of basic texts, which differ from each other:
There are also variations within the groups that have increased over time.
Most of the variations are negligible, and none affects salvation or the Christian
Most of the variations are negligible, and none affects salvation or the Christian
faith, but the variations are there. The Christian doctrines aren't affected by the variations within or between the groups.
The Masoretic Text is written in Hebrew and Aramaic. It was primarily copied by a group of Jews sometime between the 7th and 11th centuries AD. The oldest known complete copy is the Leningrad Codex, copied about 1008 AD. It's not the original text of the Hebrew Bible, as it has never been found. It's based on an earlier
Proto-Masoretic Text (proto = what was before), which existed before the birth of Jesus. The Masoretic Text was used as the basis for the translation of the OT into Protestant Bibles such as the King James Version (KJV) and the American Standard Version (ASV), and for almost every English translation since then. The Vulgate was
revised in the light of the Masoretic Text in the 16th century, and (after 1943) for some versions of Catholic Bibles that replaced the Vulgate translation. However, note that for some of the verses, these Bible translations use the Septuagint option.
There is also a Syriac (Peshitta) translation, the Samaritan Pentateuch.
It contains the Tora (Pentateuch or Five Books of Moses), that is, the books:
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
It's written in Samaritan and was used by the Samaritans during the time of Jesus.
The Septuagint is a Greek translation, about 1000 years older than the
Masoretic Text. It was translated into Greek based on proto-Hebrew texts around 250 BC, by about 70 (probably 72) Jewish scholars, and used in the synagogues around the world, see the video The Septuagint (LXX).
It contains the Tora (Pentateuch or Five Books of Moses), that is, the books:
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
It's written in Samaritan and was used by the Samaritans during the time of Jesus.
The Septuagint is a Greek translation, about 1000 years older than the
Masoretic Text. It was translated into Greek based on proto-Hebrew texts around 250 BC, by about 70 (probably 72) Jewish scholars, and used in the synagogues around the world, see the video The Septuagint (LXX).
The Septuagint also includes the Apocrypha, which aren't part of the OT today,
and aren't covered by this article. The Apocrypha shouldn't be part of the OT because its books were written apart from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and contain contradictions to the Bible, see Misconceptions and Objections and time 4:14–6:15 in What BIBLE TRANSLATION should you READ as a CHRISTIAN?
and aren't covered by this article. The Apocrypha shouldn't be part of the OT because its books were written apart from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and contain contradictions to the Bible, see Misconceptions and Objections and time 4:14–6:15 in What BIBLE TRANSLATION should you READ as a CHRISTIAN?
The Septuagint is the version of the OT used by most Jews outside of Israel at the time of Jesus, because they didn't understand Hebrew but spoke Greek. Greek was then more widespread than it is today, which means that the Septuagint
could easily be used to spread the gospel. Both the OT and NT were then read in Greek. Where the NT quoted texts in the OT, you could see the same words in both places. Hebrew was a pretty dead language at the time. One might suspect that God prepared the coming of Jesus by having the Septuagint available in Greek, translated 250 years earlier. Note, however, that Paul could understand and speak Hebrew:
Acts 26:14 says that Jesus spoke in Hebrew to Paul when Jesus appeared to him, and Acts 22:2 says that Paul spoke in Hebrew.
could easily be used to spread the gospel. Both the OT and NT were then read in Greek. Where the NT quoted texts in the OT, you could see the same words in both places. Hebrew was a pretty dead language at the time. One might suspect that God prepared the coming of Jesus by having the Septuagint available in Greek, translated 250 years earlier. Note, however, that Paul could understand and speak Hebrew:
Acts 26:14 says that Jesus spoke in Hebrew to Paul when Jesus appeared to him, and Acts 22:2 says that Paul spoke in Hebrew.
At the time of Jesus, the Septuagint was used by both Christians and Jews. By the first century, Christians were using the Septuagint as the OT. This led the Jewish leaders to decide that only the Proto-Masoretic Text should be used in the synagogues, largely because they didn't accept Jesus as Messiah. The Septuagint
was no longer allowed to be used by the Jews. They accused the Septuagint of being a mistranslation based on an earlier Proto-Masoretic Text. That the quotations in the NT are better suited to the Septuagint than to the Masoretic Text was explained by the fact that it was easier to preach the gospel if one quoted from the version that was more widely used, which was the Septuagint. This isn't true. There were different proto-texts used when the Septuagint was prepared compared to when the Masoretic Text was prepared, as evidenced when proto-texts in the form of the Dead Sea Scrolls found 1000 years later. However, this led to the Christians using the Septuagint and the Jews using the Proto-Masoretic Text in the second century.
All Jewish versions of the Septuagint were destroyed. The Hebrew proto-texts for the Septuagint were long gone. Only Christian versions of the Septuagint survived. The only Hebrew proto-texts left in 250 AD were those that supported
the Masoretic Text.
The variations in the copies based on the Septuagint increased as the Christians
weren't as careful in copying the texts as the Jews were in copying the
Proto-Masoretic Text. There were no commas, periods, or quotation marks in the Greek and Hebrew texts which made the copying extra difficult. In the 5'th century there were even two subgroups of the Septuagint. The Jews then claimed to have the original Hebrew texts.
was no longer allowed to be used by the Jews. They accused the Septuagint of being a mistranslation based on an earlier Proto-Masoretic Text. That the quotations in the NT are better suited to the Septuagint than to the Masoretic Text was explained by the fact that it was easier to preach the gospel if one quoted from the version that was more widely used, which was the Septuagint. This isn't true. There were different proto-texts used when the Septuagint was prepared compared to when the Masoretic Text was prepared, as evidenced when proto-texts in the form of the Dead Sea Scrolls found 1000 years later. However, this led to the Christians using the Septuagint and the Jews using the Proto-Masoretic Text in the second century.
All Jewish versions of the Septuagint were destroyed. The Hebrew proto-texts for the Septuagint were long gone. Only Christian versions of the Septuagint survived. The only Hebrew proto-texts left in 250 AD were those that supported
the Masoretic Text.
The variations in the copies based on the Septuagint increased as the Christians
weren't as careful in copying the texts as the Jews were in copying the
Proto-Masoretic Text. There were no commas, periods, or quotation marks in the Greek and Hebrew texts which made the copying extra difficult. In the 5'th century there were even two subgroups of the Septuagint. The Jews then claimed to have the original Hebrew texts.
Around the year 382, Pope Damasus I commissioned Jerome to translate the Bible into Latin, in order to replace the various existing versions into a unified text.
Jerome decided to use the Proto-Masoretic Text. This Bible translation into Latin
was named the Vulgate and became the official Bible of the Roman Catholic Church during the 16th century. The Septuagint thus disappeared from the Western church but remained in the Greek Orthodox Church. When Luther translated the Bible into German, he used the Masoretic Text. When translating King James Version (KJV), the Masoretic Text was used.
Jerome decided to use the Proto-Masoretic Text. This Bible translation into Latin
was named the Vulgate and became the official Bible of the Roman Catholic Church during the 16th century. The Septuagint thus disappeared from the Western church but remained in the Greek Orthodox Church. When Luther translated the Bible into German, he used the Masoretic Text. When translating King James Version (KJV), the Masoretic Text was used.
For information on the Septuagint background, see the video
Why You Should Use the Septuagint (time 3:45–16:20).
Why You Should Use the Septuagint (time 3:45–16:20).
The Textus Receptus is a Greek text for the New Testament (NT). It's based on most
of the textual finds that were then available, most with a Byzantine background of
8th century. It came to be known as the Majority text. Even today, many Bibles
are translated based on Textus Receptus, such as the King James Version (KJV),
New King James Version (NKJV), and in Swedish: Charles XII's Bible, "Reformationsbibeln", and King James Bible in Swedish. Swedish translations after Charles XII's Bible are, apart from the "Reformationsbibeln", not based on
Textus Receptus. This text isn't treated further because it only concerns the NT.
The Bible references below contain texts in the NT that refer to texts in the OT. The New King James Version (NKJV), which is based on the Masoretic Text, has been used in these references. They are examples of Bible passages in the NT and OT that disagree. They agree better if they use the Septuagint instead. The Septuagint
generally agrees better with the quotations in the NT than does the Masoretic Text. Note, however, that for some of the verses, the NKJV uses the Septuagint.
of the textual finds that were then available, most with a Byzantine background of
8th century. It came to be known as the Majority text. Even today, many Bibles
are translated based on Textus Receptus, such as the King James Version (KJV),
New King James Version (NKJV), and in Swedish: Charles XII's Bible, "Reformationsbibeln", and King James Bible in Swedish. Swedish translations after Charles XII's Bible are, apart from the "Reformationsbibeln", not based on
Textus Receptus. This text isn't treated further because it only concerns the NT.
The Bible references below contain texts in the NT that refer to texts in the OT. The New King James Version (NKJV), which is based on the Masoretic Text, has been used in these references. They are examples of Bible passages in the NT and OT that disagree. They agree better if they use the Septuagint instead. The Septuagint
generally agrees better with the quotations in the NT than does the Masoretic Text. Note, however, that for some of the verses, the NKJV uses the Septuagint.
- Heb 1:6, Deuteronomy (5 Mos) 32:43
- Heb 10:5, Psalm 40:6 (7 in some translations) (Psalm 39:7 in Septuagint)
- Heb 11:21, Gen (1 Mos) 47:31
- Heb 13:6, Psalm 118:6 (Psalm 117:6 in Septuagint)
- Rom 2:24, Isaiah 52:5
- Rom 9:27, Isaiah 10:22
- Rom 11:9, Psalm 69:22 (23 in some translations)
(Psalm 68:23 in Septuagint) - Rom 15:12, Isaiah 11:10
- Gal 3:13, Deuteronomy (5 Mos) 21:23
- James 4:6, Proverbs 3:34
- 1 Pet 2:22, Isaiah 53:9
- 1 Pet 4:18, Proverbs 11:31
- Acts 7:14, Gen (1 Mos) 46:27, Exodus (2 Mos) 1:5)
(they were 75 persons not 70), see time 12:06–15:30 in
Dead Sea Scrolls: The Shocking Evidence for the Septuagint! - Acts 8:33, Isaiah 53:8
- Luke 4:18, Isaiah 61:1
- John 6:31, Psalm 78:24 (Psalm 77:24 in Septuagint)
- Mat 2:6, Micah 5:2 (Michaeas 5:1 in Septuagint)
- Mat 4:4, Deuteronomy (5 Mos) 8:3
- Mat 12:20–21, Isaiah 42:3–4
- Mat 15:7–9, Isaiah 29:13
- Mat 21:16, Psalm 8:2 (3 in some translations) (Psalm 8:3 in Septuagint)
- Mat 2:18, Jer 31:15 (Jer 38:15 in Septuagint)
(it was in Ramah not "on high") - Mat 3:3, Isaiah 40:3 (it's not "a highway for our God")
- Mat 1:22–23, Isaiah 7:14 (Septuagint: "Virgin",
Masoretic Text: "Young woman"), see The Virgin Birth - Mat 13:15, Isaiah 6:10 (compare with John 12:40 below)
There are about 300 OT quotations in the NT. The NT refers to the Septuagint in 90% of all cases. 10% don't match the texts we currently have in the Septuagint but may have matched older versions of the Septuagint. Most of the 10% come from the Gospel of Matthew, which is believed to have been written in Aramaic and later translated into Greek. That may explain some of its quotations that don't fit with
the Septuagint. However, most quotations in Matthew fit the Septuagint. In cases where the Septuagint and Masoretic Text differ, the Septuagint matches with the NT in 80% of cases.
the Septuagint. However, most quotations in Matthew fit the Septuagint. In cases where the Septuagint and Masoretic Text differ, the Septuagint matches with the NT in 80% of cases.
In the following texts, however, it fits better with the Masoretic Text:
- Mat 26:31, Zechariah 13:7 (In the Septuagint it says the shepherds,
that is in the plural, probably due to a copying error) - Mat 2:14–15, Hosea 11:1 (The Septuagint reads "out of Egypt I have called his children" instead of "out of Egypt I called My son", perhaps due to a copying error)
- John 12:40, Isaiah 6:10 (compare with Mat 13:15 above)
Isaiah 6:10 in the Proto-Masoretic Text. This can be interpreted that in the
time of the apostles, were both the Septuagint and the Proto-Masoretic Text
available as the Word of God, although they contained differences.
Contradictions found in the Masoretic Text but not in the Septuagint:
- 2 Chron 22:1–2: Ahaziah became king in Judah when he was 22 years old
(2 King 8:26) not 42. He became king when his father died at the age of 40 (32 + 8 (2 Chron 21:20)) and then Ahaziah can't be 42 years old.
(In the Septuagint it says 20 instead of 22 (2 Chron 22:1–2) which is closer but not completely correct.) - 2 Sam 6:23, 2 Sam 21:8: It was the five sons of Merab and not the five sons of Michal who were hanged. Michal had no child.
- 1 Sam 16:18–23, 17:55–58 (Saul knew who David’s father was.
1 Sam 17:55–58 aren't found in some versions of the Septuagint). - Exodus (2 Mos) 12:40: In the Septuagint: ”In Egypt and Canaan”. If you count the years in the Bible, you find that they were in Egypt for 215 years and that they were slaves for 112 ± 32 years. They arrived in Egypt about 1665 BC. The Exodus was about 1450 BC. Archaeological excavations support this. See How Long Were The Israelites In Egypt?
- Gen (1 Mos) 11:12–24: The Septuagint has 650 more years than the
Masoretic Text. This means that Noah's son Shem died 500 years before
Abraham was born, and didn't live at the same time as Abraham as the
Masoretic Text says. This means that Shem didn't survive eight of the nine generations after him and can’t be Melchizedek. It also means that
The Flood at the Time of Noah happened several hundred years before the pyramids were built, and not that the pyramids were built near it. See: - What is the Septuagint? How Does It Explain Archaeological Chronology? (time 7:05–12:48).
- Were the Pyramids Built Before the Flood? (time 5:56–18:41).
(See Nimrod and Peleg explained in The Tower of Babel). - Septuagint Vs. Masoretic Genealogies (time 5:45–>).
In the Masoretic Text, the word YHWH is used for God, see The Trinity.
In the Septuagint the expressions God and Lord are used instead,
which is also used in the NT. The term YHWH isn't used in the NT.
This indicates that the Septuagint is most often used by the NT writers.
However, this doesn't mean that it's wrong to use YHWH as the Lord's name, see the Names of God in Judaism, Whose Son Is Messiah? and time 15:10–17:26
in DAVID GUZIK SERMON ON GENESIS 2:1-17 ADAM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.
In the Septuagint the expressions God and Lord are used instead,
which is also used in the NT. The term YHWH isn't used in the NT.
This indicates that the Septuagint is most often used by the NT writers.
However, this doesn't mean that it's wrong to use YHWH as the Lord's name, see the Names of God in Judaism, Whose Son Is Messiah? and time 15:10–17:26
in DAVID GUZIK SERMON ON GENESIS 2:1-17 ADAM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.
There is also a difference in the height of Goliath between the Masoretic Text
and the Septuagint. According to the Masoretic Text he was "six cubits and a span"
(9 feet 9 inches or 2.97 meters), see 1 Sam 17:4. According to the
Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, and the major Septuagint manuscripts, he was
"four cubits and a span" (6 feet 9 inches or 2.06 meters), see Kings I 17:4.
and the Septuagint. According to the Masoretic Text he was "six cubits and a span"
(9 feet 9 inches or 2.97 meters), see 1 Sam 17:4. According to the
Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, and the major Septuagint manuscripts, he was
"four cubits and a span" (6 feet 9 inches or 2.06 meters), see Kings I 17:4.
Another difference is in the beginning of the psalms. A significant portion, perhaps as much as 80 % of the psalms in the Septuagint begin with the phrase "For the End". In Bible translations based on the Masoretic Text, it says "To the choirmaster".
See also the comment about Psalm 145:13b at time 4:15–7:13 in
Dead Sea Scrolls: The Shocking Evidence for the Septuagint!
Dead Sea Scrolls: The Shocking Evidence for the Septuagint!
There is also a difference in Dan 9:27, see the end part of Ezekiel's Temple.
I believe that the Septuagint many times can be a better alternative than the other alternatives, and that it was primarily the Septuagint that was used outside of Israel at the time of Jesus. Much because it was written in Greek, which was a
language spoken in the area, and Greek is the language in which most parts of the NT were written. Where the NT quotes texts in the OT and they don't quite agree,
I believe that the texts in the NT are more reliable, and you should go by them.
This means that the Septuagint should be used where its texts better match the quotes in NT, and the Masoretic Text where its texts better match the quotes in NT.
language spoken in the area, and Greek is the language in which most parts of the NT were written. Where the NT quotes texts in the OT and they don't quite agree,
I believe that the texts in the NT are more reliable, and you should go by them.
This means that the Septuagint should be used where its texts better match the quotes in NT, and the Masoretic Text where its texts better match the quotes in NT.
See also in Why You Should Use the Septuagint (time 43:51–46:04) why the Septuagint most times is more accurate and reliable than the Masoretic Text.
I believe that the Christian Bible in its first writings by its original authors was
inspired by God the Holy Spirit and is the Word of God without any true contradiction, see Misconceptions and Objections. Inaccuracies have then occurred during copying. Sometimes even intentionally removing or neutralizing predictions in the OT about Jesus being Messiah, see Were the Pyramids Built Before the Flood?
(time 19:44–25:41) and Jesus in the Synagogue of Nazareth. However, these changes haven't affected the Christian doctrines, but we must be aware of their existence. See also Why You Should Use the Septuagint (time 37:08–43:50).
inspired by God the Holy Spirit and is the Word of God without any true contradiction, see Misconceptions and Objections. Inaccuracies have then occurred during copying. Sometimes even intentionally removing or neutralizing predictions in the OT about Jesus being Messiah, see Were the Pyramids Built Before the Flood?
(time 19:44–25:41) and Jesus in the Synagogue of Nazareth. However, these changes haven't affected the Christian doctrines, but we must be aware of their existence. See also Why You Should Use the Septuagint (time 37:08–43:50).
I think that the quotes in the NT should agree with what we read in the OT. It's therefore recommended to create revised editions of the OT, based on OT
quotations in the NT. In several places in the OT we have agreements between the Septuagint, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and in the NT quotations of the OT
(Ecclesiastes 4:12), which we don't see in the Masoretic Text. The Septuagint
and the Masoretic Text should be treated on equal terms according to this pattern and merged in some way. The differences between the Septuagint and the
Masoretic Text can then be explained with notes in these revised versions of the OT.
quotations in the NT. In several places in the OT we have agreements between the Septuagint, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and in the NT quotations of the OT
(Ecclesiastes 4:12), which we don't see in the Masoretic Text. The Septuagint
and the Masoretic Text should be treated on equal terms according to this pattern and merged in some way. The differences between the Septuagint and the
Masoretic Text can then be explained with notes in these revised versions of the OT.
If you have many copies of a text, it may be possible to reproduce the original text by comparing the copies with each other. It can then be possible to see where the errors are, which then makes it possible to recreate the original version.
I don’t think that it makes much difference to the Christian life if using the
Septuagint or the Masoretic Text as the Christian doctrines are the same. It may seem that Jesus most often used the Septuagint when referring to the OT scriptures, but also referred to the Proto-Masoretic Text. It may also be that Jesus used a
Proto-Masoretic Text in Hebrew, but pronounced it in Aramaic, as that was the language spoken by the Jews at the time. The authors of the four Gospels probably used the Septuagint, because it's written in Greek, which made it easier for them. This is based on the fact that the difference between the Septuagint and the
Proto-Masoretic Text was much smaller in Jesus' time than it is today. Both versions were available at the time of Jesus. Outside of Israel, the Septuagint was probably most common.
Septuagint or the Masoretic Text as the Christian doctrines are the same. It may seem that Jesus most often used the Septuagint when referring to the OT scriptures, but also referred to the Proto-Masoretic Text. It may also be that Jesus used a
Proto-Masoretic Text in Hebrew, but pronounced it in Aramaic, as that was the language spoken by the Jews at the time. The authors of the four Gospels probably used the Septuagint, because it's written in Greek, which made it easier for them. This is based on the fact that the difference between the Septuagint and the
Proto-Masoretic Text was much smaller in Jesus' time than it is today. Both versions were available at the time of Jesus. Outside of Israel, the Septuagint was probably most common.
For information on ordering a reliable version of the Septuagint, see
Why You Should Use the Septuagint (time 46:05–>).
Why You Should Use the Septuagint (time 46:05–>).
See also the The New English Translation of the Septuagint (NETS),
for example the Electronic Edition of NETS.
See also The Old Testament of the Bible.
