When you walk into an Orthodox Christian church, you immediately see and feel its deep history. For instance, the beautiful pictures, called icons, the smell of incense, and the old songs all tell a story. A big part of that story is, of course, the Holy Bible. Consequently, this leads to a key question for many people: what bible does the orthodox church use?
In some Christian groups, one or two Bibles are the main choice. For the Orthodox Church, however, the answer is a little more complicated, and it tells us a lot about their history and beliefs. The choice of the Bible is not based on what is new or popular. Instead, it is tied to the very old, first Church and the language the Apostles used. To truly understand the Orthodox Bible, we have to go back in time. There, we will find a version of the Old Testament that is very old and key to Christian faith. This article will explain the history, the books it includes, and the English Bibles that Orthodox Christians use today.
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What Bible Does the Orthodox Church Use and What is the Foundation of the Orthodox Old Testament?
To understand the Orthodox Bible, you first need to know about the Septuagint. While this may be a new word, it is the key. The Septuagint is the Greek version of the old Hebrew holy books, which we now call the Old Testament. The name Septuagint comes from the Latin word for seventy. This is because of a story that seventy (or seventy-two) Jewish experts translated it in Egypt a few centuries before Jesus was born.
This fact is very important. Jewish scholars finished the Septuagint long before Jesus was born. When the Apostles, like Peter and Paul, wrote the New Testament, they were writing in Greek. Therefore, when they quoted the Old Testament, they almost always used the Septuagint. It was, in fact, the Bible of the first Christians.
For Orthodox Christians, this historical detail is vital. They believe the Holy Spirit led the New Testament writers to use the Septuagint. Because of this, the Orthodox Church has always used the Septuagint as its official Old Testament. This practice marks the biggest single difference between the Orthodox Bible and other Bibles.
How is the Orthodox Old Testament Different from Others?
When you pick up an Orthodox Bible, you will notice that the Old Testament is longer. This is because the Septuagint has several books that are not in the Protestant Old Testament. Protestants often call these books the “Apocrypha.” The Orthodox Church, however, does not use that name. Instead, they call these books Anagignoskomena. This is a Greek word that means “worthy of being read.” Catholics, on the other hand, call these same books “deuterocanonical.”
What Bible Does the Orthodox Church Use and What Are the Deuterocanonical Books?
Scribes wrote these books in the time between the Old Testament and the life of Jesus. They were part of the Septuagint from the start, and the first Christians saw them as part of the holy writings. Some of these books are:
- Tobit
- Judith
- The Wisdom of Solomon
- The Wisdom of Jesus, Son of Sirach
- Baruch
- The Letter of Jeremiah
- 1, 2, 3, and 4 Maccabees
- Psalm 151
- Extra parts in the books of Esther and Daniel
For the Orthodox Church, these books are a key part of the Old Testament. Orthodox Christians read them in church and see them as holy books. Furthermore, they offer wisdom, history, and lessons for the soul. This is a big reason why an Orthodox Bible looks and feels different.
What About the New Testament in the Orthodox Church?
When we talk about the New Testament, Christian groups agree much more. The Orthodox Church uses the same 27 books in its New Testament as Catholics and Protestants do. This collection includes the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It also includes the Acts of the Apostles, the letters of St. Paul, other letters, and the Book of Revelation.
The New Testament was first written in Koine Greek, or “common” Greek. Since the Orthodox Church began in the Greek-speaking world, it has always had a close link to the first text of the New Testament. As a result, there is no argument about which books belong in the New Testament. This unity is a great sign of the shared faith of all Christians in Jesus Christ.
So, What Bible Does the Orthodox Church Use in English?
This leads to the main question for people who speak English. If the Old Testament is the Greek Septuagint and the New Testament is also in Greek, what Bible should an Orthodox Christian in the USA use? Here, the question of what bible does the orthodox church use gets a real-world answer. For a long time, there was no single, official English Bible for Orthodox Christians. This created a problem. People often used other Bibles and had to guess about the missing books or word changes.
However, in the last few decades, scholars have done a lot of work to fix this. Today, Orthodox Christians most often use and suggest one particular Bible.
The Orthodox Study Bible (OSB): The Most Common Choice
The most popular choice today is the Orthodox Study Bible. A committee first published it as a full Bible in 2008. This Bible was a huge project. Its Old Testament is a new translation of the Septuagint into English. This was a very big job, but it gives English speakers an easy-to-read version of the Orthodox Old Testament. For the New Testament, the OSB uses the New King James Version (NKJV). The translation committee picked the NKJV because it is accurate and close to the traditional Greek text.
Besides the text, the Orthodox Study Bible is full of notes and comments that explain the holy words from an Orthodox point of view. It has notes for each book, helpful charts, and pictures of icons.
These study aids are very useful for people new to the Orthodox faith. In addition, they are also great for members who want to learn more. For anyone asking what bible does the orthodox church use, the Orthodox Study Bible is the clearest answer in the English-speaking world.
Are There Other English Translations Used by the Orthodox?
While the OSB is the most popular, it is not the only choice. Orthodox Christians also use and respect some other Bibles.
- Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible (EOB): This is another project to make a full Orthodox Bible in English. You can find it mostly online. It is known for its very easy-to-read, modern English. It is still a work in progress but is well-liked.
- Revised Standard Version (RSV) or New Revised Standard Version (NRSV): Before the OSB, many Orthodox Christians used the RSV or NRSV with the extra books. These are good, well-researched Bibles. Their Old Testament, however, is based on the Hebrew text, not the Greek Septuagint. This is a big issue for Orthodox Christians.
- The New English Translation of the Septuagint (NETS): This is a Bible for scholars and deep study. It is great for research but may not be as easy for daily reading as the OSB.
In the end, the choice of a Bible is personal. The Orthodox Study Bible, however, is the standard for a good reason. It is the only full Bible in English made just for Orthodox Christians.
How is the Bible Used in Orthodox Christian Worship?
Knowing which Bible Orthodox Christians use is only part of the story. It is also key to know how they use it. In the Orthodox Church, the Bible is not just a book of stories to be read alone. It is the living Word of God, and it is at the heart of worship and church life.
The Bible in the Divine Liturgy
The Divine Liturgy is the main church service. During the service, Orthodox Christians handle the Bible with great respect. A large, fancy Gospel book stays on the Holy Altar. At one point, the priest carries the Gospel book through the church. This act shows that Christ, the Word of God, is coming to the people. There are special readings from the Bible set for every day of the year. Priests or readers often chant or sing these readings. This old custom honors the Word of God with beauty.
The Bible and Iconography
If you look at the icons in an Orthodox church, you are also looking at the Bible. Icons are like “windows into heaven,” as they show scenes and people from the Bible. For instance, an icon might show the angel telling Mary she will have a baby. Another might show the birth of Jesus. For hundreds of years, when many people could not read, icons taught them the Bible stories. In the Orthodox Church, therefore, people not only hear the Bible, but they also see it.
How Should I Choose an Orthodox Bible for Personal Use?
If you want to buy a Bible to read and study, the choices can still seem like a lot. Here are a few simple tips to help you choose.
- Start with the Orthodox Study Bible: For most people who speak English, this is the best place to start. It has the right books, a good New Testament, and notes that follow Orthodox beliefs.
- Think About Your Goal: Do you want a Bible for daily reading or for deep study? For daily reading, the OSB or the EOB are great. For school work, on the other hand, you might use a study Bible like the NETS along with the OSB.
- Talk to a Priest: If you go to an Orthodox church or are learning about the faith, ask the priest for his advice. He can help you based on what you need. Priests are always happy to help people get closer to the holy words.
- Look at Good Resources: There are many great websites that can help you learn more. For instance, the website for St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary has articles and talks. These can give you a deep look into how Orthodox Christians read the Bible.
Conclusion for What Bible Does the Orthodox Church Use
So, what bible does the orthodox church use? The official Bible of the Orthodox Church contains the Greek Septuagint for the Old Testament and the Koine Greek text for the New Testament. This Bible connects directly to the life of the first Church, and it was the Bible the Apostles used. For English speakers, the best version of this tradition is the Orthodox Study Bible.
This Bible gives you the right books. It also gives you comments to help you understand the words through the eyes of the old Christian faith. The Bible in the Orthodox Church is more than just a book; it is the living Word of God. The community shares it in worship, depicts it in icons, and reads it to bring light and salvation to the soul. Indeed, it is the base of Orthodox life and faith.
FAQ – What Bible Does the Orthodox Church Use
How do Orthodox Christians incorporate the Bible into their worship practices?
Orthodox Christians incorporate the Bible into worship through readings during the Divine Liturgy, handling the Gospel book with reverence, and through icons that visually depict Bible stories, helping the faithful see and hear the Word of God as part of their spiritual life.
Which Bible is most commonly used by English-speaking Orthodox Christians today?
The most commonly used Bible among English-speaking Orthodox Christians is the Orthodox Study Bible, which features the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament and the New King James Version for the New Testament.
What books are included in the Orthodox Old Testament but not in the Protestant version?
Books such as Tobit, Judith, the Wisdom of Solomon, the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach, Baruch, the Letter of Jeremiah, 1-4 Maccabees, Psalm 151, and additional parts in Esther and Daniel are included in the Orthodox Old Testament but are absent in most Protestant Bibles.
How does the Orthodox Old Testament differ from Protestant and Catholic Bibles?
The Orthodox Old Testament is longer because it includes several books not found in Protestant Bibles, known as the Anagignoskomena, which Protestants often call the Apocrypha. Catholics refer to these books as deuterocanonical.
What is the primary Old Testament used in the Orthodox Church?
The Orthodox Church primarily uses the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, as its Old Testament since it was the version used by early Christians and believed to be guided by the Holy Spirit.
