The common Greek translation of the Old Testament is known as the Septuagint (LXX). The Greek version probably arose because of the needs of the large Jewish community in Alexandria, Egypt. Many of them were only conversant in Greek and had lost familiarity with the written Hebrew. However, they wanted to understand the Scriptures on which their faith and life depended. The similarity between the Septuagint and Egyptian Greek, used in vernacular Egyptian papyri of the area, supports this possibility. The Pentateuch was translated first and became somewhat of a basis for other parts of the work. Some parts render a literal translation while other parts are a free translation. The arrangement of books differs from the Hebrew Bible and includes additional books and supplements while deleting some portions of text. New Testament quotes come largely from this Greek translation. Later, this version was considered to be a calamity by Talmudic scholars.

Latin Old Testament

In the 5th century Jerome used the original Hebrew to make a fresh Latin translation of the Old Testament. This was incorporated into what became known as the Vulgate. Eleven hundred years later Lorenzo Valla discovered that the text then being used in the Roman Catholic church (having endured many handwritten copies) differed from Jerome's original work. Valla then produced a corrected version.

Printed Greek

Erasmus found Valla's work in 1504 and had it published that same year in Paris. In 1516 he produced the first printed Greek text which went through several revisions by 1535 because of its rapid initial production. He also published a fresh Latin translation. Erasmus only had a few texts to research. This text (through Stephanus and Beza) led to the text that became known as the Textus Receptus which was labeled the basis for the KJV. The term Textus Receptus was associated with the Greek New Testament produced by the Elzevir brothers edition of 1633 which was described as the "textum . . . ab omnibus receptum," (the text . . . now received by all). This text mainly followed Beza, but included others as well. This text is close to the Majority Text (Byzantine) but not identical to it.