Were the New Testament manuscripts written in Hebrew or Greek?

Come Out Of Her My People                                                         Revelation 18:4

Luke 23:38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Hmmm, the authorities must have just forgotten Aramaic. A slight oversight for such a popular language of the day. John 5:2  Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. Isn't it interesting that it is mentioned what it is called in Hebrew? John 19:13  When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Yahuahshua forth, and sat down in the judgement seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. John 19:17  And he bearing his cross went forth inot a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: John 19:19,20  And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was, YAHUAHSHUA OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. Vs. 20  This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Yahuahshua was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Acts 21:40  And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke unto them in the Hebrew tongue saying,.. Acts 22:2  And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,... Acts 26:14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.  Vs. 15  And I said, Who art thou Master? And he said, I am Yahuahshua/Jesus whom thou persecutest. Revelation 9:11  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. Revelation 16:16  And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. If we read historians of that day we will find that the Hebrews spoke Hebrew. One Jewish translator ( I'm sorry I can't place which one right now, at this hour) even wrote that he had a difficult time because he wasn't well enough versed in Greek to accurately translate Greek. He goes on to say that his people were discouraged from learning the pagan Greek language. Why are there no Hebrew manuscripts? We can also find testimony of early believers being taken from their homes, put to death, and their scrolls burned. Total annihilation of the truth is what the pagan authorities were after. If we believe we are given all of the truth on this side of the Dark Ages we have another guess coming. Oh, that's right, historians "never" tell the story based on what "they want" you to believe. Please look back at the verses above. One common thing stands out in many of these verses as well as many other verses in the New Testament. You will see verses, sentences, starting with the word "And." Starting a sentence with "And" is not proper in English. It is also not proper in Greek. It is however, a common and proper practice in Hebrew. The Hebrew letter Vav is known in ancient Hebrew as a hook. It hooks thoughts together. When we see a sentence starting with an "And", it is most likely the Vav because it was written in Hebrew. Granted, the word Hebrew in these texts could have meant the language of the Hebrews. That is of course, Hebrew. Even if it was Aramaic there is nothing that should cause us to insist it was Greek. Throughout the ages, even in captivity, the Hebrew people kept their Hebrew language and Hebrew roots in tact. Do we know Jewish people in America who speak English? Sure we do. Do they also speak Hebrew? Many of them do. Those who are devout, most certainly do! Today, a Russian Jew, an American Jew, and Brazilian Jew could all communicate in their common tongue which is Hebrew. Just because they speak a language for commerce doesn't necessarily mean they have lost touch with their roots. It was much the same 2000 years ago. We have one group of people who stand on the validity of the Old Testament Law and another group who say the law is done away; we're saved by grace.   Here are Messiah's words.   Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfil.   Vs. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.   Vs. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.   Let us take a look at this. He said he did not come to destroy the law OR the prophets but to fulfil. He said, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fullfilled.   Okay, so let me ask, has heaven and earth passed away? If we woke up this morning, have life and breath, are walking about and can see the heavens and the earth that our Heavenly Father created, we can safely say no.   Some people argue that Messiah was speaking only of what he had just said, the Beatitudes. The same people assert that Messiah only spoke in Greek and the New Testament was written in the same.   There are no jot and tittle in Greek. Therefore, there would be no jot or tittle in the Beatitudes if Messiah spoke only in Greek and this passage was written in Greek.   Since there was no jot or tittle in his spoken language, isn't it obvious he was speaking of the Old Testament Law not being done away till heaven and earth pass?  Heaven and earth still stand from the best I can tell.   If one is to assert that the law is done away and that Messiah was only referring to the Beatitudes which he had just spoken, then one would have to concede that Messiah spoke in, and the New Testament was written in, a language other than Greek. It would have to be a language that had a jot and tittle.   So, either we have been deceived about the law being done away or we have been deceived about the New Testament being written in Greek, maybe both. There are no jots or tittles in the Greek language.

This page was last updated on: 9/1/02