3rd century BC (not later than 200 BC)

The Septuagint – the Greek translation of the Old Testament

The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible known as the Septuagint appeared not later than 200 BC. According to legend, it was made by seventy Alexandrian translators. That legend, however, originally concerned only the Law (the Pentateuch).

The translations of different books vary in accuracy. At times they adapted the text to Greek philosophy – for example, "I am He who is" at Exod. 3:14.

The Septuagint became the Bible of the first, Greek-speaking, Christians. It was later one of the texts consulted by humanist and Reformation biblical scholarship.