SEPTUAGINT
LXX
Greek
Orthodox Church
Apostoliki
Diakonia
Old
Testament in the Greek Language
Elpenor's
Bilingual (Greek/English) Old Testament
Greek original according to the text used by the Church of Greece /
English translation by L.C.L. Brenton published - side by side.
The Septuagint is the Old Testament as used by the Apostles and all the Ancient Church.
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SEPTUAGINT
LXX
St
John's Orthodox Church England
Michael
Asser Septuagint
Brenton
Septuagint
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Source:
What Is The Holy Bible? by Rev. George C. Papademetriou, Ph.D., Director of the Library and Instructor of Systematic Theology, Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology., Brookline, Massachusetts., 1986., pp.3-4
Orthodox Bible
The Old Testament
The official version of the Old Testament authorized by the Orthodox Church for use in worship and reading is that of the Septuagint.
The Church from the beginning, used the Septuagint and not the Palestinian version of the Bible
During the time of our Lord, there were two versions of the of the Old Testament in circulation among the Jews. One was called the "Narrow Circle" of Jerusalem or Palestine and the other was called "Wilder Circle" of Alexandria.
Our Lord and the Apostles, in the New Testament, used the "Wilder Circle" or the Septuagint. It was called Septuagint, or Seventy, because there were seventy, (according to tradition 72) scholars who first made the translation into Greek during the reign of Ptolmey II in the third century, B.C. in Alexandria.
Our Church recognizes and accepts the Septuagint as the sacred and inspired Word of God. This version of the Bible circulated in the synagogues around the Mediterranean world where Christianity flourished.
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Source:
Greek Orthodox Diocese of Denver Bulletin: March 1995, Volume 3, Number 3., pp. 14-17
"Which English Translation Of The Bible Should I Use"?
His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Proikonisou and Presiding Hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Denver
the Apostles, who were the authors of the New Testament, as well as the early Church Fathers, frequently cite passages only found in the Septuagint (Greek) Old Testament
Moreover, they frequently cite passages from the "Apocryphal" books of the Old Testament.
The Holy Scriptures Were Produced by the Orthodox Church. The Church's holy prophets and Apostles wrote the books contained in the Bible. The Church determined which books were authoritative and belonged in Holy Scripture. The Church preserved and passed on the texts of these Scriptural books.
The seventy-two Jewish rabbis and scholars who gave us the Septuagint Greek Old Testament
Writing in Greek, the Holy Apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Peter, and Jude produced the books of the New Testament.
The Holy Scriptures Were Preserved by the Orthodox Church.
Testimony to the fidelity of reproduction in this milieu is the consistent agreement among the Church Fathers when they cite Scripture, and their common understanding of Scripture in their deliberations at the local and Ecumenical councils.
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An Orthodox Look at English Translations of the Bible
By Fr. John Whiteford
The Old Testament Text
For the Old Testament, the two textual traditions that the Church has preserved are that of the Greek Septuagint and the Syriac Peshitta.
The Hebrew Text that has served as the basis for most translations of the Old Testament into English is based almost entirely on the Leningrad Codex, which dates from 1008 A.D. In comparison to the textual evidence that we have for the New Testament Greek text, this is a very late manuscript. It is an example of the Masoretic recension, which is usually dated to have been shaped between the 6th and 10th centuries A.D.
This is well after the Septuagint was translated (3rd century before Christ), the Peshitta (1st and 2nd Centuries A.D.)
The Septuagint and Peshitta texts were preserved within the Church, and so the Church believes that the text of the Old Testament was been authoritatively preserved in these textual traditions.
Furthermore, it is clear that the text that Christ and the Apostles used matches the Septuagint
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NIV
New International Version
Zondervan Study Bible
Preface xxvi
The New Testament authors, writing in Greek, often quote the Old Testament from its ancient Greek version, the Septuagint.
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Encyclopædia Britannica
Septuagint LXX
Septuagint, abbreviation LXX, the earliest extant Greek translation of the Old Testament from the original Hebrew,
made for the use of the Jewish community in Egypt when Greek was the lingua franca throughout the region.
Analysis of the language has established that the Torah, or Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament), was translated near the middle of the 3rd century BC and that the rest of the Old Testament was translated in the 2nd century BC.
The language of much of the early Christian church was Greek, and it was in the Septuagint text that many early Christians located the prophecies
fulfilled by Christ.
Its subsequent history lies within the Christian church.
it was the Septuagint, not the original Hebrew, that was the main basis for the Old Latin, Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Georgian, Slavonic, and part of the Arabic translations of the Old Testament.
It has never ceased to be the standard version of the Old Testament in the Greek church
The text of the Septuagint is contained in
early
manuscripts.
The best known of these are the Codex Vaticanus (B) and the Codex Sinaiticus (S), both dating from the 4th century AD, and the Codex Alexandrinus (A) from the 5th century. There are also numerous earlier papyrus fragments and many later manuscripts.
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Catholic Encyclopedia
Septuagint
The first translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, made into popular Greek before the Christian era.
(1) The Septuagint is the most ancient translation of the Old Testament and consequently is invaluable
(2) The Septuagint Version accepted first by the Alexandrian Jews, and afterwards by all the Greek-speaking countries, helped to spread among the Gentiles the idea and the expectation of the Messias, and to introduce into Greek the theological terminology that made it a most suitable instrument for the propagation of the Gospel of Christ.
(3) The Jews made use of it long before the Christian Era, and in the time of Christ it was recognised as a legitimate text, and was employed in Palestine even by the rabbis. The Apostles and Evangelists utilised it also and borrowed Old Testament citations from it, especially in regard to the prophecies. The Fathers and the other ecclesiastical writers of the early Church drew upon it, either directly, as in the case of the Greek Fathers, or indirectly, like the Latin Fathers and writers and others who employed Latin, Syriac, Ethiopian, Arabic and Gothic versions. It was held in high esteem by all, some even believed it inspired. Consequently, a knowledge of the Septuagint helps to a perfect understanding of these literatures.
(4) At the present time, the Septuagint is the official text in the Greek Church,
the writers of the New Testament made use of it, borrowing from it most of their citations; it became the Old Testament of the Church and was so highly esteemed by the early Christians that several writers and Fathers declared it to be inspired.
The three most celebrated manuscripts of the Septuagint known are the Vatican, "Codex Vaticanus" (fourth century); the Alexandrian, "Codex Alexandrinus" (fifth century), now in the British Museum,London; and that of Sinai, "Codex Sinaiticus" (fourth century),
The "Codex Vaticanus" is the purest of the three; it generally gives the more ancient text
the Septuagint Version was made in popular Greek, the koine dislektos.
the Septuagint is a Greek translation of Hebrew books.
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Catholic Encyclopedia
Versions of the Bible
The Septuagint
The Septuagint, or Alexandrine, Version, the first and foremost translation of the Hebrew Bible, was made in the third and second centuries B.C.
It is still the official text of the Greek Church.
It is still the official text of the Greek Church.
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Catholic Study Bible
2nd Edition
by Donald Senior (Editor), John J. Collins (Editor)
Septuagint LXX
Page 1801
Septuagint
the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures.
The Septuagint was translated
in the third century B.C.
it translated a version of the Hebrew text that is older than the currently available Hebrew ( Masoretic ) text
it was the Bible of early Christians and therefore represents what they thought of Scripture
Page 68
the Septuagint LXX
had a major influence on all the writers of the New Testament
Page 5
earliest Christianity used an ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament ( called the Septuagint ) as its Bible.
Greek version of the Bible
Since most of early Christians were Greek speaking,
this is the Bible they preferred.
Page 272
The Hellenization of the World
A large colony of Jews lived in Alexandria and accommodated itself to Greek language and culture. This was the group that translated its religious traditions from Hebrew to Greek,
thus producing
the Septuagint LXX
The Alexandrian
Greek version of the Scriptures was
the one in popular use during the first century of the Christian era.
Christians continued to revere the Alexandrian tradition.
In fact, by comparing the Old Testament citations used by New Testament writers, scholars conclude that a good number, if not most of them, come from the Alexandrian rather than from the earlier Palestinian version.
Greek canon
authentic early church tradition
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Catholic Study Bible
2nd Edition
by Donald Senior (Editor), John J. Collins (Editor)
http://www.amazon.com/Catholic-Study-Bible-Donald-Senior/dp/0195297768
Page 1728
First Letter of Peter
" Greek in which it is written "
" its use of of the Greek Septuagint translation when citing the Old Testament "
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Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament:
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Preface to the King James Version 1611
[ Greek Septuagint LXX ]
prepared the way for our Saviour
among the Gentiles by written preaching,
as Saint John Baptist did among the Jews by vocal.
For the Grecians being desirous of learning, were not wont to suffer books of worth to lie moulding in Kings' libraries, but had many of their servants, ready scribes, to copy them out, and so they were dispersed and made common.
Again, the Greek tongue was well known and made familiar to most inhabitants in Asia, by reason of the conquest that there the Grecians had made, as also by the Colonies, which thither they had sent. For the same causes also it was well understood in many places of Europe, yea, and of Africa too.
Therefore the word of God being set forth in Greek,
becometh hereby like a candle set upon a candlestick,
which giveth light to all that are in the house,
or like a proclamation sounded forth in the market place,
which most men presently take knowledge of;
and therefore that language was fittest to contain the Scriptures,
both for the first Preachers of the Gospel to appeal unto for witness,
and for the learners also of those times to make search and trial by.
http://www.ccel.org/bible/kjv/preface/pref5.htm
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St. Augustine ( 354 AD - 430 AD )
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/conybeare/lxxgrammar.iii.html
http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Selections_from_the_Septuagint_According_to_the_Text_of_Swete_1000831572/27
St. Augustine remarks that the Greek-speaking Christians for the most part did not even know whether there was any other word of God than the Septuagint.
‘The Churches of Christ,’ said St. Augustine, ‘do not think that anyone is to be preferred to the authority of so many men chosen out by the High-priest Eleazar for the accomplishment of so great a work.’ (Septuagint)
St. Augustine ( 354 AD - 430 AD )
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/augustine
Grammar of Septuagint Greek
F. C. Conybeare and St. George Stock
http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Septuagint-Greek-Selected-according/dp/1498200915/ref=sr_1_1
https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_grc_morsyn-3
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St. Justin Martyr ( 100 AD - 165 AD )
Justin’s Hortatory Address to the Greeks
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.vi.xiii.html
Chapter XIII.
History of the Septuagint.
" written by divine power "
" a work of Divine Providence "
http://biblehub.com/library/justin/justins_hortatory_address_to_the_greeks/chapter_xiii_history_of_the_septuagint.htm
St. Justin Martyr
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Justin-Martyr
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.iv.lxxi.html
http://biblehub.com/library/justin/dialogue_of_justin_philosopher_and_martyr_with_trypho/chapter_lxv_the_jew_objects_that.htm
http://biblehub.com/library/
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/justin.html
https://www.logos.com/product/9435/the-major-works-of-justin-martyr-in-greek
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Catholic Study Bible
2nd Edition
by Donald Senior (Editor), John J. Collins (Editor)
http://www.amazon.com/Catholic-Study-Bible-Donald-Senior/dp/0195297768
Page 1728
First Letter of Peter
" Greek in which it is written "
" its use of of the Greek Septuagint translation when citing the Old Testament "
Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament:
A Complete Survey
January 26, 2005
by Gregory Chirichigno (Author), Gleason L. Archer (Author)
Of the places where the New Testament quotes the Old,
the great majority is from the Septuagint version.
authors Archer and Chirichigno list
340 places where the New Testament cites the Septuagint
but only 33 places where it cites from the Masoretic Text rather than the Septuagint
( G. Archer and G. C. Chirichigno, Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament: A Complete Survey, 25-32 )
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Preface to the King James Version 1611
[ Greek Septuagint LXX ]
prepared the way for our Saviour
among the Gentiles by written preaching,
as Saint John Baptist did among the Jews by vocal.
For the Grecians being desirous of learning, were not wont to suffer books of worth to lie moulding in Kings' libraries, but had many of their servants, ready scribes, to copy them out, and so they were dispersed and made common.
Again, the Greek tongue was well known and made familiar to most inhabitants in Asia, by reason of the conquest that there the Grecians had made, as also by the Colonies, which thither they had sent. For the same causes also it was well understood in many places of Europe, yea, and of Africa too.
Therefore the word of God being set forth in Greek,
becometh hereby like a candle set upon a candlestick,
which giveth light to all that are in the house,
or like a proclamation sounded forth in the market place,
which most men presently take knowledge of;
and therefore that language was fittest to contain the Scriptures,
both for the first Preachers of the Gospel to appeal unto for witness,
and for the learners also of those times to make search and trial by.
http://www.ccel.org/bible/kjv/preface/pref5.htm
______________________________________________________
St. Augustine ( 354 AD - 430 AD )
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/conybeare/lxxgrammar.iii.html
http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Selections_from_the_Septuagint_According_to_the_Text_of_Swete_1000831572/27
St. Augustine remarks that the Greek-speaking Christians for the most part did not even know whether there was any other word of God than the Septuagint.
‘The Churches of Christ,’ said St. Augustine, ‘do not think that anyone is to be preferred to the authority of so many men chosen out by the High-priest Eleazar for the accomplishment of so great a work.’ (Septuagint)
St. Augustine ( 354 AD - 430 AD )
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/augustine
Grammar of Septuagint Greek
F. C. Conybeare and St. George Stock
http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Septuagint-Greek-Selected-according/dp/1498200915/ref=sr_1_1
https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_grc_morsyn-3
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St. Justin Martyr ( 100 AD - 165 AD )
Justin’s Hortatory Address to the Greeks
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.vi.xiii.html
Chapter XIII.
History of the Septuagint.
" written by divine power "
" a work of Divine Providence "
http://biblehub.com/library/justin/justins_hortatory_address_to_the_greeks/chapter_xiii_history_of_the_septuagint.htm
St. Justin Martyr
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Justin-Martyr
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.iv.lxxi.html
http://biblehub.com/library/justin/dialogue_of_justin_philosopher_and_martyr_with_trypho/chapter_lxv_the_jew_objects_that.htm
http://biblehub.com/library/
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/justin.html
https://www.logos.com/product/9435/the-major-works-of-justin-martyr-in-greek
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Apostoliki
Diakonia
Apostoliki
Diakonia
is
the official publishing house
of
the Orthodox Christian Church of Greece
Palaia
Diathiki (Old Testament)
Published
by the Church of Greece (Greek)
by
Apostoliki Diakonia
Kaini
Diathiki (New Testament)
Published
by the Church of Greece (Greek)
by
Apostoliki Diakonia
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ISAIAH
7:14
VIRGIN
*
Brenton Septuagint LXX
Therefore
the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin
shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son, and thou
shalt call his name Emmanuel.
*
New American Bible - Revised Edition (NABRE) Roman Catholic
Therefore
the Lord himself will give you a sign; the young
woman, pregnant and about to bear a son, shall name him
Emmanuel.
*
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition ( Roman Catholic )
Therefore
the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin
shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called
Emmanuel.
*
King James Version (KJV)
Therefore
the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a
virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanuel.
*
New King James Version (NKJV)
Therefore
the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin
shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
*
Good News Translation (GNT)
Well
then, the Lord himself will give you a sign: a young
woman who is pregnant will have a son and will name him
‘Immanuel.’
Jewish
Publication Society JPS Tanakh 1917
Therefore
the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: behold, the young
woman shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanuel.
*
New International Version
Therefore
the Lord himself will give you a sign: The
virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and
will call him Immanuel.
*
Revised Standard Version
Therefore
the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young
woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name
Imman'u-el.
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Isaiah 14:12
LUCIFER
* Brenton Septuagint LXX
http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/septuagint/chapter.asp?book=43&page=14
How has Lucifer, that rose in the morning, fallen from heaven! He that sent [orders] to all the nations is crushed to the earth.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2014&version=KJV;NKJV
* King James Version (KJV)
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
* New King James Version (NKJV)
“How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2014&version=NABRE;DRA
* New American Bible - Revised Edition (NABRE) Roman Catholic
How you have fallen from the heavens,
O Morning Star, son of the dawn!
How you have been cut down to the earth,
you who conquered nations!
* Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition ( Roman Catholic )
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, who didst rise in the morning? how art thou fallen to the earth, that didst wound the nations?
http://biblehub.com/jps/isaiah/14.htm
Jewish Publication Society JPS Tanakh 1917
How art thou fallen from heaven,
O day-star, son of the morning!
How art thou cut down to the ground,
That didst cast lots over the nations!
http://www.biblestudytools.com/parallel-bible/passage/?q=isaiah+14&t=niv&t2=rsv
* New International Version
How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
* Revised Standard Version
"How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!
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New Testament
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation+22&version=KJV;NKJV
THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
1:1
THE Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
1:2
Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
Revelation 22:16
* King James Version (KJV)
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
* New King James Version (NKJV)
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
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Rylands Greek Papyrus 458
http://enriqueta.man.ac.uk/luna/servlet/detail/ManchesterDev~93~3~24513~100966:Deuteronomy
Collection: Rylands Papyri
Reference number: Greek Papyrus 458
Old Testament Deuteronomy
Description:
Eight fragments, identified by the letters a - h, from a papyrus roll of Deuteronomy. They are written in a stylised and formal hand. The fragments were recovered from two pieces of mummy cartonnage along with Greek Papyri 539, 496, 499, 501, 502 and 503 and some Demotic texts. Acquired in 1917.
Creation site: Egypt
Date created: 2nd century BC
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Dead Sea Scrolls
http://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/search#q=script_language_parent_en:'Greek'
Dead Sea Scrolls
http://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/learn-about-the-scrolls/languages-and-scripts
All of the Greek texts among the Dead Sea Scrolls are written in koine, the common dialect of the post-classical Hellenistic and Roman worlds and the New Testament language. A total of 27 Greek manuscripts have been identified from the Qumran caves. This includes all remains of 19 papyri found in Qumran Cave 7, and several Greek manuscripts preserved in Cave 4, made up of mostly biblical fragments. While the majority of the Cave 7 manuscripts cannot be identified, exceptions are a copy of Exodus and an Apocrypha work, the Epistle of Jeremiah. Attempts to identify some Cave 7 Greek fragments as Enoch are subject to debate, while attempts to identify fragments as New Testament have proven unsuccessful.
The majority of Greek manuscripts found at other Judean Desert sites are papyri documents from the Roman era. Most were recovered from the refuge caves of the Bar Kokhba Revolt (132-135 ce). Several Jewish Greek documentary papyri dating to before 74 ce were found at Masada. Among the non-documentary texts is the well-preserved translation of the Twelve Minor Prophets Scroll found at Nahal Hever, dating to the first century ce. Another unusual find is a text in iambic trimeters from Wadi Murabba'at.
The Jewish Publication Society (JPS)
https://jps.org/books/tanakh-the-holy-scriptures-blue/
TANAKH
The Holy Scriptures
The New JPS Translation according to the Traditional Hebrew Text
Regarded throughout the English-speaking world as the standard English translation of the Holy Scriptures, the JPS TANAKH has been acclaimed by scholars, rabbis, lay leaders, Jews, and Christians alike.
JPS TANAKH
is the culmination of three decades of collaboration by academic scholars and rabbis, representing the three largest branches of organized Judaism in the United States.
Not since the third century b.c.e., when 72 elders of the tribes of Israel created the Greek translation of Scriptures known as the Septuagint has such a broad-based committee of Jewish scholars produced a major Bible translation.
http://jps.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/JPSTanakh_CustomerGuide.pdf
The Tanakh is the canon of the Jewish Bible
( also known as the Hebrew Bible, the Holy Scriptures, or
the Old Testament )
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
https://jps.org/books/tanakh-the-holy-scriptures-blue/
TANAKH
The Holy Scriptures
The New JPS Translation according to the Traditional Hebrew Text
Regarded throughout the English-speaking world as the standard English translation of the Holy Scriptures, the JPS TANAKH has been acclaimed by scholars, rabbis, lay leaders, Jews, and Christians alike.
JPS TANAKH
is the culmination of three decades of collaboration by academic scholars and rabbis, representing the three largest branches of organized Judaism in the United States.
Not since the third century b.c.e., when 72 elders of the tribes of Israel created the Greek translation of Scriptures known as the Septuagint has such a broad-based committee of Jewish scholars produced a major Bible translation.
http://jps.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/JPSTanakh_CustomerGuide.pdf
The Tanakh is the canon of the Jewish Bible
( also known as the Hebrew Bible, the Holy Scriptures, or
the Old Testament )
_______________________________________________________________
Jewish Encyclopedia
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13432-septuagint
Jewish translations of the Old Testament were made from time to time by Jews, in order to satisfy the needs, both in public service and in private life, of those that had gradually lost the knowledge of the ancient national tongue.
In Palestine itself, Hebrew was driven out first by Aramaic, then by Greek
Though Hebrew remained the sacred and the literary language, the knowledge of it must have faded to such a degree in the second century preceding the common era that it became necessary for a meturgeman (interpreter) to translate the weekly Pentateuch and prophetic lessons as read in the synagogue.
Influence of Hellenism.
The settlement of large numbers of Jews in various parts of the Greek world, the Hellenization of Palestine,
Rabban Simon ben Gamaliel: "After careful examination it was found that the Pentateuch could be adequately translated only into Greek"
Evidence exists of the fact that
in the synagogue
Greek was freely used.
There is even a tradition that Greek letters were engraven upon the chest in the Temple in which the shekels were kept; and there is also Christian testimony to this effect.
The weekly lessons both from the Law and the Prophets were at an early date read in Greek in Alexandria
The Christian Church
used the Bible only in the Septuagint Version.
The Septuagint.
The oldest and most important of all the versions made by Jews
is that called "The Septuagint"
It is a monument of the Greek spoken by the large and important Jewish community of Alexandria.
The books of the Bible were rendered into Greek. The grandson of Ben Sira (132 B.C.), in the prologue to his translation of his grandfather's work, speaks of the "Law, Prophets, and the rest of the books" as being already current in his day. A Greek Chronicles is mentioned by Eupolemus ( middle of second century BC ). Septuagint Psalter is quoted in I Maccabees vii 17.
It is therefore more than probable that the whole of the Bible was translated into Greek before the beginning of the Christian era.
The large number of Greek-speaking Jewish communities in Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, and northern Africa must have facilitated its spread in all these regions.
The quotations from the Old Testament found in the New are in the main taken from the Septuagint.
Its influence upon the Greek-speaking Jews must have been great.
In course of time it came to be the canonical Greek Bible.
It is the version used by the Jewish Hellenistic writers, Demetrius, Eupolemus, Artabanus, Aristeas, Ezekiel, and Aristobulus, as well as in the Book of Wisdom, the translation of Ben Sira, and the Jewish Sibyllines. Hornemann, Siegfried, and Ryle have shown that Philo bases his citations from the Bible on the Septuagint Version. Josephus follows this translation closely.
It became part of the Bible of the Christian Church.
_______________________________________________________________
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13432-septuagint
Jewish translations of the Old Testament were made from time to time by Jews, in order to satisfy the needs, both in public service and in private life, of those that had gradually lost the knowledge of the ancient national tongue.
In Palestine itself, Hebrew was driven out first by Aramaic, then by Greek
Though Hebrew remained the sacred and the literary language, the knowledge of it must have faded to such a degree in the second century preceding the common era that it became necessary for a meturgeman (interpreter) to translate the weekly Pentateuch and prophetic lessons as read in the synagogue.
Influence of Hellenism.
The settlement of large numbers of Jews in various parts of the Greek world, the Hellenization of Palestine,
Rabban Simon ben Gamaliel: "After careful examination it was found that the Pentateuch could be adequately translated only into Greek"
Evidence exists of the fact that
in the synagogue
Greek was freely used.
There is even a tradition that Greek letters were engraven upon the chest in the Temple in which the shekels were kept; and there is also Christian testimony to this effect.
The weekly lessons both from the Law and the Prophets were at an early date read in Greek in Alexandria
The Christian Church
used the Bible only in the Septuagint Version.
The Septuagint.
The oldest and most important of all the versions made by Jews
is that called "The Septuagint"
It is a monument of the Greek spoken by the large and important Jewish community of Alexandria.
The books of the Bible were rendered into Greek. The grandson of Ben Sira (132 B.C.), in the prologue to his translation of his grandfather's work, speaks of the "Law, Prophets, and the rest of the books" as being already current in his day. A Greek Chronicles is mentioned by Eupolemus ( middle of second century BC ). Septuagint Psalter is quoted in I Maccabees vii 17.
It is therefore more than probable that the whole of the Bible was translated into Greek before the beginning of the Christian era.
The large number of Greek-speaking Jewish communities in Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, and northern Africa must have facilitated its spread in all these regions.
The quotations from the Old Testament found in the New are in the main taken from the Septuagint.
Its influence upon the Greek-speaking Jews must have been great.
In course of time it came to be the canonical Greek Bible.
It is the version used by the Jewish Hellenistic writers, Demetrius, Eupolemus, Artabanus, Aristeas, Ezekiel, and Aristobulus, as well as in the Book of Wisdom, the translation of Ben Sira, and the Jewish Sibyllines. Hornemann, Siegfried, and Ryle have shown that Philo bases his citations from the Bible on the Septuagint Version. Josephus follows this translation closely.
It became part of the Bible of the Christian Church.
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Dr. Frank Moore Cross PhD
Professor Emeritus Harvard University
http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/reviews/qumran-cave-4-xii-1-2-samuel-discoveries-in-the-judaean-desert-series-xvii/
Dead Sea Scroll Qumran Cave 4
Among the Dead Sea Scrolls
are many Hebrew texts that were
the base text for Septuagintal translations, including 4QSama.
What texts like 4QSama show is that the
Septuagintal translations are
really quite reliable.
This gives new authority to the Greek translations
against the Masoretic text.
As Cross has written, “We could scarcely hope to find closer agreement between the Old Greek [Septuagintal] tradition and 4QSama than actually is found in our fragments.”
Professor Emeritus Harvard University
http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/reviews/qumran-cave-4-xii-1-2-samuel-discoveries-in-the-judaean-desert-series-xvii/
Dead Sea Scroll Qumran Cave 4
Among the Dead Sea Scrolls
are many Hebrew texts that were
the base text for Septuagintal translations, including 4QSama.
What texts like 4QSama show is that the
Septuagintal translations are
really quite reliable.
This gives new authority to the Greek translations
against the Masoretic text.
As Cross has written, “We could scarcely hope to find closer agreement between the Old Greek [Septuagintal] tradition and 4QSama than actually is found in our fragments.”
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The Eastern / Greek Orthodox (EOB) New Testament
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/148191765X
Page 721
Orthodox view
Septuagint LXX
is a very reliable witness to the Old Testament
and the text of reference in the New Testament
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Dr. Michael Heiser PhD
LXX Septuagint Greek Old Testament
New Testament NT makes it clear that Jesus, the apostles, and the NT writers frequently used the LXX.
That means that the NT writers use the LXX most of the time when they quote the Old Testament (Jobes and Silva 2000: 189–93).
Most Christians in the first four centuries of the Church could read only Greek. The LXX was their complete Bible. Respected Church Fathers such as Irenaeus and Tertullian had a very high view of the LXX as being the Word of God.
http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2012/02/17/The-Role-of-the-Septuagint-in-the-Transmission-of-the-Scriptures.aspx
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/148191765X
Page 721
Orthodox view
Septuagint LXX
is a very reliable witness to the Old Testament
and the text of reference in the New Testament
_______________________________________________________________
Dr. Michael Heiser PhD
LXX Septuagint Greek Old Testament
New Testament NT makes it clear that Jesus, the apostles, and the NT writers frequently used the LXX.
That means that the NT writers use the LXX most of the time when they quote the Old Testament (Jobes and Silva 2000: 189–93).
Most Christians in the first four centuries of the Church could read only Greek. The LXX was their complete Bible. Respected Church Fathers such as Irenaeus and Tertullian had a very high view of the LXX as being the Word of God.
http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2012/02/17/The-Role-of-the-Septuagint-in-the-Transmission-of-the-Scriptures.aspx
Great Value of the Septuagint Old Testament
http://www.ellopos.com/blog/?p=1906
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St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology
http://www.antiochian.org/academy
http://www.saaot.edu/aboutus.php
http://store.ancientfaith.com/orthodox-study-bible-complete-hardcover/
http://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Study-Bible-Hardcover-Color/dp/0718003594
http://www.thomasnelson.com/the-orthodox-study-bible
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Greek
New Testament
http://www.antiochian.org/academy
http://www.saaot.edu/aboutus.php
http://store.ancientfaith.com/orthodox-study-bible-complete-hardcover/
http://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Study-Bible-Hardcover-Color/dp/0718003594
http://www.thomasnelson.com/the-orthodox-study-bible
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