Bible Fact · Romans 10:17 — 'So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.'
The Septuagint: The First Bible Translation
The Fact
The Septuagint (abbreviated LXX, the Latin for 70) is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, produced over the 3rd–1st centuries BC, beginning in Alexandria, Egypt. The name comes from the tradition (recorded in the Letter of Aristeas) that 72 Jewish scholars — six from each of the twelve tribes — translated the Torah in 72 days, with each translator producing an identical text, proving divine inspiration. While the full story is legendary, the LXX was genuinely produced for the large Jewish diaspora community in Alexandria who no longer read Hebrew. Its significance for Christianity is immense: the New Testament was written in Greek, and when New Testament authors quote the Old Testament, they most often quote the LXX rather than the Hebrew text. This is why some Old Testament quotes in the New Testament sound slightly different from the Old Testament in your Bible (which translates the Hebrew). The early church used the LXX as its Scripture. Jesus's Bible was the Hebrew text; Paul's was often the LXX.
Context
Alexander the Great's conquests spread Greek as the common language across the Near East. The LXX made the Hebrew Scriptures accessible to millions of Greek speakers — including many who would eventually become the first Gentile Christians.
Significance
Without the Septuagint, the New Testament probably could not have been written — it provided the Greek theological vocabulary (including 'Messiah,' 'propitiation,' and the special use of 'Lord') that the apostles used to explain Jesus.
Reflection
The Bible has been translated into over 3,000 languages today — beginning with the LXX. The drive to translate is not merely academic; it is missionary. God's word is meant to be read in every person's heart language.