What language did Mary and Joseph speak?

When we read the Christmas story, we often imagine Mary and Joseph speaking in a language familiar to us. However, the world they lived in was multilingual. Understanding the language they spoke helps us appreciate the cultural and historical setting of Jesus’s birth. Most scholars agree that the primary language spoken by Mary and Joseph was Aramaic.

Aramaic was a common Semitic language widely used throughout the Middle East during the first century. After the Babylonian exile, Aramaic gradually became the everyday spoken language of Jewish people in the region. By the time Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, Aramaic was the main language used in homes, markets, and daily life. Jesus Himself likely grew up speaking Aramaic as His mother tongue.

Alongside Aramaic, Hebrew remained important, especially in religious life. Hebrew was the language of the Scriptures and the synagogue. Mary and Joseph would have heard the Law and the Prophets read in Hebrew during worship (Nehemiah 8:8). While Hebrew was no longer the everyday spoken language for most people, it was preserved in prayers, religious texts, and formal reading. In this way, Mary and Joseph lived in a culture where faith and language were closely connected.

Another language present in the region was Greek. After the conquests of Alexander the Great, Greek became the common language across much of the eastern Mediterranean. By the first century, Greek was widely used for trade, administration, and communication between people of different nationalities. The New Testament was written in Greek because it allowed the message of the Gospel to reach a broad audience. It is possible that Mary and Joseph knew enough Greek to interact with officials or travelers, especially because of the Roman influence in the region.

Finally, Latin was used by the Roman government and soldiers. However, Latin was not widely spoken by ordinary Jewish people in Palestine at the time. Joseph and Mary may have heard it spoken in official settings, but it was not part of their everyday speech.

If we reflect on this cultural setting, we see that Mary and Joseph lived at a crossroads of languages, cultures, and empires. God chose this moment in history carefully. When Jesus was born, the world was connected through shared languages, which later allowed the Gospel to spread far beyond Bethlehem and Nazareth.

So what language did Mary and Joseph speak? Their everyday language was Aramaic, shaped by Hebrew prayer and Scripture, with some exposure to Greek because of the wider culture. Their world was humble, yet richly connected to history and faith. The language of Mary and Joseph reminds us that the birth of Jesus took place in a real time and place, among real families, cultures, and traditions—yet His message would reach every nation.

For more questions explained in plain language, visit our Christmas Questions page.