Beginning of the Letter of Aristeas. This letter describes how the translation of the Septuagint was accomplished by means of a miracle. Image from here (accessed 3/31/2026).
From Hebrew to Greek
Before the New Testament was written, a monumental shift occurred: the Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek. This version, known as the Septuagint (or the LXX), wasn't just a translation; it was a bridge. It allowed the ancient literature, prophecies and laws of Israel to reach a Mediterranean world dominated by Greek culture and language.
Legend says 72 scholars completed the task in 72 days, but the true miracle was the result—a text that would eventually become the primary Bible used by the early Church and the writers of the Gospels. Without the Septuagint, the spread of the “Good News” across the Roman Empire might have looked very different.
Watch the video
Here a part of this translation story in the place where it happened. Click on the panel below: “The First Translation of the Bible: The Septuagint.”