Origen’s bible

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–254), one of the most influential early Christian theologians and biblical scholars, primarily used the Septuagint (LXX) for the Old Testament and the Greek New Testament manuscripts available in his time. Here’s a breakdown of the biblical texts he used:

1. Old Testament: The Septuagint (LXX)

   - Origen relied heavily on the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, which was the standard version used by Greek-speaking Jews and early Christians.

   - He recognized discrepancies between the Hebrew Masoretic text (used by rabbinic Jews) and the Greek LXX, which led him to compile the Hexapla—a massive six-column comparative Bible that included:

     1. Hebrew text  

     2. Hebrew transliterated into Greek letters  

     3. Aquila’s Greek translation (a very literal Jewish translation)  

     4. Symmachus’ Greek translation (a more literary Jewish-Greek version)  

     5. The Septuagint (LXX)  

     6. Theodotion’s Greek revision (another Jewish recension)  

   - Origen’s goal was to provide a tool for textual criticism and better exegesis.

2. New Testament: Early Greek Manuscripts

   - For the New Testament, Origen used early Greek manuscripts circulating in the 3rd century. These were uncial manuscripts (written in all capital letters) preceding later codices like Codex Sinaiticus or Codex Vaticanus.

   - He quoted extensively from the Gospels, Pauline epistles, and other NT books, showing that the canon he used was largely similar to what we have today, though debates on some books (e.g., Hebrews, Revelation, 2 Peter) were still ongoing.

3. Origen’s Influence on the Biblical Text

   - Origen’s textual work (especially the Hexapla) influenced later scholars like Jerome, who used it for his Latin Vulgate translation.

   - Some of his biblical commentaries and homilies preserve early textual variants that help modern scholars reconstruct the history of the Bible.

Conclusion

Origen primarily used the Septuagint (LXX) for the Old Testament and early Greek New Testament manuscripts. His Hexapla was a groundbreaking work in biblical textual criticism, bridging Hebrew and Greek traditions. While he didn’t use a single "Bible" as we think of it today, his scholarship shaped how later Christians understood scripture.