There are two Old Testaments. One version of the Old Testament was quoted by God, and used by Jesus and the apostles; it’s called the Septaugint or LXX.
The other version is called the Masoretic Text and it was created about 900 years after Jesus died. This version was not quoted by God. This version was created by the Masorites. They created it from the proto-Masoretic between 600 – 900 AD. This text was not quoted by God for very good reason. It changes some very important scriptures.
It’s very important to use the version of the Hebrew scriptures that Jesus used and that God quoted. Jesus never quoted the proto-Masoretic text even though it was available in his day. Instead, he quoted almost exclusively from the LXX Hebrew Bible.
The LXX doesn’t change God’s words like the Masoretic Text does.
For example, Psalm 2:9 was quoted by Jesus in Revelation 2:27.
Jesus is quoting Psalm 2:9 when says that his people will RULE with an iron scepter. This quote comes from the Septaugint/LXX.
The Masoretic Text used in today’s Bibles is different from what Jesus quoted.
As you can see in the list below, the Masoretic text changes the words from “rule them” to “break them.” The version of the Old Testament that matches what Jesus quoted is Brenton’s Septuagint.
Jesus was in heaven when he quoted Psalm 2:9 in Revelation 2:27. There is no doubt that Jesus knew which version of the Old Testament had God’s original words and that was the one he quoted: the Septuagint (hereafter called LXX).
Using the LXX is important because using this text clears up very important issues that the other text creates.
The Masoretic Text
Aside from the LXX, which was used by Jesus and the apostles, the text that was used by the Jewish community in Jesus’s day was a precursor to the Masoretic Text.
The proto-Masoretic Text was available to Jewish scholars and scribes during Jesus time. While the proto-Masoretic Text had not yet been fully developed into the Masoretic Text that we have today, it did form the basis for the later Masoretic tradition that was created in the middle ages.
After the Protestant Reformation (when the Protestant religion was formed and they broke away from the Catholic Church), a new Protestant Bible was created. The new Protestant Bible did not use the ancient Septuagint used by Jesus, instead they used a newer from of the Old Testament called the Masoretic Text.
The Masoretic text (MT) was created by the Masorties between 600 AD and 900 AD.
The Masoretic Text[a] (MT or 𝕸; Hebrew: נֻסָּח הַמָּסוֹרָה, romanized: Nūssāḥ Hammāsōrā, lit.
(Citation)
It was primarily copied, edited and distributed by a group of Jews known as the Masoretes between the 7th and 10th centuries of the Common Era (CE). The oldest known complete copy, the Leningrad Codex, dates from the early 11th century AD’
The Masoretic Text is not the version of the Scriptures that was used and quoted by Jesus and the apostles. This is important to note because there are very important differences between the LXX (the scriptures Jesus and the apostles used and quote) and the Masorite version.
The Apostles and Jesus Quoted the Septuagint
‘The Masoretic Text is the basis for most Protestant translations of the Old Testament such as the King James Version, English Standard Version, New American Standard Version, and New International Version. After 1943, it has also been used for some Catholic Bibles, such as the New American Bible and the New Jerusalem Bible. ‘
BUT
(Citation)
‘Some Christian denominations instead prefer translations of the Septuagint as it matches quotations in the New Testament.’
The Masoretic Text Changes Very Important Scriptures
People who care about the truth prefer the Septuagint because Jesus and the apostles quoted it (because the Masoretic Text changes some very important scriptures.)
When using Protestant Bibles with the MT, if you try to go back to the Old Testament to verify the quotes printed in the New Testament, you will notice almost none of those quotes match what is written in the New Testament. This is because Jesus and the apostles didn’t use the MT, they used the LXX. So the Masoretic Text quotes what Jesus and the apostles actually said but the Masoretic Text is not the same as the Old Testament that Jesus and the apostles quoted so the quotes do not match their Old Testament.
An example of how the Masoretic Text changes important details:
Psalm 2 is known as the verse that proclaims the coming Messiah. Many Bibles title this passage as a prophecy of “The Triumphant Messiah” because it is a prophecy of the Messiah and his future rule. The prophecy begins with God begetting Jesus and it ends with his future rule of Earth.
Jesus Quotes the Septuagint (Read the Text Here)
Revelation 2:26-27
26 And to the one who overcomes and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations. 27 He will —–>rule them <—– (This is Jesus quoting the Septuagint) with an iron scepter and shatter them like pottery —just as I have received authority from My Father.
Septuagint Psalm 2
‘declaring the ordinance of the Lord: the Lord said to me,
‘Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces as a potter’s vessel.’
Not the Masoretic Text (Read the text here.)
I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD:
“You are My Son; today I have become Your Father. Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession. You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery.”
In the verses above, the Masoretic text takes away from an important prophecy that Jesus would be given authority to rule by replacing his ‘rule’ with ‘break’.
As you’ll see below, dozens and dozens of times, Jesus and the apostles quote the Septuagint. In some cases, the text between the two is radically different, and in some cases, like this one, the differences are extremely important.
Like The Mistranslated Isaiah 9:6
VIRTUALLY EVERY SINGLE NEW TESTAMENT QUOTE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT (AND THERE ARE DOZENS AND DOZENS) CAME FROM THE SEPTUAGINT AND NOT THE MASORETIC TEXT.
Where this gets incredibly important is in Isaiah 9:6.
6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Many people refer to this verse when making a case for Jesus’ deity in scripture as this scripture is invoked almost every time as proof that Jesus is God.
The Masoretic text of Isaiah 9:6 reads:
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore.
On the contrary, the Septuagint version reads:
6 For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder: and his name is called the Messenger of great counsel: for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him.7 His government shall be great, and of his peace there is no end: it shall be upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to support it with judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth and forever. The seal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this. (See it online here.)
This means, that if Jesus or the apostles were to quote this verse, they would have used the Septuagint version of Isaiah 9:6, not the MT.
ANCIENT QUOTES BY THE EARLY CHURCH WERE ALL FROM THE SEPTUAGINT VERSION OF ISAIAH 9:6
Justin Martyr is the first to quote the Septuagint version of Isaiah 9:6 in “Dialogue with Trypho”, calling Jesus ‘the Angel of Mighty Counsel.‘
Irenaeus in “Against Heresies”, quotes Isaiah 9:6 saying, “the messenger of great counsel of the Father.”
Origen, quotes, ‘He is the Messenger of Great Counsel, who has the government upon His shoulders‘ – Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. IX.
Peter of Alexandria, Canon 5, quotes, ‘Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called the Messenger of My mighty counsel.’
‘Listen to the prophet too, calling him, ‘the messenger of great counsel’.’ Archbishop of Constantinople, John Chrysostom
It’s wild to see evidence of the original way this verse read based on the early church quoting this passage!
Babylon also corrupted the Masoretic Text version of Isaiah 9:5-6!
The Original Jewish Version
| For a child has been born to us, a son given to us, and the authority is upon his shoulder, and the wondrous adviser, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, called his name, “the prince of peace.” | הכִּי־יֶ֣לֶד יֻלַּד־לָ֗נוּ בֵּן נִתַּן־לָ֔נוּ וַתְּהִ֥י הַמִּשְׂרָ֖ה עַל־שִׁכְמ֑וֹ וַיִּקְרָ֨א שְׁמ֜וֹ פֶּ֠לֶא יוֹעֵץ֙ אֵ֣ל גִּבּ֔וֹר אֲבִי־עַ֖ד שַׂר־שָׁלֽוֹם: | |
| 6To him who increases the authority, and for peace without end, on David’s throne and on his kingdom, to establish it and to support it with justice and with righteousness; from now and to eternity, the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall accomplish this. | ולְמַרְבֵּ֨ה (כתיב לְםַרְבֵּ֨ה) הַמִּשְׂרָ֜ה וּלְשָׁל֣וֹם אֵֽין־קֵ֗ץ עַל־כִּסֵּ֚א דָוִד֙ וְעַל־מַמְלַכְתּ֔וֹ לְהָכִ֚ין אֹתָהּ֙ וּֽלְסַֽעֲדָ֔הּ בְּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּבִצְדָקָ֑ה מֵֽעַתָּה֙ וְעַד־עוֹלָ֔ם קִנְאַ֛ת יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־זֹּֽאת: |
There are too many quotes to list but doing a search provides plenty of evidence that this is the version of the text that the early church was familiar with and not the Masoretic text.
MORE EXAMPLES OF SERIOUS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO
Matthew 12:21 quotes the LXX version of Isaiah 42:4:
A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory. 21 In His name the nations will put their hope.
LXX
A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory. In His name the nations will put their hope.
MT
A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
The LXX is significantly different than the following Masoretic Text on a very critical point, we hope in HIS NAME!
Jesus quotes the Septuagint Isaiah 6:10 in Matthew 13:15
For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’
LXX
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.
MT
Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
This is once again a significantly different rendering. The Masoretic Text twists this verse into the opposite of God’s wishes to heal them. In the verse quoted by Jesus, the people’s hearts were calloused because THEY closed their eyes. Contrary to the MT, the people weren’t made callous and God did not order them to be made callous.
Jesus quotes the LXX Psalm 8:2 in Matthew 21:16
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked.
“Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infant You have ordained praise’?”
LXX
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise,
MT
‘Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies…’
Jesus quotes the Septuagint Isaiah 29:13 in Matthew 15:9 and Mark 7:7
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.”
Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Septuagint Isaiah 29:13 reads,
And the Lord has said, This people draw nigh to me with their mouth, and they honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me: but in vain do they worship me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.
Masoretic Isaiah 29:13 reads,
‘Wherefore the Lord said, For as much as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
Last but definitely not least, John was also GIVEN the Septuagint versions to quote from God in the visions of Revelation 12:5 and 19:15! This is very important. Both Jesus and God used the Septuagint version.
And Many More Examples
Heb. 2:7 / Psalm 8:5
The Book of Hebrews & LXX – thou has made Him a little “lower than angels.”
MT – made Him but a little “lower than God.”
- Luke 3:5-6 / 40:4-5
- Luke 4:18 / Isaiah 58:6
- John 6:31 / Psalm 78:24
- John 12:38 / Isaiah 53:1
- John 12:40 / Isaiah 6:10
- Acts 2:19 / Joel 2:30
- Acts 2:25-26 / Psalm 16:8
- Acts 4:26 / Psalm 2:1
- Acts 7:14 / Gen. 46:27; Deut. 10:22
- Acts 7:27-28 / Exodus 2:14
- Acts 7:43 / Amos 5:26-27
- Acts 8:33 / Isaiah 53:7-8
- Acts 13:41 / Habakkuk 1:5
- Acts 15:17 / Amos 9:12
- Rom. 2:24 / Isaiah 52:5
- Rom. 3:4 Paul quotes Psalm 14 Septuagint Version
- Rom. 9:17 / Exodus 9:16
- Rom. 9:25 / Hosea 2:23
- Rom. 9:27 / Isaiah 10:22
- Rom. 9:29 / Isaiah 1:9
- Rom. 9:33; 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6 / Isaiah 28:16
- Rom. 10:18 / Psalm 19:4
- Rom. 10:20 / Isaiah 65:1
- Rom. 10:21 / Isaiah 65:2
- Rom. 11:9-10 / Psalm 69:22-23
- Rom. 11:26 / Isaiah 59:20
- Rom. 11:27 / Isaiah 27:9
- Rom. 11:34; 1 Cor. 2:16 / Isaiah 40:13
- Rom. 12:20 / Prov. 25:21
- Rom. 15:12 / Isaiah 11:10
- Rom. 15:21 / Isaiah 52:15
- 1 Cor. 1:19 / Isaiah 29:14
- 1 Cor. 5:13 / Deut. 17:7
- 1 Cor. 15:55 / Hosea 13:14
- 2 Cor. 4:13 / Psalm 116:10
- 2 Cor. 6:2 / Isaiah 49:8
- Gal. 3:10 / Deut. 27:26
- Gal. 3:13 / Deut. 21:23
- Gal. 4:27 / Isaiah 54:1
- 2 Tim. 2:19 / Num. 16:5
- Heb. 1:12 / Psalm 102:25
- Heb. 2:12 / Psalm 22:22
- Heb. 2:13 / Isaiah 8:17
- Heb. 3:15 / Psalm 95:8
- Heb. 3:15; 4:7 / Psalm 95:7
- Heb. 8:9-10 / Jer. 31:32-33
- Heb. 9:28 / Isaiah 10:22
- Heb. 10:5 / Psalm 40:6
- Heb. 10:38 / Hab. 2:3-4
- Heb. 11:5 / Gen. 5:24
- Heb. 11:21 / Gen. 47:31
- Heb. 12:6 / Prov. 3:12
- Heb. 13:6 / Psalm 118:6
- James 4:6 / Prov. 3:34
- 1 Peter 1:24 / Isaiah 40:6
- 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
- 1 Pet. 2:22 / Isaiah 53:9
- 1 Pet. 4:18 / Prov. 11:31
- 1 Pet. 5:5 / Prov. 3:34