Why Was The New Testament Written In Greek?

by Paul D. Fisher 5/25/04

Many people have wondered and asked the question above. Of course there are many answers to this question, one being that Greek was the universal language used at the time of the writing of the New Testament. The Greek language like English has some words that could have many meanings and the context dictated the
"meaning, but it also had many words with just one meaning. The word "take" is a good example, in the Greek language of the New Testament there are 34 different words that have been translated "take." The Greek words cover a wide array of meanings such as "lambano" to take, lay hold of used in Matthew 5:40. "And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also." Then there is "metalambano'' to get, or have, a share of, is rendered ''to take (food)" in Acts 2:46, in the Revised Version.  In John 1:29, we find another word translated "take" and that word is "airo" in the Greek, meaning ''to lift, carry, to take up
or away." "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." In Ephesians 6:17, we find another word translated "take,"  "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God:" This word in the Greek is "dechomai",
which means ''to take with heartiness." In Mark 15:36, we find the Greek word "kathaireo" which means ''to take down," "..., Let", alone; !et us see whether Elias will come to take him down." This word was a technical term for removal of bodies. So as you can see from these few examples there can be a lot of meanings in a very
common word and this possible could be one of the reasons God chose the Greek language to use in the New Testament.

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