A Translator's Journey with the Sacred Name

When you're translating the Bible, you quickly discover that every decision matters—but few decisions matter quite like what you do with God's name. Over 6,800 times in the Old Testament, you encounter those four Hebrew letters: יהוה. What do you do with them?

I'm the lead scribe behind the F.O.G Bibles—both a formal equivalence translation and a paraphrase called the F.O.G. Message. When I first started this work, I made a choice that felt bold and faithful: I used Yahweh in both versions. Every single time. I wanted readers to see God's actual name, not a substitute title. I wanted them to encounter the covenant God of Israel personally, not hidden behind editorial conventions.

But recently, I changed my approach—and I want to explain why.

The Problem I Was Trying to Solve

Here's what bothered me about most English translations: they hide God's name. When you open an ESV, NIV, NASB, or virtually any other Bible, you see "the LORD" in small capitals where the Hebrew text has YHWH. It's consistent, it's traditional, and it's... frustrating.

Why? Because it flattens something that's meant to stand out. When David writes "YHWH is my shepherd" (Psalm 23:1), he's using God's personal, covenant name—not a title. When Moses asks "What is your name?" and God answers with the Tetragrammaton (Exodus 3:14-15), that's a massive theological moment. But if your translation just says "the LORD," you miss it.

Even worse, the practice originates from a post-biblical Jewish tradition that treated pronunciation of God's name as dangerous—almost magical. By the first century, Jews would see YHWH written but say "Adonai" (Lord) aloud. The Masoretes (Jewish scribes who added vowel points to Hebrew around 600-900 CE) even inserted Adonai's vowels into YHWH as a reminder to substitute it when reading.

But here's my problem with all of this: the ban on pronunciation went too far. What started as reverence—honoring Exodus 20:7's command not to misuse God's name—became superstition. People acted as if the vocalization itself was forbidden, as if saying "Yahweh" would bring divine judgment.

That's not what Scripture teaches. God gave Israel His name to be used—in worship, in prayer, in proclamation. The Psalms are full of commands to "call upon the name of Yahweh," to "praise the name of Yahweh," to make His name known among the nations. The fear shouldn't be pronouncing it—the fear should be using it carelessly or blasphemously.

So I started with Yahweh everywhere because I wanted to push back against that superstition.

Why I Changed My Mind (Sort Of)

After wrestling with this for three years now, studying how other translations handled it, and honestly just translating through the Old Testament with "Yahweh" 6,800+ times, I realized something: my formal equivalence translation and my paraphrase have different jobs to do.

A formal equivalence translation aims for word-for-word accuracy. It's designed for study, for comparing with the original languages, for seeing exactly what the Hebrew text says. When someone opens the F.O.G., they should see as close to the Hebrew/Greek as English allows.

But here's the thing: the Hebrew text has YHWH—four consonants with no vowels. We think it was pronounced "Yahweh" based on linguistic evidence, ancient transcriptions, and educated reconstruction. But we're not 100% certain. Some argue for "Yahowah," others for variations I won't even get into.

So in a formal equivalence translation, why would I insert vowels and force a pronunciation that's probable but not certain? Why not preserve exactly what's written: YHWH?

Let readers decide how to vocalize it. Let them say "Yahweh," "Jehovah," "the LORD," or even leave it unspoken if their tradition leads them that way. The text itself just has four consonants—so that's what I'll give them.

But a paraphrase is different. The F.O.G. Message is meant to be readable, accessible, to sound natural when you read it aloud. You can't read "YHWH" out loud—it's four consonants. You need something pronounceable.

And honestly? People need to hear God's name. When you read Psalm 110:1 and it says "Yahweh said to my Lord," you actually hear the distinction. When Jeremiah proclaims "Thus says Yahweh," there's weight and specificity that "Thus says the LORD" just doesn't carry.

So my revised approach is:

• F.O.G. (formal equivalence): YHWH — Preserving exactly what's in the Hebrew
• F.O.G. Message (paraphrase): Yahweh — Giving readers a pronunciation to work with

This Isn't About Disrespecting God's Name

Some people hear "Yahweh" and worry it's irreverent. Like we're treating God casually, or worse, violating some divine prohibition.

But think about your own father's name. You sometimes call him "Dad." You sometimes use his actual name—maybe when you're introducing him, maybe when you're speaking about him to others, maybe in certain contexts where it just fits. Neither is irreverent. Both honor him.

God gave us His name to know Him, not to be terrified of Him. When Jesus prayed, "I have made Your name known to them" (John 17:26), He wasn't talking about keeping it secret. He was revealing the Father's character, nature, and covenant faithfulness.

The early church did something remarkable: they took Kyrios (G2962)—the Greek word for YHWH in the Septuagint—and applied it to Jesus. They weren't abandoning God's name; they were recognizing Jesus shares it. When Thomas said "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28), he was identifying Jesus with YHWH Himself.

Here's my conviction: the power isn't in pronouncing four letters correctly. The power is in knowing the God those letters represent.

Whether you say Yahweh, Jehovah, or the LORD in English, you're referencing the same eternal, covenant-keeping, self-existent God who rescued Israel from Egypt, who spoke through the prophets, and who revealed Himself fully in Jesus.

Addressing the Objections

"But won't YHWH confuse people?"

Maybe at first. But a simple preface explains it, just like other translations explain their conventions. And honestly? Seeing YHWH helps readers understand something important: this is THE name, distinct from titles like "Lord" or "God."

When they see "YHWH said to Moses" versus "the Lord said to Moses," there's immediate recognition that this is different, personal, covenantal.

"Isn't using Yahweh a Sacred Name Movement thing?"

Some groups do get dogmatic about pronunciation, claiming salvation depends on saying "Yahweh" or even "Yahshua" for Jesus. That's legalism, and it misses the entire point of grace.

But I'm not using Yahweh as a theological litmus test—I'm using it because it's the best scholarly reconstruction of how the name was pronounced, and it helps readers in a paraphrase context. There's a difference between "This is probably how they said it" and "You must say it this way or you're not saved."

"Won't this make the Bible feel uncomfortable?"

For some readers, yes—at least initially. But so did the first time they heard God called "Abba" (both Daddy and Father) instead of just "Father." Sometimes discomfort comes from encountering something truer, more intimate, than we're used to.

I'm not trying to make God comfortable. I'm trying to make Him known.

What This Means for You

If you're reading the F.O.G. or F.O.G. Message, here's what you need to know:

Don't get hung up on pronunciation. Whether you see YHWH or Yahweh in your Bible, what matters is that you're encountering the covenant God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God who revealed Himself in Jesus Christ.

Use God's name without fear. Not casually, not blasphemously, but without superstitious dread. Call on the name of Yahweh in prayer. Praise His name in worship. Make His name known in witness. That's what He wants.

Focus on what the name represents. YHWH means "I AM WHO I AM"—the self-existent, eternal, covenant-keeping God. When you read His name, you're encountering the One who doesn't change, who keeps His promises, who saves His people.

Recognize Jesus in the name. When Jesus said "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58), He was claiming the divine name for Himself. The name that appeared to Moses at the burning bush—that's who Jesus is. The early church understood this, which is why they worshiped Jesus using the same language Scripture uses for YHWH.

The Heart Behind the Choice

At the end of the day, my translation choices come down to this: I want you to know God as He's revealed Himself in Scripture.

Not hidden behind editorial conventions. Not obscured by superstitious fear. Not domesticated into comfortable, safe language that keeps Him at arm's length.

When Moses stood before the burning bush and asked "What is your name?", God didn't say "Call Me whatever makes you comfortable." He gave His name—YHWH—and told Moses to tell Israel, "YHWH, the God of your fathers, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation" (Exodus 3:15).

That name matters. It mattered to Moses. It mattered to David. It mattered to Isaiah, Jeremiah, and every prophet who proclaimed "Thus says YHWH."

And it matters to you.

So in the F.O.G., you'll see YHWH—exactly what Moses saw, what David sang, what the prophets wrote. In the F.O.G. Message, you'll see Yahweh—a pronunciation that helps you speak His name, call upon Him, and make Him known.

Both honor the same God. Both point you to the same Savior. Both invite you into covenant relationship with the One whose Name is above every name.

Biblical Evidence & Key Passages

• Exodus 3:14-15 - God reveals His personal name to Moses at the burning bush: "I AM WHO I AM... YHWH, the God of your fathers."
• Exodus 20:7 - The command not to take God's name in vain—about misuse, not pronunciation.
• Psalm 23:1 - "YHWH is my shepherd"—the psalmist uses God's personal covenant name, not a title.
• Psalm 110:1 - "YHWH said to my Lord (Adonai)"—the distinction between the divine name and the title is crucial for understanding the Messianic prophecy.
• John 17:6, 26 - Jesus reveals the Father's name—not by pronunciation, but by revealing His character and nature.
• John 8:58 - Jesus claims the divine name: "Before Abraham was, I AM"—connecting Himself to YHWH from Exodus 3.

Practical Application

If you're wrestling with how to handle God's name in your own Bible reading, worship, or teaching, here's what I'd encourage:

Stop making pronunciation a test of orthodoxy. God reads hearts, not phonetics. Whether you prefer Yahweh, Jehovah, or the LORD, what matters is that you're addressing the covenant God of Israel with reverence and faith.

Use whatever Bible translation helps you know God better. If seeing "the LORD" works for you, great. If you want to see YHWH or Yahweh to remind yourself this is God's personal name, also great. The goal is encountering God in His Word, not winning translation debates.

Call on God's name in prayer. Don't be afraid to say "Yahweh" in your prayers if that helps you connect with Him personally. But also don't feel obligated to—"Father," "Lord," "God Almighty" are all biblical ways of addressing Him too.

Teach people that names matter. Whether you're a pastor, teacher, or parent, help people understand that YHWH isn't just a mysterious code—it's God's personal revelation of Himself. Explain what it means ("I AM") and why it matters (covenant relationship).

Point people to Jesus. The ultimate revelation of God's name isn't a pronunciation—it's a Person. Jesus embodied everything YHWH represents: eternal, self-existent, covenant-keeping, saving. As the writer of Hebrews says, "He has inherited a more excellent name" (Hebrews 1:4). When you know Jesus, you know Yahweh.

h3 id="dig-deeper">Dig Deeper

External Resources:

• The Legacy Standard Bible with "Yahweh"
• The Names of God by Ann Spangler
• Translating Truth: The Case for Essentially Literal Bible Translation edited by Wayne Grudem et al.
• https://lsbible.org/faq/why-does-the-lsb-use-yahweh-instead-of-lord/ - The LSB translation committee's rationale for using Yahweh
• https://www.tyndale.com/sites/tyndalebibles/the-new-living-translations-use-of-the-lord-for-yhwh/ - The NLT's approach to translating the divine name