The Names of Jesus: word cards
New, published 18 October 2026. What else is new
In one sentence: learn the Hebrew alphabet by learning the names the Old Testament gave the coming Christ, one card at a time, each beside the verse where the New Testament gives that name to Jesus.
✝️ Luke 24:27 (ESV)
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
On the road to Emmaus the risen Jesus taught two disciples where He is in the Old Testament. These cards are some of the places He could have shown them. Each Hebrew word comes from an Old Testament verse. The back of the card quotes the New Testament verse where that name is given to Jesus: mashiach, "anointed", is the Messiah Andrew found (John 1:41), and Ezekiel's one shepherd is the good shepherd of John 10:11. The Names of Jesus is the study behind the cards: where each name was promised, and how Jesus fulfils it. The companion deck, The Names of God, teaches the names God gave Himself; it ends with Yeshua, and this deck begins there. A third deck, The Names of the Holy Spirit, teaches the Spirit's names.
How the deck teaches the letters
The cards are in a deliberate order. The first, יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshua, the name of Jesus), has four letters. Each card after it adds up to two new ones, and the front of the card shows which, with a bar for how many of the 22 you have met so far. The last three letters arrive on a son is given, your offspring and Redeemer, and the deck closes with the name only God can claim: "I am the first and I am the last" (Isaiah 44:6). The order and the counts are worked out from the Hebrew on the cards, so they cannot drift from what is printed.
Use the deck alongside The Hebrew Alphabet: when a card introduces a letter, find it in the table, say its sound, then read the word.
Reading a card
- The front has the name as the Hebrew Bible writes it, vowel points included, and beneath it the same letters in Paleo-Hebrew, the script Israel wrote before the exile.
- The back has the reading in syllables with the stressed one underlined, the meaning, a verse (ESV), and a line marked Today on the word in modern Hebrew. The verse is the New Testament one that gives the name to Jesus; three cards (the Branch, Wonderful Counselor and Everlasting Father) quote the Old Testament verse itself, since no New Testament verse uses those names.
- Names as the verse writes them. Several cards keep the small words around a name, because that is how the verse says it: כַּשֶּׂה לַטֶּבַח, "like a lamb to the slaughter" (Isaiah 53:7), and בְזַרְעֲךָ, "in your offspring" (Genesis 22:18).
- One card is Aramaic. Daniel 7 is written in Aramaic, so "one like a son of man" is כְּבַר אֱנָשׁ (kevar enash), with Aramaic bar for Hebrew ben, "son". It uses the same letters.
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, in the deck's order, and brings each card back when it is due: the next day, then after three days, a week, two weeks and a month. Hear it reads the word aloud in your device's Hebrew voice, where it has one. Your progress is kept in this browser only.
On paper, take one card a day. Read the front aloud, letter by letter, then turn it over to check the reading and learn the meaning. 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. Widening gaps like these are what fix a word in long-term memory.
How to print
- Choose Flashcards for the word 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. The backs are mirrored so each lands behind its own front.
- Cut on the dashed lines. Untick Paleo-Hebrew or Modern Hebrew note before printing to leave them off.
Each card is 95 × 67.5 mm, eight to a sheet. Empty places on the last sheet print as blank ruled cards for a name of your own.
The cards
יֵשׁוּעַ
𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤏
יֵשׁוּעַye·shu·a'
the LORD saves: Jesus
you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21 ESV
Today Hebrew-speaking believers say Yeshua; Israeli Hebrew more often says Yeshu (יֵשׁוּ).
1מָשִׁיחַ
𐤌𐤔𐤉𐤇
מָשִׁיחַma·shi·ach
Anointed, Messiah: in Greek, Christ
We have found the Messiah John 1:41 ESV
Today Still the word for Messiah; Christians are notsrim (נוֹצְרִים), "Nazarenes".
2צֶמַח
𐤑𐤌𐤇
צֶמַחtze·mach
the Branch
Behold, the man whose name is the Branch Zechariah 6:12 ESV
Today Tsemach is today's word for a plant.
3שַׂר שָׁלוֹם
𐤔𐤓 𐤔𐤋𐤅𐤌
שַׂרsarשָׁלוֹםsha·lom
Prince of Peace
For he himself is our peace Ephesians 2:14 ESV
Today A sar is a government minister today: sar ha-chutz is the foreign minister.
4פֶּלֶא יוֹעֵץ
𐤐𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤅𐤏𐤑
פֶּלֶאpe·le'יוֹעֵץyo·'etz
Wonderful Counselor
his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor Isaiah 9:6 ESV
Today A yoʿets (יוֹעֵץ) is an adviser or consultant.
5נָבִיא
𐤍𐤁𐤉𐤀
נָבִיאna·vi'
a prophet, like Moses
The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. Acts 3:22 ESV
Today The Prophets in the Hebrew Bible are the Neviʾim (נְבִיאִים).
6כְּבַר אֱנָשׁ
𐤊𐤁𐤓 𐤀𐤍𐤔
כְּבַרke·varאֱנָשׁ'e·nash
like a son of man (Aramaic)
you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power Mark 14:62 ESV
Today Hebrew says ben adam (בֶּן אָדָם), today's word for "a person".
7כֹהֵן לְעוֹלָם
𐤊𐤄𐤍 𐤋𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤌
כֹהֵןkho·henלְעוֹלָםle·'o·lam
a priest forever
You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:6 ESV
Today Cohen, Kahn and Katz are family names of those who trace descent from Aaron.
8כּוֹכָב מִיַּעֲקֹב
𐤊𐤅𐤊𐤁 𐤌𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤁
כּוֹכָבko·khavמִיַּעֲקֹבmi·ya·'a·ko
a star out of Jacob
I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star. Revelation 22:16 ESV
Today Kokhav is still a star, in the sky or on the screen.
9רֹעֶה אֶחָד
𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤀𐤇𐤃
רֹעֶהro·'ehאֶחָד'e·chad
one shepherd
I am the good shepherd. John 10:11 ESV
Today Psalm 23 opens with the same word: Adonai roʿi (יְהוָה רֹעִי), "the LORD is my shepherd".
10אֲבִי עַד
𐤀𐤁𐤉 𐤏𐤃
אֲבִי'a·viעַד'ad
Everlasting Father
Everlasting Father Isaiah 9:6 ESV
Today ʿAd (עַד) is everyday "until"; laʿad (לָעַד) is "forever".
11בֵּן נִתַּן לָנוּ
𐤁𐤍 𐤍𐤕𐤍 𐤋𐤍𐤅
בֵּןbenנִתַּןni·tanלָנוּla·nu
a son is given to us
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son John 3:16 ESV
Today Natan, "he gave", is also a name: Nathan the prophet.
12עַבְדִּי
𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤉
עַבְדִּי'av·di
my servant
Behold, my servant whom I have chosen Matthew 12:18 ESV
Today ʿAvodah (עֲבוֹדָה), from the same root, is everyday "work".
13כַּשֶּׂה לַטֶּבַח
𐤊𐤔𐤄 𐤋𐤈𐤁𐤇
כַּשֶּׂהka·sehלַטֶּבַחla·te·vach
like a lamb to the slaughter
Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 ESV
Today A seh is a lamb or kid; everyday Hebrew says keves (כֶּבֶשׂ) for a lamb.
14אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים
𐤀𐤁𐤍 𐤌𐤀𐤎𐤅 𐤄𐤁𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌
אֶבֶן'e·venמָאֲסוּma·'a·suהַבּוֹנִיםha·bo·nim
the stone the builders rejected
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders Acts 4:11 ESV
Today Rosh Pina, "cornerstone", from the same verse, is a town in Galilee.
15בְזַרְעֲךָ
𐤁𐤆𐤓𐤏𐤊
בְזַרְעֲךָve·zar·'a·kha
in your offspring
“And to your offspring,” who is Christ. Galatians 3:16 ESV
Today Zeraʿ (זֶרַע) is still seed, for a garden or a family line.
16גּוֹאֵל
𐤂𐤅𐤀𐤋
גּוֹאֵלgo·'el
Redeemer
The Deliverer will come from Zion Romans 11:26 ESV
Today Geʾulah (גְּאֻלָּה), "redemption", is the name of a Jerusalem neighbourhood.
17אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן
𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤍
אֲנִי'a·niרִאשׁוֹןri·shonוַאֲנִיva·'a·niאַחֲרוֹן'a·cha·ron
I am the first and I am the last
Fear not, I am the first and the last Revelation 1:17 ESV
Today Sunday is yom rishon, "the first day".
18יֵשׁוּעַ
𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤏
מָשִׁיחַ
𐤌𐤔𐤉𐤇
צֶמַח
𐤑𐤌𐤇
שַׂר שָׁלוֹם
𐤔𐤓 𐤔𐤋𐤅𐤌
פֶּלֶא יוֹעֵץ
𐤐𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤅𐤏𐤑
נָבִיא
𐤍𐤁𐤉𐤀
כְּבַר אֱנָשׁ
𐤊𐤁𐤓 𐤀𐤍𐤔
כֹהֵן לְעוֹלָם
𐤊𐤄𐤍 𐤋𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤌
יֵשׁוּעַye·shu·a'
the LORD saves: Jesus
you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21 ESV
Today Hebrew-speaking believers say Yeshua; Israeli Hebrew more often says Yeshu (יֵשׁוּ).
1מָשִׁיחַma·shi·ach
Anointed, Messiah: in Greek, Christ
We have found the Messiah John 1:41 ESV
Today Still the word for Messiah; Christians are notsrim (נוֹצְרִים), "Nazarenes".
2צֶמַחtze·mach
the Branch
Behold, the man whose name is the Branch Zechariah 6:12 ESV
Today Tsemach is today's word for a plant.
3שַׂרsarשָׁלוֹםsha·lom
Prince of Peace
For he himself is our peace Ephesians 2:14 ESV
Today A sar is a government minister today: sar ha-chutz is the foreign minister.
4פֶּלֶאpe·le'יוֹעֵץyo·'etz
Wonderful Counselor
his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor Isaiah 9:6 ESV
Today A yoʿets (יוֹעֵץ) is an adviser or consultant.
5נָבִיאna·vi'
a prophet, like Moses
The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. Acts 3:22 ESV
Today The Prophets in the Hebrew Bible are the Neviʾim (נְבִיאִים).
6כְּבַרke·varאֱנָשׁ'e·nash
like a son of man (Aramaic)
you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power Mark 14:62 ESV
Today Hebrew says ben adam (בֶּן אָדָם), today's word for "a person".
7כֹהֵןkho·henלְעוֹלָםle·'o·lam
a priest forever
You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:6 ESV
Today Cohen, Kahn and Katz are family names of those who trace descent from Aaron.
8כּוֹכָב מִיַּעֲקֹב
𐤊𐤅𐤊𐤁 𐤌𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤁
רֹעֶה אֶחָד
𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤀𐤇𐤃
אֲבִי עַד
𐤀𐤁𐤉 𐤏𐤃
בֵּן נִתַּן לָנוּ
𐤁𐤍 𐤍𐤕𐤍 𐤋𐤍𐤅
עַבְדִּי
𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤉
כַּשֶּׂה לַטֶּבַח
𐤊𐤔𐤄 𐤋𐤈𐤁𐤇
אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים
𐤀𐤁𐤍 𐤌𐤀𐤎𐤅 𐤄𐤁𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌
בְזַרְעֲךָ
𐤁𐤆𐤓𐤏𐤊
כּוֹכָבko·khavמִיַּעֲקֹבmi·ya·'a·ko
a star out of Jacob
I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star. Revelation 22:16 ESV
Today Kokhav is still a star, in the sky or on the screen.
9רֹעֶהro·'ehאֶחָד'e·chad
one shepherd
I am the good shepherd. John 10:11 ESV
Today Psalm 23 opens with the same word: Adonai roʿi (יְהוָה רֹעִי), "the LORD is my shepherd".
10אֲבִי'a·viעַד'ad
Everlasting Father
Everlasting Father Isaiah 9:6 ESV
Today ʿAd (עַד) is everyday "until"; laʿad (לָעַד) is "forever".
11בֵּןbenנִתַּןni·tanלָנוּla·nu
a son is given to us
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son John 3:16 ESV
Today Natan, "he gave", is also a name: Nathan the prophet.
12עַבְדִּי'av·di
my servant
Behold, my servant whom I have chosen Matthew 12:18 ESV
Today ʿAvodah (עֲבוֹדָה), from the same root, is everyday "work".
13כַּשֶּׂהka·sehלַטֶּבַחla·te·vach
like a lamb to the slaughter
Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 ESV
Today A seh is a lamb or kid; everyday Hebrew says keves (כֶּבֶשׂ) for a lamb.
14אֶבֶן'e·venמָאֲסוּma·'a·suהַבּוֹנִיםha·bo·nim
the stone the builders rejected
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders Acts 4:11 ESV
Today Rosh Pina, "cornerstone", from the same verse, is a town in Galilee.
15בְזַרְעֲךָve·zar·'a·kha
in your offspring
“And to your offspring,” who is Christ. Galatians 3:16 ESV
Today Zeraʿ (זֶרַע) is still seed, for a garden or a family line.
16גּוֹאֵל
𐤂𐤅𐤀𐤋
אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן
𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤍
גּוֹאֵלgo·'el
Redeemer
The Deliverer will come from Zion Romans 11:26 ESV
Today Geʾulah (גְּאֻלָּה), "redemption", is the name of a Jerusalem neighbourhood.
17אֲנִי'a·niרִאשׁוֹןri·shonוַאֲנִיva·'a·niאַחֲרוֹן'a·cha·ron
I am the first and I am the last
Fear not, I am the first and the last Revelation 1:17 ESV
Today Sunday is yom rishon, "the first day".
18The on-screen practice needs JavaScript.
Sources
Every Hebrew and Aramaic word on these cards is checked against STEPBible.org's Translators Amalgamated Hebrew OT (TAHOT, CC BY), which follows the Leningrad Codex, and takes its syllables, stress and Strong's number from it. Cantillation marks are removed for legibility. The Paleo-Hebrew is the same letters drawn in the Unicode Phoenician script. 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.