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Ancient Bible TranslationsSeptuagint (lat. Interpretatio Septuaginta Seniorum — translation (interpretation) of the seventy elders; gr. Ἡ μετάφρασις τῶν Ἑβδομήκοντα — translation of the seventy interpreters) The oldest translation of the TaNaKh into ancient Greek. After the Babylonian captivity, Israel rebuilt the temple and worship. But most of the Jews remained in Babylon and stopped using Hebrew. There were more Jews in the Diaspora than in Israel. That's why it was decided to make a translation into the international language of the time, Greek. The translation was made in the 3rd or 1st century B.C. by 72 translators in Alexandria, Egypt. 72 translators at Alexandria, Egypt. This translation was not intended for liturgical purposes, therefore in addition to the books of TaNaKh, a number of historical and important books have been translated: the Third Book of Ezra, the Book of Tobit, the Book of Judith, the Book of the Wisdom of Solomon, the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach, the Epistle of Jeremiah, the Book of Baruch and the Maccabees. Targum (heb. תרגום - lit. translation, interpretation) The translation of the TaNaKh (Old Testament) into Aramaic. The exact time of the appearance of the Targums is unknown. Tradition attributes the authorship of the first Targum to the scribe Ezra. However, historical sources date the Targum to the first centuries BC. e. The most famous targums are Targum Onkelos and Targum Jonathan. Peshitta (syr. ܦܫܺܝܛܬܳܐ - short for ܡܦܩܬܐ ܦܫܝܛܬܐ — lit. simple version) Bible translation into Syriac. Vulgata (lat. Biblia Vulgata — Common Bible) c. 342 – c. 347 – 30 September 420. by Jerome of Stridon.Translation of Holy Scripture into Latin from Hebrew (Old Testament) and from Greek (New Testament) languages. The Psalms are given in two versions: juxta Hebraeos (according to the Hebrew text) and juxta LXX (according to Septuagint). Latin text of Bible adopted by the Roman Catholic Church at the Council of Trent (1546). Used in Latin patristics and worship, it underlies most European translations of Bible.
Only the most significant ancient translations of Scripture are presented here.
Some are used in Bible translations today. Early Bible translations
John 3:16-17 (or Genesis 1:1 for OT)- Targums: בְּקַדְמִין, בְּרָא יְיָ, יָת שְׁמַיָּא, וְיָת אַרְעָא. LXX - Septuagint: ᾿Εν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. V - Vulgata: Sic enim dilexit Deus mundum ut Filium suum unigenitum daret ut omnis qui credit in eum non pereat sed habeat vitam aeternam.17 Non enim misit Deus Filium suum in mundum ut iudicet mundum sed ut salvetur mundus per ipsum. - Peshitta: ܵܟܲܢܵܐ ܓܹܝܪ ܐܲܚܸܒ݂ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ. ܐܲܝܟܲܢܵܐ ܕܠܲܒ݂ܪܹܗ ܝܼܚܝܼܕ݂ܵܝܵܐ ܢܸܬܸ݁ܠ. ܕܟܠ ܡܲܢ ܕܲܡܗܲܝܡܸܢ ܒܹܗ. ܠܵܐ ܢܹܐܒܲܕ݂. ܐܸܠܵܐ ܢܸܗܘܘܿܢ ܠܹܗ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܕܲܠܥܵܠܲܡ. 17 ܠܵܐ ܓܹܝܪ ܫܲܕܲܪ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܠܲܒ݂ܪܹܗ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܕܲܢܕ݂ܘܼܢܝܼܘܗܝ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ. ܐܸܠܵܐ ܕܢܸܚܹܐ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܒܐܝܼܕ݂ܗ. - Arabic Translation of the Tanakh: - Samaritan Pentateuch: |
Comparative reviewA simple history of the alphabet
Sources for translation of the Bible
Codexes
Manuscripts
Dead Sea Scrolls
Masoretic Text
Ancient Greek New Testament
Ancient translations
Septuagint
Vulgata
Bible translators
Bible Societies
Organization involved in Bible translation
Wicliffe Mission
Biblical movements
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