In English, we have alpha and numeric characters: a,b,c,d,e, etc., & 0,1,2,3,4, etc. Both Greek and Hebrew have only one set of characters used for both words and numbers. When a word in Greek, for example, is written out, it has a mathematical value. This value is called gematria. The Greek word for Jesus (Ἰησοῦς) has a mathematical equivalent of 888. It works like this: iota, 10; eta, 8; sigma, 200; omicron, 70; upsilon, 400; sigma, 200. The sum of 10 + 8 + 200 + 70 + 400 + 200 is 888. There are many very interesting mathematical relationships when the gematria of words and sentences are examined.
Following are two tables that show both Greek and Hebrew gematria; that is, number-letter value equivalents.
Greek Gematria, Letters and Numeric Values
| Greek Letter |
Greek Name |
English Letter |
Numeric Value |
Greek Letter |
Greek Name |
English Letter |
Numeric Value |
|
| Α, α | alpha | father | 1 | Ξ,ξ | xi | box | 60 | |
| B, β | beta | boy | 2 | O, ο | omikron | off | 70 | |
| Γ, γ | gamma | god | 3 | P, π | pi | pet | 80 | |
| Δ, δ | delta | dog | 4 | ϟ Ϟ | Coph | rock | 90 | |
| Ε, ε | epsilon | end | 5 | Ρ ρ | rho | rat | 100 | |
| ς final | Sigma | sam | 6 | Σ, σ | sigma | sam (s,V) | 200 | |
| Z, ζ | zeta | zebra | 7 | T, τ | tau | test | 300 | |
| H, η | eta | hey | 8 | Υ, υ | upsilon | up | 400 | |
| Θ, θ | theta | thick (q) | 9 | Φ, φ | phi | phone (f) | 500 | |
| I, ι | iota | it | 10 | Χ, χ | chi | bach | 600 | |
| K, κ | kappa | kit | 20 | Ψ, ψ | psi | cups (y) | 700 | |
| Λ, λ | lamda | low | 30 | Ω, ω | omega | orange (w) | 800 | |
| M, μ | mu | mike | 40 | Ϡ | sampsi | sam | 900 = sampsi | |
| N, ν | nu | new | 50 |
Hebrew Gematria, Letters and Numeric Values
| Hebrew Letter |
Hebrew Name |
English Letter |
Numeric Value |
Hebrew Letter |
Hebrew Name |
English Letter |
Numeric Value |
|
| א | aleph | silent (א) | 1 or 1000 | ל | lamed | low | 30 | |
| ב | bet | boy | 2 | ם מ* |
mem | mike | 40 600 |
|
| ג | gimel | god | 3 | נ ן* |
nun | new | 50 600 |
|
| ד | deled | dog | 4 | ס | samech | sam | 60 | |
| ה | heh | hi | 5 | ע | ayin | silent | 70 | |
| ו | vov | very, up | 6 | פ ף* |
pey | pet, phone | 80 800 |
|
| ז | zayin | zebrea | 7 | צ ץ* |
tzadi | nets | 90 900 |
|
| ח | ches | bach | 8 | ק | kuf | q, kit | 100 | |
| ט | tes | test | 9 | ר | reish | race | 200 | |
| י | yod | you | 10 | ש | shin | sam, shem | 300 | |
| כ ך* |
chof | kit | 20 500 |
ת | tof | test | 400 |
*final form is the form of the letter found when it occurs at the end of a word.
