I need to do a little homework on that one. FF Bruce or Gleason Archer, I believe had some good studies on introduction to the New Testament speaking to the issue. Josh McDowell has quite a few books on apologetics which touch in the issue.
IMHO, it’s fairly well accepted that NT was in Greek, OT in Hebrew originally. Christ also spoke in Aramaic, but also Hebrew obviously. Koine Greek and Aramaic were the common languages of the eastern Roman empire of that day and educated scholars wrote in more formal Attic Greek, and some law from Rome in Latin, but much of the daily Roman business was conducted in the language of the empire, namely Greek.
The breakdown of the Greek manuscript evidence is as follows:
THE JOHANNINE COMMA-EARLY EVIDENCE FOR AND AGAINST
Total examined extant Greek manuscripts = 5,000 +
Total examined extant Greek manuscripts that contain I John 5 = 498
Total examined extant Greek manuscripts hostile to I John 5:7-8 = 492
Historical Breakdown of Hostile Evidence
2/498 4th century (a, B) = 0.4% of hostile evidence
2/498 5th century (A, 048) = 0.4% of hostile evidence
1/498 6th century (0296) = 0.2% of hostile evidence
0/498 7th century = 0.0% of hostile evidence
1/498 8th century (Y+) = 0.2% of hostile evidence
8/498 9th century (K, L, P, 049, 1424+, 1841+, 1862, 1895) = 1.6% of hostile evidence
484/498 post 9th century = 97.2% of hostile evidence
30 mss. 10th century
80 mss. 11th century
79 mss. 12th century
98 mss. 13th century
119 mss. 14th century
55 mss. 15th century
15 mss. 16th century
6 mss. 17th century
1 mss. 18th century
Historical Breakdown of Favorable Evidence
A.D. (ca.) 200 Tertullian
250 Cyprian
318 Athanasius
350 Idacius Clarus
380 Priscillian
385 Gregory of Nazanzius
390 Jerome
450 Contra Varimadum
450 Latin mss. m
485 Council of Carthage
485 Victor of Vitensis
500 Latin mss. r
527 Fulgentius
570 Cassiodorus
636 Isidore of Seville
650 Codex Pal Legionensus
700 Jaqub of Edessa
735 mss. used by Venerable Bede
850 Codex Ulmensis
*In addition to the aforementioned favorable evidence, the Comma can be traced back through the Waldensian Church to the translation of the Old Italic in the 2nd century. Moreover, in the 7th century, at least 12 Old Latin mss contain the passage; at least 21 in the 8th century, and at least 189 in the 9th century. Over 6,000 Old Latin manuscripts remained unexamined to this day. It is also probable that the Comma was found in the Old Syriac tradition as far back as its translation. The Armenian and Slavonic versions bear witness to the Comma in several copies, and the German versions prior to Luther bear consistent testimony to it.
RESULT: The Johannine Comma enjoys at least 19 pieces of concrete favorable evidence predating the ninth century; hostile witnesses, on the other hand, can only claim 14 Greek manuscripts and an argument from silence with regard to the patristic evidence. The external evidence is not as one-sided as critical scholars would have us to believe. In fact, critical scholars accept other readings on far less evidence (e.g. Matthew 11:19; II Corinthians 5:3; James 4:14). Or, consider Mark 16:9-20. Scholars rejects this passage as an emendation based upon 3 Greek mss. One of those witnesses, Vaticanus, is actually favorable to the reading because it exhibits a vacant space where the eleven verses should be.
http://www.ovrlnd.com/Bible/casefor1john57.html
"...While the Greek textual evidence is weak, the Latin textual evidence for the Comma is extremely strong. It is in the vast majority of the Old Latin manuscripts, which outnumber the Greek manuscripts. Although some doubt if the Comma was a part of Jerome's original Vulgate, the evidence suggests that it was. Jerome states:
In that place particularly where we read about the unity of the Trinity which is placed in the First Epistle of John, in which also the names of three, i.e. of water, of blood, and of spirit, do they place in their edition and omitting the testimony of the Father; and the Word, and the Spirit in which the catholic faith is especially confirmed and the single substance of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is confirmed.
http://av1611.com/kjbp/faq/holland_1jo5_7.html
Interesting. Thanks.