The Original Language of the New Testament
Koine Greek: All New Testament books were originally written in Koine Greek, the common Greek dialect used throughout the Mediterranean world from roughly 300 BC to 300 AD.
Understanding the original language of the New Testament provides crucial insights into early Christianity and helps modern readers better interpret Scripture. While Jesus likely spoke Aramaic in His daily life, the New Testament documents were written in Greek—a choice that profoundly shaped the spread of Christianity throughout the ancient world.
Greek: The Language of the New Testament
Koine Greek: All New Testament books were originally written in Koine Greek, the common Greek dialect used throughout the Mediterranean world from roughly 300 BC to 300 AD. This wasn't the classical Greek of philosophers like Plato, but rather the everyday language of commerce, education, and international communication.
Universal Language: By the first century AD, Greek had become the lingua franca of the Roman Empire's eastern regions. This made it the natural choice for documents intended to reach diverse audiences across different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
Literary Evidence: The earliest New Testament manuscripts we possess are all in Greek, and early church fathers consistently refer to the Greek texts as the original documents.
Why Greek Rather Than Aramaic or Hebrew?
Jesus' Spoken Language: While Jesus primarily spoke Aramaic (and possibly Hebrew for religious contexts), the Gospel writers chose Greek for several practical reasons.
Missionary Purpose: The early church's mission was to spread the Gospel "to all nations." Greek provided the broadest possible audience for this message, reaching both Jews of the diaspora and Gentile converts.
Existing Jewish Tradition: The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, was already widely used by Greek-speaking Jews. Writing the New Testament in Greek created natural continuity with this established tradition.
Evidence for Greek Origins
Textual Characteristics: Many passages in the New Testament make better sense in Greek than they would as translations from Aramaic. Wordplay, literary structures, and theological concepts often depend on Greek language features.
Septuagint Quotations: New Testament authors frequently quote from the Greek Septuagint rather than translating directly from Hebrew texts, indicating they were thinking and writing in Greek.
Paul's Letters: The Apostle Paul, writing to churches across the Roman world, naturally used Greek to communicate with diverse congregations that shared this common language.
Implications for Bible Study
Translation Considerations: Understanding that our English Bibles are translations of Greek originals helps explain why different translations sometimes vary in their wording or emphasis.
Original Meaning: Students of Scripture benefit from considering Greek word meanings, grammatical structures, and cultural contexts that may not always translate perfectly into modern languages.
Historical Context: Recognizing the Greek origins helps us understand how Christianity spread rapidly through existing networks of Greek-speaking communities throughout the Roman Empire.
Conclusion
The New Testament's composition in Koine Greek wasn't accidental but providential—enabling the Christian message to spread rapidly across cultural and linguistic boundaries. While we may not all read Greek today, understanding this linguistic foundation enriches our appreciation for how God prepared the world for the Gospel's universal proclamation.
For modern readers, this knowledge encourages both humility in interpretation and gratitude for the careful work of translators who bring these ancient Greek texts into our contemporary languages while preserving their essential meaning and power.