Old Testament readings use the Septuagint , the Scripture the apostles quoted. Masoretic numbering shown for reference.Learn why

The Apostles' Old Testament

Read the Septuagint Online

The Septuagint is the Greek Old Testament the apostles read and quoted. Here it is in full, in English, free: every book, every chapter, including the books Masoretic-based Bibles removed.

Two translations, both public domain: Brenton's Septuagint (1851) and the Septuagint in American English (2012), which updates Brenton's language. No account. No paywall.

Start at Genesis 1Psalm 22 (KJV 23)Compare with KJV

What makes the Septuagint different

The Septuagint was translated into Greek in the third and second centuries BC, centuries before the Masoretic text was standardized in the Middle Ages. When the New Testament quotes the Old, it overwhelmingly quotes the Septuagint wording.

That is why Hebrews 10:5 reads “a body hast thou prepared me” and why Acts 7:14 counts seventy-five souls in Jacob's household. Those words are in the Septuagint. Masoretic-based Bibles read differently. See the passages side by side.

The Law

History

Poetry and Wisdom

The Prophets

Books Masoretic Bibles removed

These books stood inside the Septuagint the apostles used and inside every Christian Bible until 1827. Most English Bibles today leave them out. Why they were removed.

Restored passages

Some books were not removed whole but cut down. From Esther the Masoretes cut 107 verses, the prayers included, and their Esther never mentions God. From Daniel they cut Susanna, Bel and the Dragon and the prayer in the furnace.

Restored booksWhat is the Septuagint?

Questions

Can I read the Septuagint online for free?
Yes. Sovereign Logos carries the complete Septuagint Old Testament in two public-domain English translations, Brenton (1851) and the Septuagint in American English (2012). No account, no paywall, no ads.
Which English translation of the Septuagint should I read?
Brenton's 1851 translation is the classic English Septuagint, in 19th-century British English with thee and thou. The Septuagint in American English (2012) is Brenton's text with the language updated for modern readers. Both are on this site and you can switch between them on any chapter.
Does the Septuagint include the Apocrypha?
Yes. Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch, the Maccabees and the full text of Esther and Daniel are part of the Septuagint. Protestant publishers later separated these books and then removed them. They are all readable here.
Why are the Psalm numbers different in the Septuagint?
The Septuagint and Masoretic traditions divide some psalms differently, so from Psalm 10 to Psalm 147 the Septuagint number is usually one lower. Psalm 23 in a KJV is Psalm 22 in the Septuagint. Every Septuagint psalm page on this site shows the familiar number alongside.
Can I compare the Septuagint with the King James Version?
Yes. Every Old Testament chapter has a side-by-side comparison page with word-level differences highlighted, against the KJV, the World English Bible or the other Septuagint translation.
Is there a Septuagint API for developers or AI tools?
Yes. Sovereign Logos offers a free scripture API and an MCP server for AI assistants, serving the Septuagint verbatim with a citation link on every passage. See sovereignlogos.com/llms.txt for details.