What language was the new testament written in
The New Testament was written in Koine Greek, which was the common language of the Mediterranean world during the 1st century AD. Koine Greek was a dialect of Greek that was spoken and written from around the 3rd century BC to the 6th century AD.
The New Testament was written in a specific dialect of Koine Greek known as Hellenistic Greek, which was the form of Greek spoken in the eastern Mediterranean region, including Greece, Asia Minor, and the Middle East.
The authors of the New Testament, who were mostly Jewish Christians living in the Mediterranean world, wrote in Koine Greek because it was the language of commerce, education, and government in the region. It was also the language of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, which was widely used by Jews and Christians alike.
Some of the key features of Koine Greek as used in the New Testament include:
- A simplified grammar and vocabulary compared to Classical Greek
- A more phonetic spelling system
- A greater use of loanwords from other languages, such as Hebrew and Aramaic
- A distinctive syntax and idiomatic expressions
The use of Koine Greek in the New Testament has had a significant impact on the development of the Christian faith and the spread of Christianity throughout the world. The language has been studied and translated into many other languages, and it continues to be an important part of Christian worship and liturgy to this day.