"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani"

This is a quote in Aramaic -- meaning "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me" -- attributed in the New Testament to Jesus as he was crucified. In English translation, these words also comprise the beginning of the Twenty-Second Psalm.

Matthew 27:46 - ηλι ηλι λαμα σαβαχθανι (/eli eli lama sabachthani/, later Aramaic "E-lee e-lee l-maa saa-baach-taa-nee?")

Matthew 27:46 (Lamsa translation)- ηλι ηλι λαμανα σαβαχθανι (/eli eli lamana sabachthani/, later Aramaic "E-lee e-lee l-maa-naa saa-baach-taa-nee?")

The late Aramaic Bible researcher George Lamsa claimed that the traditional "forsaken" interpretation is a mistake in the Aramaic scribing that was transferred to later transcriptions. Lamsa claimed that "the correct translation from Aramaic should be "Eli, Eli, lemana shabakthani" or "My God, my God, for this [purpose] I was spared!" or "...for such a purpose have you kept me!") According to Lamsa's translation, that rather than a "loss of faith" Christ meant, to say "so this is my destiny." 

Rocco Errico writes about the Aramaic spoken in the recent The Passion of the Christ film: "The Aramaic text does not say, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" [Jesus'] words were not a question but a declaration: "My God, my God, for this I was spared! [or "This was my destiny]"..."Interestingly, the recent TV movie Judas portrayed these words correctly."

Among most Christians the former interpretation is still believed to be correct, and the newer Lamsa interpretation, largely unknown to most Christians, and may be considered unusual and even heretical.

Transliterative differences

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
"My God, my God, [for what reason] have you [forsaken] me?"
"My God, my God, [for what purpose] have thou [] me?"
"My God, my God, [for what (a) purpose] have you [] me!
"My God, my God, [for what (a) purpose] have you [kept] me!
"My God, my God, [for such] [a purpose] was I [kept]!"
"My God, my God, for this [purpose] I was spared!

Last words of Jesus

Luke 19:26 "Woman, behold thy son!"
Luke 19:27 "Behold thy mother!"
Luke 23:34 "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
Luke 23:46 "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."

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See Gott's interpretation of Mt 27:46 using Philo's Method of biblical exegesis.

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why hast thou forsaken me?