Maranatha (1 Corinthians 16:22): Reconstruction and Translation Based on Western Middle Aramaic

What is it about?

Over the course of Church history, there have been multiple reconstructions and translations offered for the expression maranatha as it occurs in 1 Corinthians 16:22. However, a major lacuna is an exhaustive study of the morphology of the three linguistic components that make up this expression as they are found in Western Middle Aramaic texts. The data demonstrates that the modern reconstruction of maranatha as “marana tha” with its accompanying translation “Our Lord, come!” is unlikely, and thus a different reconstruction and translation are proposed that better cohere with the linguistic data.

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Why is it important?

The findings have the potential to overturn the current majority position regarding the reconstruction, translation, and interpretation of the expression “maranatha”, and provides an explanation as to how “maranatha” fits in with the closing of 1 Corinthians.