BEREAN.AI ← Ask a Question

Biblical Terminology for Miracles and Signs

The biblical vocabulary for extraordinary divine acts employs several distinct terms, often used in combination, to describe what are commonly understood as miracles. These terms emphasize different facets of God's intervention, such as their purpose, their effect on witnesses, and the power behind them.

One of the most frequent pairings in the Old Testament is "signs and wonders." This phrase appears in Deuteronomy, for instance, where Moses recounts the "great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles" [7]. The Tyndale House commentary on Deuteronomy notes that "signs and wonders" signifies "the miraculous deeds God performed to induce fear in his enemies and to inspire awe and praise in his people" [10]. These acts were intended to arrest the attention of witnesses and attest to God's power and sovereignty, often producing intense fear among his own people [13]. For example, the "signs and wonders" in Deuteronomy 6:22 refer specifically to the ten plagues God sent upon Egypt to demonstrate his power during the Exodus [16].

Ramban (Nachmanides), in his commentary on Deuteronomy, distinguishes between "signs" and "wonders," explaining that "signs are the matters about which Moses warned [the Egyptians] before they took place" [11]. This suggests that "signs" often carried a predictive element, serving as a divine attestation to a prophet's message or a coming event. The King James Version of Deuteronomy 13:2 illustrates this, speaking of a prophet whose "sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you" [8]. John Gill, commenting on Psalms 105:27, notes that Moses and Aaron "showed his signs among them" in Egypt, either by declaring God's words about impending plagues or by performing them as commanded [12].

The term "miracle" itself, while a common English translation, corresponds to several Hebrew and Greek words. Smith's Bible Dictionary defines a miracle as "a plain and manifest exercise by a man, or by God at the call of a man, of those powers which belong only to the Creator and Lord of nature; and this for the declared object of attesting that a divine mission is given to that man" [5]. This definition highlights the purpose of miracles as authentication of a divine messenger or message, rather than merely an unusual event.

In the New Testament, particularly in the book of Hebrews, a similar set of terms is used to describe God's witness to the apostles' message. Hebrews 2:4 speaks of God "bearing witness to it" with "signs and wonders and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost" [9]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary on Hebrews 2:4 elaborates on these terms: "Signs" are "miracles, or other facts regarded as proofs of a divine mission"; "wonders" are "miracles viewed as prodigies, causing astonishment"; and "powers" (translated as "divers miracles" in the KJV) are "miracles viewed as evidences of superhuman power" [9]. John Gill, in his commentary on Hebrews 2:3, similarly states that "a sign, wonder, or miracle, for these signify the same thing, is a marvellous work done before men, by the power of God, to confirm a divine truth" [15]. This indicates that while the terms have distinct nuances, they often function synonymously or in close conjunction to describe divine interventions.

Beyond these common pairings, individual Hebrew words also convey the concept of a miracle. For instance, the name Pelaiah means "the Lord's secret or miracle" [6], and Eliphal means "a miracle of God" [4]. The name Ithiel can mean "sign, or coming of God" [1], linking the idea of a sign directly to divine presence or action. Nisan, a month name, also carries the meaning of "standard; miracle" [2]. Even the name Tarpelites is associated with "succession of miracles" [3]. These examples from Hitchcock's Bible Names demonstrate how deeply the concept of divine, miraculous intervention is embedded in the biblical linguistic landscape, even in proper names [1, 2, 3, 4, 6].

The use of "wonders" (Greek: teras) often emphasizes the astonishing, awe-inspiring aspect of a miraculous event. In Revelation 13:13, the beast from the bottomless pit is described as performing "wonders" (translated as "signs" in the Greek), including making fire come down from heaven, mimicking the miracles of Elijah and the two witnesses [14]. This highlights that while genuine miracles are from God, even deceptive, demonically-aided acts can be described as "wonders" due to their astonishing nature, though they lack divine authentication [14].

Sources

  1. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Ithiel — sign, or coming of God”
  2. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Nisan — standard; miracle”
  3. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Tarpelites — ravishers; succession of miracles”
  4. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Eliphal — a miracle of God”
  5. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Miracles — A miracle may be defined to be a plain and manifest exercise by a man, or by God at the call of a man, of those powers which belong only to the Creator and Lord of nature; and this for the declared object of attesting that a divine mission is given to that man. It is not, therefore, the wonder, the exception to common experience, that constitutes the miracle, as is assumed both in the popular use of the word and by most objectors against miracles. No phenomenon in nature, however unusual, no event in the course of God's providence, however unexpected, is a ”
  6. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Pelaiah — the Lord's secret or miracle”
  7. King James Version “[KJV] Deuteronomy 29:3 — The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles:”
  8. Deuteronomy “and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let us go after other gods” (which you have not known) “and let us serve them”; -- Deuteronomy 13:2”
  9. Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 2:4: them--rather, "God also [as well as Christ, Heb 2:3] bearing witness to it," &c., joining in attestation of it." signs and wonders--performed by Christ and His apostles. "Signs" and miracles, or other facts regarded as proofs of a divine mission; "wonders" are miracles viewed as prodigies, causing astonishment (Act 2:22, Act 2:33); "powers" are miracles viewed as evidences of superhuman power. divers miracles--Greek, "varied (miraculous) powers" (Co2 12:12) granted to the apostles after the ascension. gifts, &c.--Greek, "distributions." The gift ”
  10. Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 7:19: 7:19 The familiar word pair signs and wonders signifies the miraculous deeds God performed to induce fear in his enemies and to inspire awe and praise in his people (see 6:22). • strong hand and powerful arm: See study notes on 4:34 and 8:2.”
  11. Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Deuteronomy 34:11: IN ALL THE SIGNS. This is connected with the [preceding] verse, And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel — in all the signs etc. Or the verse may be stating that the Eternal knew Moses face to face through the signs and wonders as they were all done with His Great Name [i.e., the Tetragrammaton], just as he said, and He brought thee out with His Presence, with His great power . 319 Above, 4:37. Now, I have already explained 320 Ibid. , 4:32 and 13:2. that signs are the matters about which Moses warned [the Egyptians] before they took place,”
  12. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 105:27: They showed his signs among them,.... The Egyptians to whom they were sent; that is, Moses and Aaron did. In the original it is, "the words of his signs" (x). They declared the words of God to them, that he would do such signs and wonders among them; or inflict such plagues upon them, in case they did not let Israel go: or they performed them according to the word of the Lord, as he commanded them, as well as taught the doctrines and instructions to be learned from them. The Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it in the singular number, though contrary to t”
  13. Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 28:46: 28:46 sign and warning (literally sign and wonder): This expression indicates God’s miraculous acts that arrest the attention of those who witness them and attest to his power and sovereignty (see 6:22). They are intended to produce intense fear among his own people.”
  14. Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 13:13: wonders--Greek, "signs." so that--so great that. maketh fire--Greek, "maketh even fire." This is the very miracle which the two witnesses perform, and which Elijah long ago had performed; this the beast from the bottomless pit, or the false prophet, mimics. Not merely tricks, but miracles of a demoniacal kind, and by demon aid, like those of the Egyptian magicians, shall be wrought, most calculated to deceive; wrought "after the working (Greek, 'energy') of Satan."”
  15. Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 2:3: God also bearing them witness,.... The apostles of Christ; God testifying to their mission and commission, and the truth of the doctrine they preached: both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles; such as taking up serpents without hurt, healing the sick, causing the lame to walk, and raising the dead, and casting out devils, and the like; all which were for the confirmation of the Gospel preached by them: a sign, wonder, or miracle, for these signify the same thing, is a marvellous work done before men, by the power of God, to confirm a divine truth; God ”
  16. Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 6:22: 6:22 The signs and wonders were the ten plagues God sent to impress Israel and Egypt with his power when he brought about the Exodus (Exod 7–12; see also Exod 3:20; 4:5; Josh 4:23-24).”
Ask Your Own Question
About Terms Privacy Contact

© 2026 BEREAN.AI. All rights reserved.