Names and Titles of Jesus

Jesus, Immanuel (God With Us)

‘Immanuel’ is a Hebrew name that means ‘God with us.’ Spoken first by Isaiah as a sign (Isaiah 7:14), it is given to Jesus at his birth (Matthew 1:23). It is the whole Christian message in a single word: not a distant God watching from far off, but God who came near, took our flesh, and stays with his people.

What the Bible says

What it reveals

Seven centuries before Jesus, Isaiah promised a child whose name would mean ‘God with us.’ Matthew opens his Gospel by saying: this is that child. And Matthew ends the same way, with the risen Jesus promising, ‘I am with you alway’ (Matthew 28:20). The whole Gospel is bracketed by the same promise. God with us is not a mood; it is a person, Jesus.

What it means for you

Of all God could have called himself, he chose ‘with us.’ Whatever you are walking through, the heart of this name is that you are not walking through it alone. God did not send help from a safe distance; he came in. Immanuel means the door is never shut and the room is never empty.

Frequently asked questions

What does Immanuel mean?

Immanuel is Hebrew for 'God with us'. Isaiah 7:14 gave it as a sign, and Matthew 1:23 applies it to Jesus, whose birth means God has come to be with his people in person.

Why is Jesus called Immanuel?

Because in Jesus, God himself came near and took human flesh. Matthew names him Immanuel at his birth (1:23) and closes with Jesus promising to be with his people always (28:20), framing the whole Gospel as 'God with us'.

Is it Immanuel or Emmanuel?

Both spellings name the same word. The KJV uses 'Immanuel' in Isaiah 7:14 (from Hebrew) and 'Emmanuel' in Matthew 1:23 (from Greek). The meaning is identical: 'God with us'.