Original Word: Ἰάκωβος
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: Iakóbos
Pronunciation: ee-ak'-o-bos
Phonetic Spelling: (ee-ak'-o-bos)
KJV: James
NASB: James
Word Origin: [the same as G2384 (Ἰακώβ - Jacob) Graecized]

1. Jacobus, the name of three Israelites

James.

The same as Iakob Graecized; Jacobus, the name of three Israelites -- James.

see GREEK Iakob

Word Origin
from the same as Iakób
Definition
James, the name of several Isr.
NASB Translation
James (42).

STRONGS NT 2385: Ἰάκωβος

Ἰάκωβος, Ἰακώβου, ὁ (see the preceding word (and cf. Buttmann, 6, 18 (16))), James;

1. son of Zebedee, an apostle, and brother of the apostle John (commonly called James the greater or elder). He was slain with the sword by the command of king Herod Agrippa I. (circa A.D. 44): Matthew 4:21; Matthew 10:2 (); ; Mark 1:19, 29; Mark 3:17; Mark 5:37; Mark 9:2; Mark 10:35, 41; Mark 13:3; Mark 14:33; Luke 5:10; Luke 6:14; Luke 8:51; Luke 9:28, 54; Acts 1:13; Acts 12:2.

2. James (commonly called the less), an apostle, son of Alphaeus: Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13; apparently identical with Ἰάκωβος ὁ μικρός James the little (A. V. the less), the son of Mary, Mark 15:40 (Matthew 27:56); , wife of Cleophas (i. e. Clopas, which see) or Alphaeus, John 19:25; see in Ἁλφαῖος, and in Μαρία, 3.

3. James, the brother of our Lord (see ἀδελφός, 1): Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; Galatians 1:19 (where εἰ μή is employed according to a usage illustrated under εἰ, III. 8 c. β'.); ; Acts 12:1?; ; 1 Corinthians 15:7 (?); James 1:1, the leader of the Jewish Christians, and by them surnamed ὁ δίκαιος the Just, the overseer (or bishop) of the church at Jerusalem down to the year 62 or 63 (or according to Hegesippus in Eusebius, h. e. 2, 23 (translated in B. D., p. 1206) down to 69, which is hardly probable (see Heinichen's note at the passage)), in which year he suffered martyrdom, Josephus, Antiquities 20, 9, 1. In opposition to the orthodox opinion (defended in B. D. under the word ), which identifies this James with James the son of Alphaeus, and understands ὁ ἀδελφός τοῦ κυρίου to mean his cousin, cf. especially Clemen in Winer's Zeitschr. f. wissensch. Theol. for 1829, p. 351ff; Blom, Diss. de τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ... τοῦ κυρίου. Lugd. 1839; Wilib. Grimm in Ersch u. Gruber's Encycl., Sect. 2, vol. 23, p. 80ff; Schaff, Das Verhältniss des Jacobus, Bruders des Herrn, zu Jacobus Alphäi. Beth 1842 (also his Church Hist. (1882) i., 272f); Hilgenfeld, Galaterbrief etc., p. 138ff; Hausrath in Sehenkel iii., p. 175ff; (Sieffert in Herzog edition 2, vi., 464ff; and references under the word ἀδελφός, 1 (especially Lightfoot)).

4. An unknown James, father of the apostle Judas (or Jude): Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13, according to the opinion of those interpreters who think that not ἀδελφόν but υἱόν must be supplied in the phrase Ιουδαν Ἰακώβου; see Ἰούδας, 8.

Overview

The Greek name Ἰάκωβος (Iakōbos, Strong’s 2385) appears forty-two times in the Greek New Testament and designates several distinct individuals who played strategic roles in the life of Jesus Christ and in the formation of the early Church. The name corresponds to the Hebrew יַעֲקֹב (Jacob) and thereby carries forward Old Testament associations of covenant continuity, pilgrimage, and promise.

James the son of Zebedee

• One of the first four disciples called by Jesus (Matthew 4:21; Mark 1:19; Luke 5:10).
• Partner with his brother John and with Peter in the most intimate moments of the Lord’s earthly ministry: the raising of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:37), the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28), and the Gethsemane vigil (Mark 14:33).
• Characterized, along with John, by fervency of spirit—“Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17).
• First of the Twelve to suffer martyrdom, executed by Herod Agrippa I about A.D. 44 (Acts 12:2). His death fulfilled Jesus’ earlier prediction concerning the “cup” of suffering (Mark 10:35-41).
• His early martyrdom removed him from later apostolic debates, but it powerfully demonstrated the cost of discipleship and fortified the Church’s resolve under persecution.

James the son of Alphaeus

• Listed among the Twelve (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13).
• Often identified with “James the Less” (Mark 15:40) and possibly with the “James the son of Mary” present at the crucifixion and resurrection events (Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10).
• Scripture records no words of his, yet the consistent inclusion of his name among the apostles underlines the pattern that faithful, quiet service is honored by God.

James, the brother of the Lord

• Designated “the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:19) and leader of the Jerusalem church (Acts 12:17; 21:18).
• Saw the risen Christ in a private post-resurrection appearance (1 Corinthians 15:7), which transformed him from initial unbelief (John 7:5) to pillar of the faith (Galatians 2:9).
• Presided over the Jerusalem Council, bringing Scripture and the witness of the Spirit to bear on the Jew-Gentile question: “It is my judgment…” (Acts 15:13-21). His appeal to Amos 9:11-12 bound together prophetic promise and apostolic mission.
• Authored the Epistle of James, opening with, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.” (James 1:1). Church fathers testify to his devotion to prayer and his sobriquet “James the Just.”
• Received emissaries from Jerusalem to Antioch (Galatians 2:12), demonstrating his pastoral influence and ongoing concern for doctrinal purity combined with practical holiness.

James the father of Judas (not Iscariot)

• Briefly mentioned in Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13. Though little is known of him, the reference indicates the commonality of the name and distinguishes Judas son of James from Judas Iscariot.

Collective Representation among the Apostles

Having two of the Twelve—and possibly three—named James underscores the prevalence of the name in first-century Judaism and reminds readers that God calls people from ordinary, even overlapping, backgrounds into His extraordinary service.

Role in the Early Jerusalem Church

The transition from the primacy of the Twelve to the broader eldership finds a key figure in James, the Lord’s brother. His ability to lead Jewish believers while recognizing Gentile inclusion provided essential unity. The respectful deference Paul shows him (Acts 21:18-26) illustrates balanced apostolic cooperation.

Testimony to the Resurrection

The unique appearance of the risen Christ to James (1 Corinthians 15:7) supplied irrefutable evidence to a once-skeptical relative. This encounter fortified the credibility of the resurrection among the earliest Jewish believers and contributed to the creed Paul cites in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7, dating within a few years of the event.

Epistle of James: Themes and Theology

• Faith proved genuine through works (James 2:14-26).
• Wisdom from above versus earthly wisdom (James 3:13-18).
• The power of the tongue and the necessity of bridling speech (James 3:1-12).
• Pastoral concern for the poor and warning to the rich (James 1:9-11; 5:1-6).
• Patient endurance under trial, with Job and Elijah as exemplars (James 5:7-18).

By weaving practical exhortations with echoes of the Sermon on the Mount, the letter shows the seamless harmony between Jesus’ teaching and apostolic doctrine.

Later Traditions and Martyrdom Accounts

Early historians such as Josephus (Antiquities 20.9.1) and Hegesippus describe James the Just as martyred around A.D. 62, thrown from the Temple pinnacle and then beaten. While external to Scripture, the accounts align with the New Testament portrayal of a leader whose life personified steadfastness under persecution.

Practical Applications for the Church

• The multiple Jameses remind believers that prominence is not prerequisite for eternal significance; even the “Less” has his name inscribed on the foundation of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:14).
• James the Just models doctrinal conviction tethered to compassionate shepherding, a balance vital for church leadership.
• The Epistle of James challenges every generation to display an authentic faith that acts, speaks truthfully, and endures. As he writes, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22).

Ιακωβον Ἰάκωβον ΙΑΚΩΒΟΣ Ἰάκωβος Ιακωβου Ἰακώβου Ιακωβω Ἰακώβῳ Iakobo Iakōbō Iakṓboi Iakṓbōi Iakobon Iakōbon Iákobon Iákōbon IAKoBOS IAKŌBOS Iákobos Iákōbos Iakobou Iakōbou IakṓbouInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts