Kyrios (Greek: Κύριος) is
the most common Greek word
translated “Lord” in the New Testament.
It is a title of
authority, ownership, and respect
that ranges from a polite “sir”
to the full divine title equivalent
to the Hebrew name LORD (YHWH).
When applied to Jesus,
Kyrios becomes
one of the strongest affirmations
of His deity and absolute lordship.
Kyrios has a broad semantic range in Koine Greek:
Because of this flexibility, context is crucial. In the New Testament, when Kyrios is used of Jesus in a religious or worshipful setting, it almost always carries divine significance.
Kyrios appears over 700 times in the New Testament. Its usage falls into several important categories:
The Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint) consistently used Kyrios to translate the divine name YHWH. This was a deliberate theological choice that carried over into the New Testament.
When the apostles wrote that “Jesus is Lord,” they were making a breathtaking claim: the man from Nazareth is none other than the LORD (YHWH) of the Old Testament now come in the flesh. This is why calling Jesus “Lord” was both a statement of worship and a potential political risk in the Roman Empire (where Caesar claimed to be “lord”).
The title Kyrios is far more than a courtesy. It declares that:
To truly call Jesus “Lord” is to submit to Him as Master, King, and God.
The Greek word Kyrios is the bridge between the Old Testament name LORD (YHWH) and the New Testament confession that Jesus is Lord. It is both a title of deep reverence and a call to total allegiance. When believers today say “Jesus is Lord,” they are using the same powerful confession that defined the earliest Christian faith.