The word LORD in the Old Testament is translated from the Hebrew YHWH.  This is known as the Tetragrammaton.  The word Tetragrammaton comes from the Greek.   It literally means “having four letters”.  The Hebrew word YHWH is called the Tetragrammaton because YHWH has four letters.

Some translations translate YHWH as LORD, and some as Jehovah. 

For example, the ESV, Good News Translation, KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV, RSV, The Living Bible, use LORD; and for example, the ASV, LITV, MKJV, Young’s Literal Translation, use Jehovah.

How should YHWH be translated?  Which translations are correct? 

When translators come across a difficult word, they can do one of two things.  They can translate the word, or they can transliterate the word.  Transliterate means to change the letters into the corresponding characters of another language.

The word Yahweh and the word Jehovah are both transliterations of YHWH.  Both have the YHWH with various vowels inserted to make it pronounceable. 

The translators of the ASV decided to transliterate YHWH.  Wherever YHWH appears in the Old Testament, these translators transliterated YHWH to Jehovah.  They added a few vowels to make it readable.

The translators of the KJV decided to translate YHWH as LORD (all capitals).  The use of all capitals is a convention used by translators.  They use LORD (all caps) when translating YHWH and Lord when translating Adonai.  For example.

Psa 110:1  The LORD [YHWH] said to my Lord [Adonai], “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

But what does YHWH mean?  Most scholars agree that YHWH comes from a root word meaning “the Self Existent” or “the Eternal” or “the Existing One”.  Does this mean LORD is a bad translation?

Can YHWH legitimately be translated LORD?

Are there any examples in the Bible where YHWH is translated?  The answer is yes.  The New Testament was written in Greek.  The authors of the New Testament frequently quoted from the Old Testament. When they quoted from the Old Testament, they translated the Hebrew into Greek.  Fortunately for us, there are several verses in the New Testament where they translated YHWH into Greek.

Here is an example in Matthew 22:37 which is a quote from Deuteronomy 6:5.  Note that Matthew translates YHWH as the Greek kurios.

Mat 22:37  Jesus said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD [kurios] YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’

Deu 6:5  You shall love the LORD [YHWH] your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Here is an example in Mark 12:10-11 which is a quote from Psalm 118:22-23.  Note again that Mark translates YHWH as the Greek kurios.

Mar 12:10  Have you not even read this Scripture: ‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE.
Mar 12:11  THIS WAS THE LORD’S [kurios] DOING, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’?”

Psa 118:22  The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.
Psa 118:23  This was the LORD’s [YHWH] doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.

Here is another example in Acts 4:26 which is a quote from Psalm 2:2.

Act 4:26  THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND, AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD [kurios] AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.’

Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD [YHWH] and against His Anointed, saying,

Here is another example in John 1:23 which is a quote from Isaiah 40:3.

Joh 1:23  He said: “I am ‘THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS: “MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD [kurios],” ‘ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

Isa 40:3  The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD [YHWH]; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.

Here is another example in Romans 12:19 which is a quote from Deuteronomy 32:35-36.

Rom 12:19  Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord [kurios].

Deu 32:35  Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; …
Deu 32:36  “For the LORD [YHWH] will judge His people …

There are many more examples.  These writers, (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul), were inspired by God to translate YHWH as kurios.  In fact, the New Testament is consistent in translating YHWH as kurios.  So clearly kurios is an acceptable Greek translation of YHWH. 

But what does kurios mean?  In the examples covered above kurios has been translated Lord.  Is this correct?  Let’s just check some other examples.

Here is an example of Jesus speaking to the disciples.

Mat 10:24  “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master [kurios].

Here is an example in Peter’s letter.

1Pe 3:6  as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord [kurios], whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

The Greek word kurios means Master or Lord.

Under inspiration of God the New Testament writers translated YHWH as kurios, and as we have seen kurios means Lord or Master.  Therefore, Lord is an acceptable English translation of YHVH.

The writers of the New Testament did not transliterate YHWH, they translated it.  This tells us they didn’t view YHWH as a special name of God that had to be transliterated and carried letter for letter from Hebrew to Greek. 

The writers of the New Testament translated YHWH into kurios which means Lord or Master.  This tells us they viewed YHWH as descriptive of who God is.  God is our Lord and Master.