, listen to this account: You yourselves know that God did miracles through Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) from Nazaret, and he fulfilled signs from the scriptures—in fact God did this right in front of you.

OET-LV ACT 2:22

22 Men, ones_from _Israaʸl/(Yisrā^ʼēl), hear the messages these:
Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) the from _Nazaret, a_man having _been _demonstrated by the god to you _all by _miracles, and wonders, and signs, which the god did by him in the_midst of _you _all, as you _all_ yourselves _have _known.

Show passage in OET: ACT 3:6

OET-RV ACT 3:6

6 But Kefa said, “I don’t have any silver or gold, but I’ll give you what I do have. With the authority of Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the messiah from Nazaret, I command you to walk.”

OET-LV ACT 3:6

6 But Petros said:
Silver and gold is_ not _being to _me, but this what I _am _having, I _am _giving to _you, in the name of_Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) chosen _one /messiah of _the from _Nazaret, be _walking.

Show passage in OET: ACT 4:10

OET-RV ACT 4:10

10 then you all need to know, and the people of Yisrael (Israel) should also know, that it was done under the authority and name of Yeshua the messiah. He was the man from Nazaret that you executed on a pole, but who God brought back to life. It was because of his authority that this man can now stand before you without deformity.

OET-LV ACT 4:10

10 it _let _be known to _all you _all and to _all the people of _Israaʸl/(Yisrā^ʼēl), that in the name of_Yaʸsous chosen _one /messiah the from _Nazaret, whom you _all executed _on _a _stake, whom the god raised from the_dead, by this name this man has _stood _by before you _all healthy.

Show passage in OET: ACT 26:9

OET-RV ACT 26:9

9 “I too originally thought it necessary to do many things to oppose the cause of this Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) from Nazaret.

OET-LV ACT 26:9

9 Therefore indeed I supposed to _myself it _to _be _fitting to _do many contrary things to the name of_Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) of_ the _from _Nazaret.

Jump to OET ACT 2:22 section.

Jump to OET ACT 3:6 section.

Jump to OET ACT 4:10 section.

Jump to OET ACT 26:9 section.

One hostile reference to the name is in Acts 6:14. The false witnesses against Stephen accused him before the Sanhedrin of saying, “This Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place [temple] and alter the customs that Moses handed down to us” (see Greek). Another antagonistic reference is in Acts 24:5, the only reference to Jesus’ followers as Nazarenes. Tertullus accused Paul, saying, “For we have found him to be a troublemaker, a man who is constantly inciting the Jews throughout the world to riots and rebellions against the Roman government. He is a ringleader of the sect known as the Nazarenes” (NLT).

Show passage in OET: ACT 6:14

OET-RV ACT 6:14

14 because we heard him saying that that Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) from Nazaret will be tearing down this building and will be changing the traditions that Mosheh gave to us.”

OET-LV ACT 6:14

14 for/because we _have _heard him saying that this Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) the from _Nazaret will _be _tearing _down the this place, and will _be _changing the customs that Mōsaʸs gave _over to _us.

Show passage in OET: ACT 24:5

OET-RV ACT 24:5

5 This man here has been found to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Yehudim (Jews) throughout the inhabited world, and as a ring-leader of the Nazoraios sect

OET-LV ACT 24:5

5 For/Because having _found the this man a_pestilence, and stirring insurrections to _all the Youdaiōns which in the inhabited _world, and a_ring _leader of _the of _the Nazōraios sect,

Jump to OET ACT 6:14 section.

Jump to OET ACT 24:5 section.

With regard to the name “Nazarene,” Matthew 2:23 has always been problematic: “So they went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophets concerning the Messiah: ‘He will be called a Nazarene’ ” (NLT). No OT prophecy directly states that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene. Some scholars relate Matthew’s reference to Isaiah 11:1, which speaks of the Messiah as a Branch, a Hebrew term derived from the same root as “Nazareth.” Others suggest that the OT prophecies concern the despising and reviling of the Messiah as having been thought by others to be a Nazarene, when it was well known that the Messiah was supposed to come from Bethlehem, the city of David. Of course, that is where Jesus was born, but he was raised in Nazareth and subsequently was known as a Nazarene and thereby ridiculed. Thus, the prophecy was fulfilled when some of his contemporaries called him a Nazarene, from the despised town of Nazareth (Jn 1:46; cf. Mt 13:54; Mk 6:2-3; Lk 4:22).