[boatbums]

Given that Matthew was likely written to the Jews and that Hebrews was specifically addressed to the Jews, an argument that those two books were written in Hebrew or Aramaic is reasonable. The problem with the rest of the NT being written in Hebrew is that they are all addressed to Gentile audiences, who would not speak Hebrew. It would be very odd for Jesus to ordain Paul as the Apostle to the Gentiles if he spoke little Greek.

Good points.

We have ALL the New Testament books in Hebrew today as translations but there is no concrete evidence that they were originally written in that language. Jews in Palestine spoke Koine Greek because it was the common tongue (lingua franca) at that time. For two hundred years before Christ was born, the Old Testament had already been translated in Greek especially for that reason.

The argument ES keeps trying to make is that Christians have somehow been cheated out of knowing what the Christian New Testament books originally said, but we HAVE manuscript copies IN Greek that can be dated as early as the second and third centuries (i.e.; Chester Beatty Papyri) and they are accurate. I reject the idea that God was somehow thwarted by fallible humans in preserving and protecting His holy word. What the Bible tells us today is no different than what the first Christians were taught. To insist that isn't true is just another attempt to cast doubt upon the Word of God.

[CynicalBear]

>>To insist that isn't true is just another attempt to cast doubt upon the Word of God.<<

Thus Satanic in origin.

[verga]

We have ALL the New Testament books in Hebrew today as translations but there is no concrete evidence that they were originally written in that language. Jews in Palestine spoke Koine Greek because it was the common tongue (lingua franca) at that time. For two hundred years before Christ was born, the Old Testament had already been translated in Greek especially for that reason.

Congratulations on getting something right and engaging in fraternal correction.

[editor-surveyor]

While there are indeed clumsy translations of clumsy translations out there, The 28 separate lines of Hebrew Matthew are not translations, but copies of the original gospel of Matthew.

They differ in all of the significant areas from the Greek translations, and from most of the Aramaic translations too. (most Aramaic translations are of a Greek translation)