The original language of Jesus time

The primary language spoken by Jesus during His time on earth was Aramaic. This was the common language of the Jewish people in first-century Judea and Galilee. Specifically, Jesus likely spoke a Galilean dialect of Aramaic.

However, other languages were also in use during that time:

Hebrew – Used in religious settings, such as in the synagogue and the reading of the Scriptures (e.g., the Torah). Many of the Jewish religious texts were written in Hebrew.

Greek – The international trade and administrative language of the Eastern Roman Empire. Some of Jesus' interactions, especially with non-Jews, may have been in Greek.

Latin – The language of the Roman government and military, but it was less commonly spoken by the local population.

While Jesus most commonly spoke Aramaic, He likely understood and possibly used Hebrew and Greek when needed, especially when interacting with different groups of people.

Aramaic: The disciples spoke Aramaic, and some of Jesus’ sayings (like "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" in Matthew 27:46) were originally in Aramaic. Some early Christian traditions suggest that Matthew may have originally written his Gospel in Hebrew or Aramaic before it was translated into Greek.
Hebrew: Hebrew was mainly used in religious texts but was not commonly spoken in daily life.

Jesus likely preached in Aramaic, and possibly Hebrew in synagogue settings. However, when it comes to writing, the situation was a bit different.

The Early Syriac Canon vs. the Greek Canon

Syriac Christians are still around today! They are among the oldest Christian communities in the world.

The Early Syriac Canon

Early Syriac Tradition (Aramaic-Speaking Christianity)

The earliest Christians in Syria (especially in Edessa) primarily spoke Aramaic, the same language spoken by Jesus and His disciples.
Their biblical texts were based on Old Syriac manuscripts, which later developed into the Peshitta, the standard Syriac Bible.
The Diatessaron, a harmony of the four Gospels compiled by Tatian in the 2nd century, was widely used in Syriac churches before the individual Gospels became common.


Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)
The earliest Syriac-speaking Christians (especially in Edessa and Judea) used the Aramaic Targums (translations/paraphrases of the Hebrew Scriptures).

62 AD, the Early Syriac Canon was not yet fully developed, but Aramaic-speaking Christians would have had access to a few key writings. At that time, the New Testament as we know it was still being written and circulated.

Estimated Books Available in Syriac (Aramaic) in 62 AD
By 62 AD, the number of books available to early Syriac-speaking Christians was likely 10–12 books, mostly letters and early Gospel writings.

1. Likely Available in 62 AD
Matthew (possibly in Hebrew/Aramaic)
James (written around 50 AD)
Galatians (written 50 AD)
1 Thessalonians (written 51 AD)
2 Thessalonians (written 51 AD)
1 Corinthians (written 55 AD)
2 Corinthians (written 56 AD)
Romans (written 57 AD)
Philippians (written 61 AD)
Ephesians (written 62 AD)
Colossians (written 62 AD)
Philemon (written 62 AD)
2. Not Yet Available in 62 AD
Mark (likely written around 65 AD)
Luke (likely written around 67 AD)
John (not written until 90 AD)
Acts (completed around 90 AD)
2 Peter, 2-3 John, Jude, and Revelation (not widely accepted in the Syriac tradition until the 6th century AD)
Conclusion: The Early Syriac Christian Community in 62 AD Likely Had
✅ Around 10–12 books, primarily letters from Paul, James, and possibly Matthew’s Gospel in an Aramaic form.


Early Christian Writings in Circulation (c. 30–60 AD)
By 60 AD, some New Testament books were already being written, but not all were widely circulated yet. The likely available texts among Aramaic-speaking Christians would have included:

The Syriac Canon initially excluded 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, and Revelation for several centuries. These books were not part of the Peshitta, the standard Syriac Bible. They were only added much later in the 6th century AD. Here's a breakdown:

When Were These Books Added to the Syriac Canon?
2 Peter → Philoxenian Version (508 AD)
2 John → Philoxenian Version (508 AD)
3 John → Philoxenian Version (508 AD)
Jude → Philoxenian Version (508 AD)
Revelation → Harklean Version (616 AD)
Key Syriac Bible Versions:
Peshitta (c. 400 AD) – Did not include 2 Peter, 2-3 John, Jude, or Revelation.
Philoxenian Version (508 AD) – Added 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude to align more closely with the Greek canon.
Harklean Version (616 AD) – Added Revelation, completing the 27-book New Testament.
So, the full Syriac New Testament (matching the Greek canon) wasn't finalized until the 7th century AD.

The Greek Canon

Why did it take so long for the Christian canon in Greek to be finalized? The process spanned centuries due to a variety of complex historical, theological, and practical factors.

Disagreements Over Which Books Were Inspired
Different Christian communities had different lists of authoritative writings.
Some books, like Revelation, James, 2 Peter, and 2–3 John, were disputed for a long time.
Others, like the Gospel of Thomas, the Shepherd of Hermas, and 1 Clement, were widely read but ultimately not included in the final canon.

Lack of Centralized Authority in Early Christianity
Before Constantine legalized Christianity in the early 4th century (Edict of Milan, 313 AD), there was no single authoritative Church council that could impose a universal canon.
Persecutions (such as under Nero, Domitian, and Diocletian) made it difficult for Christian leaders to meet and formalize a canon.

Formation of Church Councils
The first major lists resembling the modern New Testament appeared in the Muratorian Fragment (c. 170 AD) and in the writings of early Church Fathers like Irenaeus (180 AD), Origen (early 200s), and Athanasius (367 AD).
The Council of Hippo (393 AD) and Council of Carthage (397 AD) officially confirmed the 27-book New Testament, but this recognition had already been growing for centuries.
6. The Role of the Greek Language
While Greek was the dominant language of early Christianity, Latin was becoming more influential in the West.
The need for translations (like Jerome’s Latin Vulgate, 382 AD) delayed a single universal text in Greek.
Conclusion
It took about 300 years for the Greek Christian canon to be fully recognized because of:

The gradual writing and circulation of texts.
Disagreements over which books were truly inspired.
The lack of central authority in the persecuted Church.
The rise of heresies that forced clarity on doctrine.
The role of Church councils in finalizing the list.
By the time of Athanasius (367 AD) and the Councils of Hippo and Carthage (393–397 AD), the 27-book New Testament in Greek was widely accepted as canon.