Latin

Latin is the language of ancient Rome and its empire, widely used historically as a language of scholarship and administration.

It is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Its' alphabet was derived from the Etruscan and Greek alphabets, and from the Phoenician alphabet.

Latin was originally spoken by the Kittim in the area known as Latium. It became the dominant language through the expansion of commerce and Roman Empire. Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Romanian developed from Vulgar Latin which contributed many words to the English language often having Ancient Greek roots. It is used in theology, biology, science, medicine, and law.

By the late Roman Republic (75 BC), Old Latin had been standardized into Classical Latin. Vulgar Latin was the colloquial form spoken during the same time and attested in inscriptions and the works of comic playwrights like Plautus and Terence. Late Latin is the written language from the 3rd century, and Medieval Latin the language used from the 9th century to the Renaissance which used Renaissance Latin. Later, Early Modern Latin and Modern Latin evolved. Latin was used as the language of international communication, scholarship, and science until well into the 18th century, when it began to be supplanted by vernaculars. Ecclesiastical or Church Latin remains the official language of the Holy See and the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.

Latin is taught in primary, secondary, and postsecondary educational institutions around the world.

Latin is a highly inflected language, with three distinct genders, seven noun cases, five declensions, four verb conjugations, four verb principal parts, six tenses, three persons, three moods, two voices, two aspects and two numbers.

Bible

Words in the Bible with a Latin origin.

A number of words are found in the Bible with Latin origins.

There are coins mentioned in the scriptures by their Latin names that were in use throughout the Roman Empire.

1. 787 ~ἀσσάριον~ assarion \@as-sar’-ee-on\@ of Latin origin; ; n n AV-farthing 2; 2

1) an assarium or assarius, the name of a coin equal to the tenth part of a drachma

• Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing <787>? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
• Luke 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings <787>, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

1. 2835 ~κοδράντης~ kodrantes \@kod-ran’-tace\@ of Latin origin; ; n m AV-farthing 2; 2

1) a quadrans (about the fourth part of an "as"); in the NT a coin equal to one half the Attic chalcus worth about 3/8 of a cent

• Matthew 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing <2835>.
• Mark 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing <2835>.

1. 1220 ~δηνάριον~ denarion \@day-nar’-ee-on\@ of Latin origin; ; n n AV-penny 9, pence 5, pennyworth 2; 16

denarius means "containing ten" because it was worth ten asses

1) A Roman silver coin in NT time. It took its name from it being equal to ten "asses," a number after 217 B.C. increased to sixteen (about 3.898 grams or .1375 oz.). It was the principal silver coin of the Roman empire. From the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, it would seem that a denarius was then the ordinary pay for a day’s wages. (#Mt 20:2-13)

• It appears 16 times in the Greek text as penny 9 times, pence 5 times, pennyworth twice. The denarius was also an apothecary weight

Another Latin word that has to do with money and important to understand is "tribute".

2778 ~κῆνσος~ kensos \@kane’-sos\@ of Latin origin; ; n m AV-tribute 4; 4

1) census (among the Romans, denoting a register and valuation of property in accordance with which taxes were paid), in the NT the tax or tribute levied on individuals and to be paid yearly. (our capitation or poll tax)

2) the coin with which the tax is paid, tribute money

• Other words translated tribute in the New Testament include 5411 and 1323.

There were also weights and measures.

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A libra is, of course, a standard of weight.

3046 ~λίτρα~ litra \@lee’-trah\@ of Latin origin [libra]; ; n f AV-pound 2; 2

1) a pound, a weight of 12 ounces (340 gm)

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Also, the rank of centurions.

2760 ~κεντυρίων~ kenturion \@ken-too-ree’-ohn\@ of Latin origin; ; n m AV-centurion 3; 3

1) centurion, an officer in the Roman army

• Mark 15:39 And when the centurion <2760>, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
• Mark 15:44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion <2760>, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.
• Mark 15:45 And when he knew it of the centurion <2760>, he gave the body to Joseph.

2941 ~κυβέρνησις~ kubernesis \@koo-ber’-nay-sis\@ from kubernao (of Latin origin, to steer); TDNT-3:1035,486; {See TDNT 416} n f AV-government 1; 1 see also 2942

1) a governing, government

• 1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

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