He took her by the hand and said to her, talitha koum! (which means little girl, I say to you, get up!) — the Aramaic words talitha koum are preserved in their original language in Mark's Gospel — one of several Aramaic phrases that suggest eyewitness testimony transmitted through Peter (who was present). The preservation of the original words communicates their sacred specificity: this is exactly what was said in that room, in that language, to that girl. Talitha (little girl or little lamb — the word can carry both meanings) combined with koum (arise, get up) is the most intimate possible summons: the family term of endearment with the command of resurrection.

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