Pantokrator

The Ancient Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible used the word pantokrator (παντοκράτωρ) or “Ruler of All” as a translation of the second part of the Hebrew term YHWH Tz’vaót (יְהוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת) or “Lord of hosts” (see here) and occasionally ʼĒl Šadạy (אֵל שַׁדַּי‎), translated in English commonly as “God Almighty.” In the deuterocanonical/apocryphal books, pantokrator might have also been used in the original writing. The New Testament uses it one time in the writings of Paul (2 Cor. 6:18) and several times in the book of Revelation (see esp. Rev. 1:8).

One of the most influential icon styles of the Orthodox church has developed from this concept: Christ Pantocrator. In this icon style, Christ is looking straight at the viewer, his right hand is typically spelling a short form of “Jesus Christ” (see the bottom of the entry on Jesus and icons for an explanation), and his left hand holds a New Testament. His head is often surrounded by a halo.

The earliest preserved icon is found in the Greek Orthodox Saint Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai from the 6th century:

In order to express the two natures of Christ, the two sides of the face are not symmetrical. The right side might represent the qualities of his divinity, while his left side represents human nature. (Source )

Orthodox icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

See also LORD of hosts.

Translation commentary on 2 Maccabees 7:38

And through me and my brothers to bring to an end the wrath of the Almighty which has justly fallen on our whole nation: These words conclude the prayer begun in the previous verse. Good News Bible‘s translation is closer to the meaning of the Greek than Revised Standard Version‘s rendering, which suggests that God might use the brothers to put an end to his anger. The boy is not praying that their suffering be useful for that purpose, simply that it be the end of God’s expressing his anger, the final expression of that anger, that no one else has to suffer. For the Almighty, see the comments at 2Macc 3.22. Alternative models for this verse are:

• The Almighty [or, All-Powerful/Supreme] God is right to be angry with our whole nation and punish us. But I pray that when my brothers and I are dead, all that will be over.”

• … But I pray that he will stop being angry when my brothers and I are dead.”

• … But I pray that my brothers and I will be the last to suffer.”

• … But I pray that no one else will suffer after my brothers and me.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.