Did Early Christians Use the Septuagint?
Early Christians often used the Septuagint as their Bible and treated it as a trusted Greek form of the Scriptures. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen all speak of the Seventy and the Greek Scriptures in ways that show respect and regular use. Some also noticed differences from the Hebrew text, so the early view was not exact in every detail.
127 early-church witnesses · 244 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the Septuagint?
Early Christian writers often treated the Septuagint as the Bible used by the Church and, in some cases, as a faithful Greek translation given special trust. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen all connect the Greek Scriptures with the Seventy translators and speak of their wording as important for Christian argument and teaching.
The evidence is strong for early respect for the Septuagint and for using it against Jewish objections, but it is mixed on details such as whether every book was translated in the same way and how much exact wording mattered in every case. Some writers also note differences between the Hebrew text and the Greek text, so the early picture is not simple or uniform. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Justin Martyr and Irenaeus describe the Scriptures translated by the Seventy as a real and important Greek Bible.
- Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian pass on the story of the seventy translators and treat the Greek Scriptures as trustworthy.
- Origen says some words are in the Hebrew but not in the Septuagint, showing that early Christians knew the Greek and Hebrew texts were not always identical.
Questions Answered by the Sources
How did early Christians explain the origin of the Septuagint?
Early Christian writers repeatedly say the Law and the Prophets were translated from Hebrew into Greek, usually linking the translation to Ptolemy and the seventy translators. They present the translation as a real historical event and, in some cases, as something providentially confirmed.
-
Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching
And as they remained silent, I continued: "My friends, I now refer to the Scriptures as the Seventy have interpreted them. When I quoted them before as you have them, I was testing you to see how you would respond. For instance, I mentioned the Scripture which says, ‘Woe unto them! for they have devised evil counsel against themselves, saying’ (as the Seventy have translated): ‘Let us take away the righteous, for he is distasteful to us;’ whereas at the beginning of the discussion, I added what your version states: ‘Let us bind the righteous, for he is distasteful to us.’ But you were occupied with other matters and seem to have listened without really attending to the words. Now, since the day is nearly over, as the sun is about to set, I will add one remark to what I have said and conclude. I have indeed made this same remark before, but I believe it would be good to consider it once more."
-
Origen, Exhortation to Martyrdom Direct teaching
while I paid particular attention to the interpretation of the Seventy, lest I might to be found to accredit any forgery to the Churches which are under heaven, and give an occasion to those who seek such a starting-point for gratifying their desire to slander the common brethren, and to bring some accusation against those who shine forth in our community.
-
Origen, On Prayer Direct teaching
but in Hebrew they are quite distinct. But all the books of the Old Testament have been translated from Hebrew into Greek.
-
Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness
3. Since, therefore, the Scriptures have been interpreted with such fidelity, and by the grace of God, and since from these God has prepared and formed again our faith towards His Son, and has preserved to us the unadulterated Scriptures in Egypt, where the house of Jacob flourished, fleeing from the famine in Canaan;
Did early Christians treat the Septuagint as Scripture?
Several early writers use the Septuagint as the Scripture they are working from, especially when arguing with Jews or explaining prophecy. These sources show the Greek text functioning as authoritative evidence in Christian interpretation.
-
Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching
...meritorious writings. He requested the people of Jerusalem to have their Scriptures translated into Greek. At that time, they were still under Macedonian rule and sent seventy of their elders, who were well-versed in the Scriptures and both languages, to fulfill Ptolemy's request. Ptolemy wanted to test them individually, fearing they might conceal the truth by consulting together, so he separated them and asked each one to write the same translation. He did this for all the books. When they gathered before Ptolemy and compared their interpretations, God was glorified, and the Scriptures were acknowledged as truly divine. All of them read out the common translation in the same words and names, so even the Gentiles present perceived that God inspired the translation. It was not surprising that God did this, as He had, during the captivity under Nebuchadnezzar, inspired Esdras the priest to recast the Scriptures corrupted during the captivity and re-establish Mosaic legislation with the people when the Jews returned to their land after seventy years in the time of Artaxerxes, king of the Persians.
-
Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching
... that the Scriptures of both the Law and the Prophets were translated from the Hebrew language into Greek during the reign of Ptolemy, the son of Lagos, or, according to others, during the reign of Ptolemy called Philadelphus. Demetrius Phalereus worked on this task with the greatest zeal and used careful accuracy with the materials for the translation. At that time, the Macedonians still ruled Asia, and the king wanted to decorate the library at Alexandria with every kind of writing. So he asked the people of Jerusalem to translate the prophecies they possessed into Greek. Since they were subjects of the Macedonians, they chose seventy elders from among the most respected men, men skilled in the Scriptures and also skilled in the Greek language, and sent them to him with the divine books. Then each man translated each prophetic book separately. When all the translations were compared together, they agreed in both meaning and wording. For this was God's plan, carried out for the benefit of Greek listeners. It was not contrary to the inspiration of God, who gave the prophecy, also to bring about the translation and make it, so to speak, a Greek prophecy. Since the Scriptures had
-
Tertullian, Apology Direct teaching
Ptolemy, surnamed Philadelphus, the most learned of his race, a man of vast acquaintance with all literature, emulating, I imagine, the book enthusiasm of Pisistratus, among other remains of the past which either their antiquity or something of peculiar interest made famous, at the suggestion of Demetrius Phalereus, who was renowned above all grammarians of his time, and to whom he had committed the management of these things, applied to the Jews for their writings — I mean the writings peculiar to them and in their tongue, which they alone possessed, for from themselves, as a people dear to God for their fathers' sake, their prophets had ever sprung, and to them they had ever spoken.
-
Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
And each having severally translated each prophetic book, and all the translations being compared together, they agreed both in meaning and expression.
-
Justin Martyr, Hortatory Address to the Greeks Supporting witness
And when he ascertained that the seventy men had not only given the same meaning, but had employed the same words, and had failed in agreement with one another not even to the extent of one word;
-
Tertullian, Apology Supporting witness
for they gave him seventy-two interpreters — men whom the philosopher Menedemus, the well-known asserter of a Providence, regarded with respect as sharing in his views.
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
-
Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness
For the apostles, since they are of more ancient date than all these [heretics], agree with this aforesaid translation;
Did early Christians notice differences between the Septuagint and Hebrew?
The sources include explicit comments that some words are found in Hebrew but not in the Septuagint, and that Christian interpreters paid attention to the Seventy’s version when reading the prophets. This shows comparison, not just blind repetition.
-
Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Direct teaching
The words are found in the Hebrew, but do not occur in the Septuagint.
-
Origen, Exhortation to Martyrdom Direct teaching
while they are found in the Septuagint and in Theodotion's version, agreeing with each other at least in sense.
-
Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness
for they have devised evil counsel against themselves, saying’ (as the Seventy have translated, I continued): ‘Let us take away the righteous, for he is distasteful to us;’ whereas at the commencement of the discussion I added what your version has: ‘Let us bind the righteous, for he is distasteful to us.’ But you had been busy about some other matter, and seem to have listened to the words without attending to them.
-
Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness
And as they kept silence, I continued: “My friends, I now refer to the Scriptures as the Seventy have interpreted them;
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
-
Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness
and they attempt to frame another. And I wish you to observe, that they have altogether taken away many Scriptures from the translations effected by those seventy elders who were with Ptolemy, and by which this very man who was crucified is proved to have been set forth expressly as God, and man, and as being crucified, and as dying;
Common Questions
Did early Christians read the Septuagint?
Yes. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen speak of the Greek Scriptures and the Seventy as important for Christian teaching.
Did early Christians think the Septuagint was reliable?
Many did. Irenaeus calls the translation divine, and Origen and Justin use it in serious Scripture argument.
Did early Christians know the Septuagint and Hebrew text differed?
Yes. Origen says some words are in the Hebrew but do not occur in the Septuagint.
Source Index for the Septuagint
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 244 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 127
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 117
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
-
Book 80 1:10
Related Resources
Course Lesson
Discovering the Septuagint – Part 1
Open a related course lesson for more teaching connected with The Septuagint.
Course Lesson
Discovering the Septuagint – Part 2
Open a related course lesson for more teaching connected with The Septuagint.
Course Lesson
Discovering the Septuagint – Part 3
Open a related course lesson for more teaching connected with The Septuagint.