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About J.M.J. West
Expertise
I will make an attempt at almost any question. I am a trained Catechist and Apologist, and I can answer most questions regarding: -Church Doctrine -Biblical questions (I have a cursory understanding of Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic) -Catholic Philosophy -History of the Church (especially the early church) -Apologetic questions (i.e. why we believe what we believe) -Ethics I look forward to your questions!

Experience
I work as the College Catechist of Benedictine College in Atchison, KS, and the Director of RCIA. I am a revert to the Catholic faith and had to learn my way home, so to speak.

Education/Credentials
B.A. Philosophy, Benedictine College B.A. History, Benedictine College

You are here: Experts > Religion/Spirituality > Christianity - Catholicism > Catholics > Old Testament

Catholics - Old Testament

Expert: J.M.J. West - 10/23/2009

Question
What language is the orinal OT written in, latin or hebrew?

Answer
Gene,

Great question.

The original old testament was written in Hebrew. It was translated into a number of languages. The primary translation in use in the ancient world and the days of Jesus would have been the Greek Septuagint. 2/3rds of the Old Testament quotations in the New Testament come from this text.

Latin was not used for the Old Testament until Jerome translated the scriptures into what is know as the Latin Vulgate.

More on the Old Testament here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Testament
More on the Septuagint here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septuagint
More on the Vulgate here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_Vulgate

It's interesting to note that the Jews in the 1st century BC had no definite canon (i.e. no set list of books), though many agreed at least on the Torah, the books of Moses. The Septuagint and the Vulgate however both include books not found in modern bibles, but which the first Christians used. They are often called the Deutercanonicals or the Apocrypha, depending on who you speak with.

More on those here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuterocanonical_books

Thanks!

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