The Original Languages of the Bible

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Isaiah manuscript (Dead Sea Scroll) written in Hebrew

The original languages of the Bible are Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The Old Testament was written primarily in Hebrew, with certain sections composed in Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Greek, which was the common language of the Roman Empire at that time. The apostles chose Greek so that the gospel could be spread not only to the Jews but also to all nations.

Original Language of the Old Testament

The Old Testament was written mainly in Hebrew, while a few later portions were recorded in Aramaic, the language used in Babylon (Neo-Babylonia) and Media-Persia (the Persian Empire) (Ezra 4:8–6:18; 7:12–26; Jeremiah 10:11; Daniel 2:4–7:28; Genesis 31:47).[1]

Aramaic and Hebrew are both Semitic languages that share the same alphabet but differ in grammatical structure. After the Babylonian exile, the Jewish people increasingly used Aramaic in daily life since it was the official language of Babylon and Persia.

By the third and fourth centuries BC, Hebrew was rarely spoken outside of Palestine. To make the Scriptures accessible to Jews dispersed throughout the Greek-speaking world, a translation into Greek was undertaken. This Greek version of the Old Testament is known as the Septuagint (LXX).

Original Language of the New Testament

The New Testament was written in Greek from the beginning. Greek had spread throughout the Mediterranean world during the Hellenistic period, and by the time of the Roman Empire, it remained the universal language of communication. The apostles wrote the New Testament in Greek so that the gospel could be proclaimed throughout the Roman Empire. Their intent was that not only Jews but also Gentiles could read the New Testament and receive salvation together.

According to ancient historical records, the The Gospel of Matthew and the book of Hebrews were originally written in Hebrew for Jewish audiences but were later translated into Greek.[2][3]

The Name ‘Bible’

In the early Church, the Old Testament—read and revered by the Jews—was referred to by the Greek word graphē (γραφή), meaning “that which is written” or simply “a writing.”[4] In the New Testament, the Old Testament is described with expressions such as “Moses and all the Prophets,”[5] “the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms,”[6] and “the Law of Moses and the Prophets.”[7]

The modern English word Bible comes from the Greek word biblos (βίβλος), meaning “book.” Originally, biblos referred to the inner bark of the papyrus plant used for writing material, but over time, the word came to mean “book” in general.

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ Aramaic and the Old Testament - Part 1, StudyLight.org
  2. ↑ Matthew the Hebrew Gospel, Carroll Roberson, WestBow Press, 2011, pg.9
  3. ↑ Terrence L. Szink, “Authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews” in How the New Testament Came to Be: The Thirty-fifth Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, ed. Kent P. Jackson and Frank F. Judd Jr. (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2006), 243–259.
  4. ↑ Strong's Greek: 1124. γραφή, Bible Hub
  5. ↑ "Luke 24:27".
  6. ↑ "Luke 24:44".
  7. ↑ "Acts 28:23".
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