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[quote:e4fv0yhp]Did our bible come from Hebrew, Greek or Latin decent. I am still having issues on why there are so many different books in the bible. I certainly see why there are different factions when we have many bibles to read from. [/quote:e4fv0yhp]

The Correct answer is: Yes. I think. :lol:

My Understanding:

The copy of the Old testament that is used by Catholics comes from a Greek version of the Aramaic (Aincient Hebrew) scriptures, which was translated from the original Aramaic in about 400 BC.

The new testament is from the original Greek manuscripts, as Greek was the language of commerce and general written discourse in first century Palestine. Aramaic was spoken, Greek was (usually) written.

Around 400 AD, Jerome translates the bible into latin; The Vulgate. This is the version that made its way around the churches of the middle ages, because Latin was a language that everybody was on equal footing with.

Everything is more or less fine until the Reformation, when you’ve got two things:

1. Luther wanting to change the bible somewhat to get rid of purgatory and build up the doctrine of ‘Sola Fides’

2. The invention of the printing press. As a result of this, all of a sudden everybody and their dog learns to read, whereas before the printing press, your average joe in the pew couldn’t read a word.

So over the next hundred years, everybody starts making (and reading) copies of different bibles; the Douay-Rheims, The King James, The Gutenberg, etc, each of which are based on a different set of source criteria – Original Aramaic? Original Greek? Hmm?

What came out with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in, err, 1947? was that the Vulgate (remember Jerome?) was the most correct version, and most later translations have reflected that.

Also, many translations will bring to light the small differences between the various ancient manuscripts.

An important thing to remember is that Scripture is one of the Traditions of the Catholic Church. There is Scripture because of the Church – NOT the other way around.

“I would not have believed the Gospel, but for the Church professing it.” -St. Augustine.

There. That’s what I think.

Cheers,

Dave <img decoding=” title=”Smile” />