One of the rea­sons why the Ortho­dox Church uti­lizes the Sep­tu­agint—which is is a much older and more accu­rate trans­la­tion of the Old Tes­ta­ment that was com­piled a thou­sand years before the Masoretic text found in most Bibles today—is because the New Tes­ta­ment text itself refers to the Septuagint. Of the approx­i­mately 300 Old Tes­ta­ment quotes in the New Tes­ta­ment, approx­i­mately 2/3 of them came from the Sep­tu­agint, which included the so-called ‘deute­ro­canon­i­cal’ books which Protes­tants, fol­low­ing Mar­tin Luther, later removed. Here are some examples:

Matt. 1:23 / Isa­iah 7:14 – behold, a “vir­gin” shall con­ceive. Hebrew – behold, a “young woman” shall conceive.

Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; John 1:23 / Isa­iah 40:3 – make “His paths straight.” Hebrew – make “level in the desert a highway.”

Matt. 9:13; 12:7 / Hosea 6:6 – I desire “mercy” and not sac­ri­fice. Hebrew – I desire “good­ness” and not sacrifice.

Matt. 12:21 / Isa­iah 42:4 – in His name will the Gen­tiles hope (or trust). Hebrew – the isles shall wait for his law.

Matt. 13:15 / Isa­iah 6:10 – heart grown dull; eyes have closed; to heal. Hebrew – heart is fat; ears are heavy; eyes are shut; be healed.

Matt. 15:9; Mark 7:7 / Isa­iah 29:13 – teach­ing as doc­trines the pre­cepts of men. Hebrew – a com­mand­ment of men (not doctrines).

Matt. 21:16 / Psalm 8:2 – out of the mouth of babes and suck­lings thou has “per­fect praise.” Hebrew – thou has “estab­lished strength.”

Mark 7:6–8 – Jesus quotes Isa­iah 29:13 from the Sep­tu­agint – “This peo­ple hon­ors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they wor­ship me, teach­ing as doc­trines the pre­cepts of men.”

Luke 3:5–6 / Isa­iah 40:4–5 – crooked be made straight, rough ways smooth, shall see sal­va­tion. Hebrew – omits these phrases.

Luke 4:18 / Isa­iah 61:1 – and recov­er­ing of sight to the blind. Hebrew – the open­ing of prison to them that are bound.

Luke 4:18 / Isa­iah 58:6 – to set at lib­erty those that are oppressed (or bruised). Hebrew – to let the oppressed go free.

John 6:31 / Psalm 78:24 – He gave them “bread” out of heaven to eat. Hebrew – gave them “food” or “grain” from heaven.

John 12:38 / Isa­iah 53:1 – who has believed our “report?” Hebrew – who has believed our “message?”

John 12:40 / Isa­iah 6:10 – lest they should see with eyes…turn for me to heal them. Hebrew – shut their eyes…and be healed.

Acts 2:19 / Joel 2:30 – blood and fire and “vapor” of smoke. Hebrew – blood and fire and “pil­lars” or “columns” of smoke.

Acts 2:25–26 / Psalm 16:8 – I saw…tongue rejoiced…dwell in hope.. Hebrew – I have set…glory rejoiced…dwell in safety.

Acts 4:26 / Psalm 2:1 – the rulers “were gath­ered together.” Hebrew – rulers “take coun­sel together.”

Acts 7:14 / Gen. 46:27; Deut. 10:22 – Stephen says “seventy-five” souls went down to Egypt. Hebrew – “sev­enty” peo­ple went.

Acts 7:27–28 / Exo­dus 2:14 – uses “ruler” and judge; killed the Egypt­ian “yes­ter­day.” Hebrew – uses “prince” and there is no ref­er­ence to “yesterday.”

Acts 7:43 / Amos 5:26–27 – the tent of “Moloch” and star of god of Rephan. Hebrew – “your king,” shrine, and star of your god.

Acts 8:33 / Isa­iah 53:7–8 – in his humil­i­a­tion jus­tice was denied him. Hebrew – by oppression…he was taken away.

Acts 13:41 / Habakkuk 1:5 – you “scoffers” and won­der and “per­ish.” Hebrew – you “among the nations,” and “be astounded.”

Acts 15:17 / Amos 9:12 – the rest (or rem­nant) of “men.” Hebrew – the rem­nant of “Edom.”

Rom. 2:24 / Isa­iah 52:5 – the name of God is blas­phemed among the Gen­tiles. Hebrew – blas­phemed (there is no men­tion of the Gentiles).

Rom. 3:4 / Psalm 51:4 – thou mayest “pre­vail” (or over­come) when thou art judged. Hebrew – thou might “be clear” when thou judges.

Rom. 3:12 / Psalm 14:1,3 – they “have gone wrong.” Hebrew – they are “cor­rupt” or “filthy.”

Rom. 3:13 / Psalm 5:9 – they use their tongues to deceive. Hebrew – they flat­ter with their tongues. There is no “deceit” language.

Rom. 3:13 / Psalm 140:3 – the venom of “asps” is under their lips. Hebrew – “Adder’s” poi­son is under their lips.

Rom. 3:14 / Psalm 10:7 – whose mouth is full of curses and “bit­ter­ness.” Hebrew – curs­ing and “deceit and oppression.”

Rom. 9:17 / Exo­dus 9:16 – my power “in you”; my name may be “pro­claimed.” Hebrew – show “thee”; may name might be “declared.”

Rom. 9:25 / Hosea 2:23 – I will call my peo­ple; I will call my beloved. Hebrew – I will have mercy (love ver­sus mercy).

Rom. 9:27 / Isa­iah 10:22 – only a rem­nant of them “will be saved.” Hebrew – only a rem­nant of them “will return.”

Rom. 9:29 / Isa­iah 1:9 – had not left us “chil­dren.” Hebrew – Jehova had left us a “very small remnant.”

Rom. 9:33; 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6 / Isa­iah 28:16 – he who believes will not be “put to shame.” Hebrew – shall not be “in haste.”

Rom. 10:18 / Psalm 19:4 – their “voice” has gone out. Hebrew – their “line” is gone out.

Rom. 10:20 / Isa­iah 65:1 – I have “shown myself” to those who did not ask for me. Hebrew – I am “inquired of” by them.

Rom. 10:21 / Isa­iah 65:2 – a “dis­obe­di­ent and con­trary” peo­ple. Hebrew – a “rebel­lious” people.

Rom. 11:9–10 / Psalm 69:22–23 – “pit­fall” and “ret­ri­bu­tion” and “bend their backs.” Hebrew – “trap” and “make their loins shake.”

Rom. 11:26 / Isa­iah 59:20 – will ban­ish “ungod­li­ness.” Hebrew – turn from “transgression.”

Rom. 11:27 / Isa­iah 27:9 – when I take away their sins. Hebrew – this is all the fruit of tak­ing away his sin.

Rom. 11:34; 1 Cor. 2:16 / Isa­iah 40:13 –the “mind” of the Lord; His “coun­selor.” Hebrew – “spirit” of the Lord; “taught” Him.

Rom. 12:20 / Prov. 25:21 – feed him and give him to drink. Hebrew – give him “bread” to eat and “water” to drink.

Rom. 15:12 / Isa­iah 11:10 – the root of Jesse…”to rule the Gen­tiles.” Hebrew – stands for an ensign. There is noth­ing about the Gentiles.

Rom. 15:21 / Isa­iah 52:15 – been told “of him”; heard “of him.” Hebrew – does not men­tion “him” (the object of the prophecy).

1 Cor. 1:19 / Isa­iah 29:14 – “I will destroy” the wis­dom of the wise. Hebrew – wis­dom of their wise men “shall perish.”

1 Cor. 5:13 / Deut. 17:7 – remove the “wicked per­son.” Hebrew – purge the “evil.” This is more generic evil in the MT.

1 Cor. 15:55 / Hosea 13:14 – O death, where is thy “sting?” Hebrew – O death, where are your “plagues?”

2 Cor. 4:13 / Psalm 116:10 – I believed and so I spoke (past tense). Hebrew – I believe, for I will speak (future tense).

2 Cor. 6:2 / Isa­iah 49:8 – I have “lis­tened” to you. Hebrew – I have “answered” you.

Gal. 3:10 / Deut. 27:26 – cursed be every one who does not “abide” by all things. Hebrew – does not “con­firm” the words.

Gal. 3:13 / Deut. 21:23 – cursed is every­one who hangs on a “tree.” Hebrew – a hanged man is accursed. The word “tree” does not follow.

Gal. 4:27 / Isa­iah 54:1 – “rejoice” and “break forth and shout.” Hebrew – “sing” and “break forth into singing.”

2 Tim. 2:19 / Num. 16:5 – The Lord “knows” those who are His. Hebrew – God will “show” who are His.

Heb. 1:6 / Deut. 32:43 – let all the angels of God wor­ship Him. Hebrew – the Masoretic text omits this phrase from

Deut. 32:43.

Heb. 1:12 / Psalm 102:25 – like a “man­tle” … “roll them”… “will be changed.” Hebrew – “rai­ment”… “change”…”pass away.”

Heb. 2:7 / Psalm 8:5 – thou has made Him a lit­tle “lower than angels.” Hebrew – made Him but a lit­tle “lower than God."

Heb. 2:12 / Psalm 22:22 – I will ” sing” thy praise. Hebrew – I will praise thee. The LXX and most NTs (but not theRSV) have “sing.”

Heb. 2:13 / Isa­iah 8:17 – I will “put my trust in Him.” Hebrew – I will “look for Him.”

Heb. 3:15 / Psalm 95:8 – do not harden your hearts as “in the rebel­lion.” Hebrew – harden not your hearts “as at Meribah.”

Heb. 3:15; 4:7 / Psalm 95:7 – when you hear His voice do not harden not your hearts. Hebrew – oh that you would hear His voice!

Heb. 8:9–10 / Jer. 31:32–33 – (noth­ing about hus­band); laws into their mind. Hebrew – I was a hus­band; law in their inward parts.

Heb. 9:28 / Isa­iah 10:22 – “to save those” who are eagerly await­ing for Him. Hebrew – a rem­nant of them “shall return.”

Heb. 10:5 / Psalm 40:6 – “but a body hast thou pre­pared for me.” Hebrew – “mine ears hast thou opened.”

Heb. 10:38 / Hab. 2:3–4 – if he shrinks (or draws) back, my soul shall have no plea­sure. Hebrew – his soul is puffed up, not upright.

Heb. 11:5 / Gen. 5:24 – Enoch was not “found.” Hebrew – Enoch was “not.”

Heb. 11:21 / Gen. 47:31 – Israel, bow­ing “over the head of his staff.” Hebrew – there is noth­ing about bow­ing over the head of his staff.

Heb. 12:6 / Prov. 3:12 – He chas­tises every son whom He receives. Hebrew – even as a father the son in whom he delights.

Heb. 13:6 / Psalm 118:6 – the Lord “is my helper.” Hebrew – Jehova “is on my side.” The LXX and the NT are identical.

James 4:6 / Prov. 3:34 – God opposes the proud but gives grace to the hum­ble. Hebrew – He scoffs at scoffers and gives grace to the lowly.

1 Peter 1:24 / Isa­iah 40:6 – all its “glory” like the flower. Hebrew – all the “good­li­ness” as the flower.

1 Pet. 2:9 / Exo­dus 19:6 – you are a “royal priest­hood.” Hebrew – you shall be to me a “king­dom of priests.”

1 Pet. 2:9 / Isa­iah 43:21 – God’s own people…who called you out of dark­ness. Heb. – which I formed myself. These are dif­fer­ent actions.

1 Pet. 2:22 / Isa­iah 53:9 – he “com­mit­ted no sin.” Hebrew – he “had done no violence.”

1 Pet. 4:18 / Prov. 11:31 – if a right­eous man “is scarcely saved.” Hebrew – if the right­eous “is recompensed.”

1 Pet. 5:5 / Prov. 3:34 – God opposes the proud but gives grace to the hum­ble. Hebrew – He scoffs at scoffers and gives grace to lowly.

Isa­iah 11:2 – this verse describes the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, but the sev­enth gift, “piety,” is only found in the Septuagint.

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The Creed of Faith
The Holy Trinity
The Holy Scripture
The Holy Tradition
Our All-Holy, Immaculate, Most Blessed and Glorified Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Saint Mary
The Heavenly Hosts
The Saints

On the Use of the Septuagint in the New Testament

The Canonization of Scripture

The Deuterocanonical Books