Mar 5:41 Talitha cumi; Damsel, I say unto you, arise.

The difference between the Aramaic and the Greek here gives us some insight into viewpoint of those that wrote the Gospels. The Aramaic says simply, "Little lamb, arise." The Greek adds a flourish, "Little girl, I say to you arise." This means that the Gospel writers, as you might expect, added gravitas to Christ's words, which were, at least in this example, very simple and sensitivity.

What I find most interesting about this verse, however, is that the author makes an issue of Christ speaking Aramaic. He quotes Christ's words first in Aramaic and then offers a Greek approximation, making clear he is approximating the idea. If Christ always taught in Aramaic, why would Christ's use of Aramaic be remarkable? Why make the point that the Greek was only an interpretation of the Greek?

Much of the wordplay and meaning of Christ's words only makes sense in Greek. While the standard view is that Christ spoke Aramaic, verses such as this seem to indicate that his use of Aramaic was the exception rather than the rule.

I am simply a translator doing research. I make no claims of special knowledge. My role, at least as I see it, is to bear witness to what is in the words and nothing more. My readers can draw their own conclusions.

"Damsel" is from the Greek korasion (korasion), which means "little girl" and "maiden."

"Say" is from legô, which means "to gather," "to pick up," "to count," "to tell," "to recount," "to say," "to speak," and "to call by name." It means speaking, but in the sense of connecting things together, enumerating things, recounting things.'

"Arise" is from egeirô (egeiro), which means "to awake," "to rouse," "to stir up" and "to wake up."