I heard someone say that we have to refer to Jesus as Yeshua or we can’t be saved. What does that mean?

- AFTB

Posted on Sep 28, 2013

Yeshua is the Hebrew name of the Lord Jesus. In English, it is translated as Joshua, which means “Jehovah is salvation.” In Greek, the Lord’s name is Iesous (pronounced: E A Soos), which in English is Jesus. So, we see that the names Joshua and Jesus are essentially the same; both are English pronunciations of the Hebrew and Greek names for the Lord.

People that try to insist that we call Jesus by his Hebrew name, Yeshua, are making an issue out of something that is a non-issue. In each language, the name of the Lord will be pronounced and spelled differently. The Bible doesn’t give preeminence to one language over another. We are not commanded to call upon the name of the Lord in Hebrew only. Acts 2:21 says, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The Lord knows who calls upon his name, whether they do so in English, Chinese, Spanish, Greek, or Hebrew. He is still the same Lord and Savior. Rest assured that if you call upon the name of the Lord for salvation, the Lord knows your heart and he accepts all those that come to Him by faith. The Lord Jesus said in John 6:37, “…him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (66.4)