How to choose an accurate Bible translation ?

The books of the Bible were not originally written in English.

The earliest manuscripts of the books of the Bible were discovered for example in Hebrew or in Koine Greek.

A Bible is composed of what can be traditionally called the Old Testament (books from "Genesis" to "Malachi") and the New Testament (books from "Matthew" to "Revelation"). 

New Testament authors made allusions to several different Old Testament manuscripts (such as the "Septuagint" or the "Masoretic"). Having different Old Testament translations based on these different manuscripts can be useful to be more fully acquainted with the New Testament. 

Several manuscripts exist

New Testament manuscripts:

The earliest manuscripts of the books of the New Testament were discovered for example in Koine Greek.

You can find a resource that lists the most ancient Koine Greek witnesses of the New Testament verse by verse and how they read in English here:

Link: greekcntr.org

Old Testament manuscripts:

You can find a resource that lists the ones of the most ancient witnesses of the Old Testament found in the Dead Sea Scrolls (dating around 3rd century BC to 1st century AD) by chapters and how they read in English here:

Link: dssenglishbible.com

Apart from the Dead Sea Scrolls, the earliest manuscripts of the books of the Old Testament were discovered for example in Hebrew or in Koine Greek. 

1. Two major kinds of early manuscripts exist for the Old Testament:

1. The Septuagint (Koine Greek manuscripts, translated by Jews, dated 285-246 BC).
2. The Masoretic Text (Hebrew manuscripts, dated AD 700-1000).

2. The Septuagint is more often quoted in the New Testament than the Masoretic Text:

Out of 340 quotations in the New Testament from the Old Testament:

• 307 are from the Septuagint (90.3%).
• 33 are from the Masoretic Text (9.7%).

Source: "Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament: A Complete Survey." from G. Archer and G. C. shear-eh-SHE-no Chirichigno.

3. Both manuscripts seem to be used by New Testament writers:

Both manuscripts can be used by different authors to quote the same verse:

Isaiah 6:10 from the Septuagint seems to be quoted in Matthew 13:15.

Isaiah 6:10 from the Masoretic text seems to be quoted in John 12:40.

Isaiah 6:10 from the Septuagint:

Isaiah 6:10 (LXX'12-uk): "For the heart of this people has become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."

Quoted in the New Testament here:

Matthew 13:15 (WEB): "for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’"

Isaiah 6:10 from the Masoretic text:

Isaiah 6:10 (WEB): "Make the heart of this people fat. Make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed.”"

Quoted in the New Testament here:

John 12:40 (WEB): "“He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and would turn, and I would heal them.”"

Both manuscripts can be used in a single New Testament quote:

A part of Isaiah 61:1 from the Septuagint (not present in the Masoretic text) and a part of Isaiah 61:1 from the Masoretic text (not present in the Septuagint) seem to both be present in Luke 4:18, which would be a quote of Isaiah 61:1.

Isaiah 61:1-2 from the Septuagint:

Isaiah 61:1-2 (LXX'12-uk): "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me; he has sent me to preach glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken in heart, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind; to declare the acceptable year of the Lord"

Isaiah 61:1-2 from the Masoretic text:

Isaiah 61:1-2 (WEB): "The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me, because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to those who are bound, to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor"

Quoted in the New Testament here:

Luke 4:18-19 (WEB): "“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”"

If New Testament authors used both the Septuagint and the Masoretic at times (to quote the same verse in both version for example), then one may also want to be acquainted with both. 

Examples of the use of the Septuagint in the New Testament

Some allusions in the New Testament of Old Testament verses may match more the Septuagint than the Masoretic. You can check that for yourself. For example, check if Galatians 3:13 matches Deuteronomy 21:23 to see if the full mention "hangs on a tree" appears.

New Testament quote:

Galatians 3:13 (WEB): "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,”"

Check if your Old Testament verse correspond to the New Testament quote:

Septuagint:

Deuteronomy 21:23 (LXX'12-uk): "his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall by all means bury it in that day; for every one that is hanged on a tree is cursed of God; and you shall by no means defile the land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance."

Masoretic:

Deuteronomy 21:23 (WEB): "his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him the same day; for he who is hanged is accursed of God; that you don’t defile your land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance."

New Testament quote:

Hebrews 13:6 (WEB): "So that with good courage we say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?”"

Check if your Old Testament verse correspond to the New Testament quote:

Septuagint:

Psalms 118:6 (LXX'12-uk): "The Lord is my helper; and I will not fear what man shall do to me."

Masoretic:

Psalms 118:6 (WEB): "Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

New Testament quote:

Hebrews 10:5 (WEB): "Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire, but you prepared a body for me."

Check if your Old Testament verse correspond to the New Testament quote:

Septuagint:

Psalms 40:5 (LXX'12-uk): "Sacrifice and offering you would not; but a body have you prepared me: whole burnt offering and sacrifice for sin you did not require."

Masoretic:

Psalms 40:6 (WEB): "Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire. You have opened my ears. You have not required burnt offering and sin offering."

New Testament quote:

Hebrews 1:6 (WEB): "When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.”"

Check if your Old Testament verse correspond to the New Testament quote:

Septuagint:

Deuteronomy 32:43 (LXX'12-uk): "Rejoice, you heavens, with him, and let all the angels of God worship him; rejoice you Gentiles, with his people, and let all the sons of God strengthen themselves in him; for he will avenge the blood of his sons, and he will render vengeance, and recompense justice to his enemies, and will reward them that hate him; and the Lord shall purge the land of his people."

Masoretic:

Deuteronomy 32:43 (WEB): "Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants. He will take vengeance on his adversaries, and will make atonement for his land and for his people."

New Testament quote:

Matthew 12:21 (WEB): "In his name, the nations will hope.”"

Check if your Old Testament verse correspond to the New Testament quote:

Septuagint:

Isaiah 42:4 (LXX'12-uk): "He shall shine out, and shall not be discouraged, until he have set judgement on the earth: and in his name shall the Gentiles trust."

Masoretic:

Isaiah 42:4 (WEB): "He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice in the earth, and the islands will wait for his law.”"

New Testament quote:

Romans 2:24 (WEB): "For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written."

Check if your Old Testament verse correspond to the New Testament quote:

Septuagint:

Isaiah 52:5 (LXX'12-uk): "And now why are you here? Thus says the Lord, Because my people was taken for nothing, wonder you and howl. Thus says the Lord, On account of you my name is continually blasphemed amongst the Gentiles."

Masoretic:

Isaiah 52:5 (WEB): "“Now therefore, what do I do here,” says Yahweh, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them mock,” says Yahweh, “and my name is blasphemed continually all day long."

New Testament quote:

Acts 7:14 (WEB): "Joseph sent, and summoned Jacob, his father, and all his relatives, seventy-five souls."

Check if your Old Testament verse correspond to the New Testament quote:

Septuagint:

Exodus 1:5 (LXX'12-uk): "But Joseph was in Egypt. And all the souls born of Jacob were seventy-five."

Masoretic:

Exodus 1:5 (WEB): "All the souls who came out of Jacob’s body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already."

New Testament quote:

James 4:6 (WEB): "But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”"

Check if your Old Testament verse correspond to the New Testament quote:

Septuagint:

Proverbs 3:34 (LXX'12-uk): "The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble."

Masoretic:

Proverbs 3:34 (WEB): "Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble."

New Testament quote:

Hebrews 11:21 (WEB): "By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff."

Check if your Old Testament verse correspond to the New Testament quote:

Septuagint:

Genesis 47:31 (LXX'12-uk): "And he said, Swear to me; and he swore to him. And Israel did reverence, leaning on the top of his staff."

Masoretic:

Genesis 47:31 (WEB): "He said, “Swear to me,” and he swore to him. Israel bowed himself on the bed’s head."

New Testament quote:

1 Peter 4:18 (WEB): "“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?”"

Check if your Old Testament verse correspond to the New Testament quote:

Septuagint:

Proverbs 11:31 (LXX'12-uk): "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"

Masoretic:

Proverbs 11:31 (WEB): "Behold, the righteous shall be repaid in the earth; how much more the wicked and the sinner!"

To further check your Bible translation, click here for part 2 (the interlinear Bible)!

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