The Names of the Holy Spirit: Greek word cards
New, published 19 October 2026. What else is new
In one sentence: learn the Greek alphabet by learning the names the New Testament gives the Holy Spirit, one card at a time, starting with πνεῦμα, "Spirit".
✝️ John 14:26 (ESV)
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Every word on these cards is from the Greek New Testament, at the verse on the card. Most of the Spirit's names are "the Spirit of" something, so πνεῦμα (pneuma, G4151) is on nearly every card. The Names of the Holy Spirit is the study behind them, and the Hebrew word cards are the Old Testament deck. Learn the letters from the table in Learn Greek.
How the deck teaches the letters
The first card, πνεῦμα, has six letters. Each card after it adds a few more, and the front shows which, with a bar for how many of the 24 you have met. The last letter, psi, arrives on Peter's words to Ananias, "You have not lied to man but to God" (Acts 5:4, ESV): the card that shows the Holy Spirit is God. The order and the counts are worked out from the Greek on the cards, so they cannot drift from what is printed.
Reading a card
- The front has the words as the Greek New Testament prints them, accents included, and beneath them the same letters in uncial capitals, as the oldest manuscripts wrote them.
- The back has the reading in syllables with the stressed one underlined, the meaning, the verse (ESV), and a line marked Today on the word in modern Greek.
- Names as the verse writes them. Greek changes a word's ending with its place in the sentence, so a card keeps the form its verse uses: πνεῦμα, πνεύματος, πνεύματι are all "Spirit". The small words τό, τῆς, τοῦ and τῷ are forms of "the". On the 1 Peter 4:14 card, … marks the words left out between "of glory" and "Spirit".
- The last card is about the Spirit without being a name. It is the verse that says lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God.
Learning a card
On screen, choose Practise on screen above the cards. It shows one card at a time: read the word, show the reading to check yourself, then mark it Again or I read it. It introduces three new cards a day and brings each card back when it is due. Hear it uses your device's Greek voice, where it has one, which speaks modern Greek. Your progress is kept in this browser only.
On paper, take one card a day. Read the front aloud, then turn it over to check the reading. Each time you read it correctly on a later day, tick a circle: 1, 2, 4, 7, 14 and 30 days after you learn it.
How to print
- Choose Flashcards for the words on the front and everything else on the back, or Cards for one-sided cards.
- Print at A4, 100 % / actual size, with margins set to none and headers and footers off. Turn background graphics on.
- For flashcards, print double-sided, flip on long edge.
- Cut on the dashed lines.
The cards
πνεῦμα
ΠΝΕΥΜΑ
πνεῦμαpneu·ma
breath, wind, Spirit
The wind blows where it wishes John 3:8 ESV
Today Pnévma is still spirit, and also wit; to Ágio Pnévma is the Holy Spirit.
1τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον
ΤΟ ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΤΟ ΑΓΙΟΝ
τὸtoπνεῦμαpneu·maτὸtoἅγιονha·gi·on
the Holy Spirit; literally, the Spirit, the holy one
the Helper, the Holy Spirit John 14:26 ESV
Today Ágios is a saint in Greek today, as in Ágios Nikólaos.
2ὁ παράκλητος
Ο ΠΑΡΑΚΛΗΤΟϹ
ὁhoπαράκλητοςpa·ra·klē·tos
the Helper: one called alongside to helpalso “the Comforter, the Advocate”
But when the Helper comes John 15:26 ESV
Today Orthodox prayer still opens "Heavenly King, Paráklite", calling the Spirit the Comforter.
3τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας
ΤΟ ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΤΗϹ ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑϹ
τὸtoπνεῦμαpneu·maτῆςtēsἀληθείαςa·lē·thei·as
the Spirit of truth
When the Spirit of truth comes John 16:13 ESV
Today Alítheia is still truth, and alithiná means "really".
4πνεῦμα θεοῦ
ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΘΕΟΥ
πνεῦμαpneu·maθεοῦthe·ou
the Spirit of God
the Spirit of God dwells in you Romans 8:9 ESV
Today Theós is still God, and Thee mou! is "my God!"
5πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ
ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΧΡΙϹΤΟΥ
πνεῦμαpneu·maΧριστοῦChri·stou
the Spirit of Christ
Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him Romans 8:9 ESV
Today Christós; Christoúgenna, "Christ's birth", is Christmas.
6πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας
ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΥΙΟΘΕϹΙΑϹ
πνεῦμαpneu·maυἱοθεσίαςhui·o·the·si·as
the Spirit of adoption: of being made a son
the Spirit of adoption as sons Romans 8:15 ESV
Today Yiothesía is still the word for adoption.
7ἀρραβὼν
ΑΡΡΑΒΩΝ
ἀρραβὼνar·ra·bōn
guarantee, first payment, pledge
the guarantee of our inheritance Ephesians 1:14 ESV
Today Arravónas is an engagement today, and arravoniastikós a fiancé.
8τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς
ΤΟΥ ΠΝΕΥΜΑΤΟϹ ΤΗϹ ΖΩΗϹ
τοῦtouπνεύματοςpneu·ma·tosτῆςtēsζωῆςzō·ēs
the Spirit of life
the law of the Spirit of life Romans 8:2 ESV
Today Zoí is still life, and a zóo is an animal.
9πνεῦμα σοφίας
ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ϹΟΦΙΑϹ
πνεῦμαpneu·maσοφίαςso·phi·as
the Spirit of wisdom
the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation Ephesians 1:17 ESV
Today Sofía is still wisdom, and a common girl's name.
10τὸ τῆς δόξης … πνεῦμα
ΤΟ ΤΗϹ ΔΟΞΗϹ … ΠΝΕΥΜΑ
τὸtoτῆςtēsδόξηςdo·xēs…πνεῦμαpneu·ma
the Spirit of glory
the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you 1 Peter 4:14 ESV
Today Dóxa is glory: Dóxa to Theó, "glory to God", is how Greeks say "thank God".
11πνεύματος αἰωνίου
ΠΝΕΥΜΑΤΟϹ ΑΙΩΝΙΟΥ
πνεύματοςpneu·ma·tosαἰωνίουai·ō·ni·ou
the eternal Spirit
through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God Hebrews 9:14 ESV
Today Aiónios is still eternal, and aiónas is a century.
12τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς χάριτος
ΤΟ ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΤΗϹ ΧΑΡΙΤΟϹ
τὸtoπνεῦμαpneu·maτῆςtēsχάριτοςcha·ri·tos
the Spirit of grace
the Spirit of grace Hebrews 10:29 ESV
Today Cháris is grace and favour; chári se is "thanks to you".
13τῷ πνεύματι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῷ ἁγίῳ
ΤΩ ΠΝΕΥΜΑΤΙ ΤΗϹ ΕΠΑΓΓΕΛΙΑϹ ΤΩ ΑΓΙΩ
τῷtōπνεύματιpneu·ma·tiτῆςtēsἐπαγγελίαςe·pan·ge·li·asτῷtōἁγίῳha·gi·ō
the Holy Spirit of promise
sealed with the promised Holy Spirit Ephesians 1:13 ESV
Today Epangelía is still a promise, and epángelma a profession.
14Αββα ὁ πατήρ
ΑΒΒΑ Ο ΠΑΤΗΡ
ΑββαAb·baὁhoπατήρpa·tēr
Abba! Father! (Aramaic, then Greek)
crying, “Abba! Father!” Galatians 4:6 ESV
Today Greek says patéras for father; Abba is Aramaic, kept untranslated.
15οὐκ ἐψεύσω ἀνθρώποις ἀλλὰ τῷ θεῷ
ΟΥΚ ΕΨΕΥϹΩ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΙϹ ΑΛΛΑ ΤΩ ΘΕΩ
οὐκoukἐψεύσωe·pseu·sōἀνθρώποιςan·thrō·poisἀλλὰal·laτῷtōθεῷthe·ō
you lied not to men but to God: Peter, of lying to the Holy Spirit
You have not lied to man but to God Acts 5:4 ESV
Today Psémata are lies today, and a pséftis is a liar.
16πνεῦμα
ΠΝΕΥΜΑ
τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον
ΤΟ ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΤΟ ΑΓΙΟΝ
ὁ παράκλητος
Ο ΠΑΡΑΚΛΗΤΟϹ
τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας
ΤΟ ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΤΗϹ ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑϹ
πνεῦμα θεοῦ
ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΘΕΟΥ
πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ
ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΧΡΙϹΤΟΥ
πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας
ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΥΙΟΘΕϹΙΑϹ
ἀρραβὼν
ΑΡΡΑΒΩΝ
πνεῦμαpneu·ma
breath, wind, Spirit
The wind blows where it wishes John 3:8 ESV
Today Pnévma is still spirit, and also wit; to Ágio Pnévma is the Holy Spirit.
1τὸtoπνεῦμαpneu·maτὸtoἅγιονha·gi·on
the Holy Spirit; literally, the Spirit, the holy one
the Helper, the Holy Spirit John 14:26 ESV
Today Ágios is a saint in Greek today, as in Ágios Nikólaos.
2ὁhoπαράκλητοςpa·ra·klē·tos
the Helper: one called alongside to helpalso “the Comforter, the Advocate”
But when the Helper comes John 15:26 ESV
Today Orthodox prayer still opens "Heavenly King, Paráklite", calling the Spirit the Comforter.
3τὸtoπνεῦμαpneu·maτῆςtēsἀληθείαςa·lē·thei·as
the Spirit of truth
When the Spirit of truth comes John 16:13 ESV
Today Alítheia is still truth, and alithiná means "really".
4πνεῦμαpneu·maθεοῦthe·ou
the Spirit of God
the Spirit of God dwells in you Romans 8:9 ESV
Today Theós is still God, and Thee mou! is "my God!"
5πνεῦμαpneu·maΧριστοῦChri·stou
the Spirit of Christ
Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him Romans 8:9 ESV
Today Christós; Christoúgenna, "Christ's birth", is Christmas.
6πνεῦμαpneu·maυἱοθεσίαςhui·o·the·si·as
the Spirit of adoption: of being made a son
the Spirit of adoption as sons Romans 8:15 ESV
Today Yiothesía is still the word for adoption.
7ἀρραβὼνar·ra·bōn
guarantee, first payment, pledge
the guarantee of our inheritance Ephesians 1:14 ESV
Today Arravónas is an engagement today, and arravoniastikós a fiancé.
8τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς
ΤΟΥ ΠΝΕΥΜΑΤΟϹ ΤΗϹ ΖΩΗϹ
πνεῦμα σοφίας
ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ϹΟΦΙΑϹ
τὸ τῆς δόξης … πνεῦμα
ΤΟ ΤΗϹ ΔΟΞΗϹ … ΠΝΕΥΜΑ
πνεύματος αἰωνίου
ΠΝΕΥΜΑΤΟϹ ΑΙΩΝΙΟΥ
τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς χάριτος
ΤΟ ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΤΗϹ ΧΑΡΙΤΟϹ
τῷ πνεύματι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῷ ἁγίῳ
ΤΩ ΠΝΕΥΜΑΤΙ ΤΗϹ ΕΠΑΓΓΕΛΙΑϹ ΤΩ ΑΓΙΩ
Αββα ὁ πατήρ
ΑΒΒΑ Ο ΠΑΤΗΡ
οὐκ ἐψεύσω ἀνθρώποις ἀλλὰ τῷ θεῷ
ΟΥΚ ΕΨΕΥϹΩ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΙϹ ΑΛΛΑ ΤΩ ΘΕΩ
τοῦtouπνεύματοςpneu·ma·tosτῆςtēsζωῆςzō·ēs
the Spirit of life
the law of the Spirit of life Romans 8:2 ESV
Today Zoí is still life, and a zóo is an animal.
9πνεῦμαpneu·maσοφίαςso·phi·as
the Spirit of wisdom
the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation Ephesians 1:17 ESV
Today Sofía is still wisdom, and a common girl's name.
10τὸtoτῆςtēsδόξηςdo·xēs…πνεῦμαpneu·ma
the Spirit of glory
the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you 1 Peter 4:14 ESV
Today Dóxa is glory: Dóxa to Theó, "glory to God", is how Greeks say "thank God".
11πνεύματοςpneu·ma·tosαἰωνίουai·ō·ni·ou
the eternal Spirit
through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God Hebrews 9:14 ESV
Today Aiónios is still eternal, and aiónas is a century.
12τὸtoπνεῦμαpneu·maτῆςtēsχάριτοςcha·ri·tos
the Spirit of grace
the Spirit of grace Hebrews 10:29 ESV
Today Cháris is grace and favour; chári se is "thanks to you".
13τῷtōπνεύματιpneu·ma·tiτῆςtēsἐπαγγελίαςe·pan·ge·li·asτῷtōἁγίῳha·gi·ō
the Holy Spirit of promise
sealed with the promised Holy Spirit Ephesians 1:13 ESV
Today Epangelía is still a promise, and epángelma a profession.
14ΑββαAb·baὁhoπατήρpa·tēr
Abba! Father! (Aramaic, then Greek)
crying, “Abba! Father!” Galatians 4:6 ESV
Today Greek says patéras for father; Abba is Aramaic, kept untranslated.
15οὐκoukἐψεύσωe·pseu·sōἀνθρώποιςan·thrō·poisἀλλὰal·laτῷtōθεῷthe·ō
you lied not to men but to God: Peter, of lying to the Holy Spirit
You have not lied to man but to God Acts 5:4 ESV
Today Psémata are lies today, and a pséftis is a liar.
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Sources
Every Greek word on these cards is checked against the SBL Greek New Testament at its verse, with its Strong's number from MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0). The transliteration follows the SBL Handbook of Style. Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible, © 2001 by Crossway, used by permission (see Copyright & Scripture Permissions), and each is checked against the ESV text before it is printed.