1 Peter - kefa alef ?

[Paul Younan]

Any idea, why this back and forth in the names? Since you mentioned this, do you have a theory as to why Paul used "Keepa" in these books ... And of course, why Keepa used Petros in his letters and Luqa used all the above plus Shimon?? <!-- s:eh: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/eh.gif" alt=":eh:" title="Eh" /><!-- s:eh: -->

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, this has been an interesting thread.

Only explanation that makes sense to me now, but confused me as a child, is what I already explained. Relatives would come over for dinner and at the table call my father Shimon, and after a few games of backgammon and a little too much dinner wine an occasional "David" would come out while they argued over the legality of a move.

Dual names are very common in immigrant families. I could see that being the case in 1st-century Israel as well. It obviously was the case.

Luke and Paul called him both names, or all three names (Shimon, Keepa and Petros)..Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek...probably without even thinking about it.