Fish as IXTHUS

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The fish was an early symbol of Christianity. $Fish symbol$ That fish is often depicted as the two arcs of a circle with one end joined and the other end the tail of the fish.

The direct Greek letter translation yields "IXTHUS" but it is often written in English as "ICHTHYS".

Matthew 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. [kjv]

και λεγει αυτοις δευτε οπισω μου και ποιησω υμας αλιεις ανθρωπων [gnt]

… piscatores hominum [v]

… Menschenfischern … [lu]

Jesus told his disciples that he would make them "fishers of men".

Matthew 4:19

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KJV: And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Greek: και λεγει αυτοις δευτε οπισω μου και ποιησω υμας αλιεις ανθρωπων

Latin: et ait illis venite post me et faciam vos fieri piscatores hominum

Luther: Und er sprach zu ihnen: Folget mir nach; sich will euch zu Menschenfischern machen.

Mark 1:17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. [kjv]

και ειπεν αυτοις ο ιησους δευτε οπισω μου και ποιησω υμας γενεσθαι αλιεις ανθρωπων [gnt]

… piscatores hominum [v]

Mark 1:17

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KJV: And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

Greek: και ειπεν αυτοις ο ιησους δευτε οπισω μου και ποιησω υμας γενεσθαι αλιεις ανθρωπων

Latin: et dixit eis Iesus venite post me et faciam vos fieri piscatores hominum

Luther: Und Jesus sprach zu ihnen: Folget mir nach! Ich will euch zu Menschenfischern machen.

Luke 5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. [kjv]

ομοιως δε και ιακωβον και ιωαννην υιους ζεβεδαιου οι ησαν κοινωνοι τω σιμωνι και ειπεν προς τον σιμωνα ιησους μη φοβου απο του νυν ανθρωπους εση ζωγρων [gnt]

… capiens [v]

Luke 5:10

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KJV: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

Greek: ομοιως δε και ιακωβον και ιωαννην υιους ζεβεδαιου οι ησαν κοινωνοι τω σιμωνι και ειπεν προς τον σιμωνα ο ιησους μη φοβου απο του νυν ανθρωπους εση ζωγρων

Latin: similiter autem Iacobum et Iohannem filios Zebedaei qui erant socii Simonis et ait ad Simonem Iesus noli timere ex hoc iam homines eris capiens

Wycliffe: Sotheli in lijk maner James and Joon, the sones of Zebedee, that weren felowis of Symount Petre. And Jhesus seide to Symount, Nyle thou drede; now fro this tyme thou schalt take men.

Luther: desselbigengleichen auch Jakobus und Johannes, die Söhne des Zebedäus, Simons Gesellen. Und Jesus sprach zu Simon: Fürchte dich nicht; denn von nun an wirst du Menschen fangen.

The ancient Greek word "οψάρι" (o-PSA-ree) ≈ "fish" (noun) was used for fish that was out of water and ready to eat or be prepared to eat, as in the following verse. This word (prefix) appears 5 times in the Greek NT (New Testament) all in the Gospel of John.
The modern Greek word "ψάρι" (PSA-ree) ≈ "fish" (noun) comes from the previous word with the omission of the leading omicron "ο".

Over time, the leading «ο» (omicron), sounding like the Greek masculine definite article "ο" (oh) ≈ "the", disappeared.

The ancient and still used modern Greek word "ιχθύς" (ee-KHTHEES) ≈ "fish" (noun), which is a fish still in the water.
The ancient and modern Greek word "αλιεύω" (a-lee-EV-o) ≈ "fish" (verb) refers to the fisherman more than to the fish.

More: More or less about adding or dropping letters

John 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? [kjv]

εστιν παιδαριον ωδε ος εχει πεντε αρτους κριθινους και δυο οψαρια αλλα ταυτα τι εστιν εις τοσουτους [gnt]

John 6:9

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KJV: There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

Greek: εστιν παιδαριον εν ωδε ο ος εχει πεντε αρτους κριθινους και δυο οψαρια αλλα ταυτα τι εστιν εις τοσουτους

Latin: est puer unus hic qui habet quinque panes hordiacios et duos pisces sed haec quid sunt inter tantos

Wycliffe: seith to him, A child is here, that hath fyue barli looues and twei fischis; but what ben these among so manye?

Tyndale: There ys a lad here which hath fyve barly loves and two fisshes: but what is that amoge so many?

Luther: Es ist ein Knabe hier, der hat fünf Gerstenbrote und zwei Fische; aber was ist das unter so viele?

Russian: здесь есть у одного мальчика пять хлебов ячменных и две рыбки; но что это для такого множества?

Matthew 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? [kjv]

η τις εξ υμων ανθρωπος ον αιτησει ο υιος αυτου αρτον μη λιθον επιδωσει αυτω [gnt]

Even (oven) if this a half-baked idea, perhaps a "stone" cold response to "bread" could be forthcoming.

A pure-bread "dog" might be called "crusty".
Part of the Eucharist is "bread". If "asked", would you deny a "dog" who asks "crumbs" for "bread"?

If one is building a "house" of "sand" (human infrastructure) as in the "temple" made of "stones", then one could deceive and give, as a "bad" "gift", "stones" to someone who is expecting "bread" (of life).

More: Matthew 7:7-10 Ask and seek and knock gifts to children

Matthew 7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? [kjv]

η και ιχθυν αιτησει μη οφιν επιδωσει αυτω [gnt]

… naeddren. [wes]

… edder… [wy]

… serpet… [ty]

The modern Greek word "φίδι" (FEE-thee) ≈ "snake" comes from the ancient Greek word "όφιν" (O-feen) ≈ "snake" where, over time, the leading «ο» (omicron) disappeared (and the ending changed).

The Latin word "serpentem" ≈ "snake" leads to the translation of "serpent" for "snake" in many translations.

The ancient Greek word "ὀφείλω" ≈ "owe, be obligated" and is the word used in the Lord's Prayer. It can be a play on words with "serpent".

More: More or less about adding or dropping letters

More: Matthew 7:7-10 Ask and seek and knock gifts to children

Matthew 14:17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. [kjv]

οι δε λεγουσιν αυτω ουκ εχομεν ωδε ει μη πεντε αρτους και δυο ιχθυας [gnt]

… panes … pisces [v]

In the feeding of the 5,000 in Matthew, Jesus uses the "ixthus" word for "fish".

The Latin word "piscis" ≈ "fish". One of the 12 Zodiac signs is "Pisces", the fish.

Matthew 14:17

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KJV: And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

Greek: οι δε λεγουσιν αυτω ουκ εχομεν ωδε ει μη πεντε αρτους και δυο ιχθυας

Latin: responderunt ei non habemus hic nisi quinque panes et duos pisces

The English word "fish" used to mean just a creature, animal or something else, that lived in the sea.

starfish
crawfish

One sees this in Jonah when Jonah is swallowed by a big fish.

Many English words, some used in the KJV (King James Version), had a more generic meaning at one time.

"meat" meant "food".
"deer" meant "animal".
"apple" meant "fruit" as in a "pineapple".
"corn" meant "grain" or "seed".
"gnat" meant "flying insect".
"fish" meant a "water creature" as in a "starfish", "crawfish", etc.

Each of these words narrowed in meaning over the years.

Matthew 23:24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. [kjv]

… gnet … [wes]

… gnatte… [wy]

The English word "gnat" comes from the Old English word "gnætt" ≈ "small flying insect".

More: Matthew 23:24 So far as the net gain of a gnat into a canopy