I recently finished a read-through of the Bible, during which I kept track of every instance the New Testament quotes an Old Testament passage.
I counted only direct, explicit quotations, such as those introduced with “it is written,” or “as it says in the Law of Moses.” I gave some leniency, allowing clear quotations on the list even if introduced by a mere “for.”
I did not include any mere allusions or references to people or events in the Old Testament. I don’t think such allusions are unimportant; I just think they can be difficult to measure. For example, Jesus refers to the Flood as a real event and as something to instruct us today (Luke 17:26-27). But he does not quote directly from the text of Genesis 6-9. Therefore, I left such unclear examples off the list altogether. One unfortunate result is that books like 2 Peter, Jude, and Revelation, which contain Old Testament allusions in almost every verse, are almost completely absent from the list.
This list has the OT verses most quoted in the NT (see here for the most quoted OT books and chapters). Which verses did Jesus’ apostles reference most often as they sought to explain his life and ministry? If they had “memory verses” to focus on in Sunday School, what might they have been? Which sentences did they meditate on and find most useful to explain Christ’s mission?
After each entry, I include the number of times the New Testament quotes that verse.
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Leviticus 19:18 (8 times)
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Exodus 20:12/Deuteronomy 5:16 (6)
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Exodus 20:13/Deuteronomy 5:17 (6)
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Exodus 20:14/Deuteronomy 5:18 (6)
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Psalm 110:1 (5)
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Isaiah 6:10 (5)
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Genesis 2:24 (4)
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Exodus 3:6 (4)
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Psalm 118:22 (4)
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Isaiah 6:9 (4)
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Isaiah 40:3 (4)
Close behind are Genesis 15:6, Deuteronomy 6:5, Psalm 2:7, Psalm 40:6-8, Psalm 95:7,8,11, Psalm 110:4, Isaiah 28:16, Isaiah 56:7, Jeremiah 31:33, Habakkuk 2:4, and Malachi 3:1, each quoted 3 times. For the raw data listing every quotation, see my resources page.
The most quoted verse is the second greatest commandment: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Perhaps this verse ought to be on our hearts and minds more often.
I don’t want to minimize the differences between Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 (the first and second statements of the 10 commandments), but it’s difficult to exaggerate their similarities. One noteworthy point is that Ephesians 6:2-3 clearly quotes Deuteronomy’s version of the command to honor parents (Exodus doesn’t have the phrase “that it may go well with you”). But the two versions of the law are so similar that I considered Eph 6:2-3 still to be referencing both.
Although we could say these verses are important, we must not forget their contexts. G.K. Beale and D.A. Carson (among others) have amply demonstrated that quotes by New Testament authors are primarily quotes of passages, not just quotes of verses. In other words, when you study a NT passage that quotes the OT, you ought to go back and look up the OT quote in context. Determine the main point of the OT text and then go back to the NT passage to see how the author uses it.
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Very interested in digging into the Bible around all of these passages. Thanks for compiling and sharing.
You’re welcome! Please let me know what you come up with as you dig in. 🙂
But you have not included where in the NT they are passed on. Thank you so much for saying where they can be found. Blessings!
Thanks for your work Peter. What about Isaiah 6:9? Matthew 13:14, Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10, John 12:40, Acts 28:26, Romans 11:8? Thanks again.
Good catch, Dan. I think I missed it since I had already put Isaiah 6:10 on the list (which is also quoted in each of those NT passages you referenced). I just updated the list with it, though.
If you’d like to see the complete data set of all NT quotes of the OT, you can access it from the resources page.
Thanks for this exhaustive compilation, Peter. It is a tremendous help for our studies.
I am really quite impressed with the most quoted verse in that it does not command us to go and offer some sacrifice, or pray, or fast, or do some extraordinary work of faith, but to love our neighbor…
Yes, that really struck me too! The apostles who wrote the New Testament believed Jesus when he said that this was the second greatest commandment. Though isn’t it interesting that the greatest commandment (to love God) is farther down the list, quoted explicitly only 3 times?
I count (at least) ten Psalm 110 quotes: Matt 22:44; Matt 26:64; Mark12:36, Mark 14:62, Luke 20:42,43, Luke 22:69, Acts 2:33,34, I Cor 15:25, Heb 1:13, Heb 7:17.21.
Thanks for the comment, Wayne. I appreciate your help with making sure the list is accurate!
I’ve included Matt 22:44, Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42-43, Acts 2:33-34, and Heb 1:13 as the 5 instances quoting Psalm 110:1. Heb 7:17, 21 (along with Heb 5:6) are the 3 instances quoting Psalm 110:4. I did not count Matt 26:64, Mark 14:62, Luke 22:69, or 1 Cor 15:25, however, because they are not direct quotes (introduced with a formula such as “it is written”) but indirect allusions. Pretty clear allusions, I agree, but to be objective I limited this list to explicit quotations.
If we look at the chapter as a whole, Psalm 110 ranks in the top 3 Old Testament chapters, with 8 explicit quotations in the New Testament.
If you’d like to see the complete data set in a spreadsheet, you can click the link to it from my Resources page. Please let me know if you think I’m missing anything further.
Fantastic Spreadsheet!
Here is a PDF of NT quotes of OT that I made:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gd8dazhrtaouiwf/nt-quotes-ot.pdf?dl=0
(shortened link: http://goo.gl/fV0WMS)
I tried not to include things that were allusions, but I tended to be more inclusive (sometimes its a hard call). I have also noted that when there is a difference between the MT and LXX that the NT quotes were more likely to match the LXX — I marked these in my list.
Nice work! I agree with you that it can be a very hard call, which is why I drew the line at quotations with a clear quotation formula. That gave me an objective standard by which to include or exclude references. Thanks for sharing your doc. Are you willing to share a non-PDF (editable version)?
The question is why would match the LXX?
The common statement that the LXX was made 300 years before the Birth of Christ is a massive oversimplification. The story in the letter of Aristides is no doubt pure fiction. Even then the original mandate was only for the Torah.
There is lots of evidence it was changed over time. Like the oldest manuscript not having an extra Kenen in the Genesis 11 genealogy, while the main LXX text does. Also the Talmud quotes LXX versions of the Torah differently then what we’re used to.
I think Christian copier made the LXX conform to the New Testament. Jesus I think was often not quoting theme exactly just as Moses worded the Ten Commandments differently in Deuteronomy.
Meanwhile the LXX spells Solomon differently then the New Testament does, spelling it Salomon.
Psalm 110:1 is cited or alluded to 16 times in the New Testament. Matthew 22:44; 26:64; Mark 16:19; Luke 20:42, 43; Acts 2:33-36; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Ephesians 1:20; 2:6; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; 1:13; 8:1; 10:12, 13; 12:2.
Psalm 110:1 is quoted 18 times not five.
Oh. Could you kindly list the references for me? I’ll be sure to add them. Please keep in mind that I’m tracking only direct quotations (for example, introduced with a clear “it is written” or “as David says”), and not allusions (such as Heb 10:13).
I find it interesting that Leviticus 19’s status as one of the most quoted Chapter is entirety verse 18. (It’s interesting that the Second most important Commandment is quoted more often).
It might seem weird to suggest that that is a reason to question that it makes whole that important. But Jesus and Paul’s point in emphasizing this command was how it summarizes the Law, as if it’s the only one you really need to worry about. Plenty of of the other commands of that Chapter are obviously examples of the kind of ceremonials and civil Law we’re not Under anymore.
And I think if any other verse of Leviticus 19 should be heeded as of nearly equal importance, it’s the verse that recycles much of the same Language of verse 18, verse 34. But the kinds of Christians who voted for Trump don’t want to regard that verse. Though they want to use Leviticus 18 and 20 to write our Marriage laws, chapters Jesus never quoted. And Paul only paraphrases 18:5 in Galatians 3:12 while making the point that we’re not under the Law.
I’ve stumbled upon more then one website claiming Psalm 110:1 is the most quoted verse, but they aren’t giving the raw numbers you are, certainly haven’t provided examples to show it being quoted more then 5 times. I can’t but help but suspect most “Conservative” Christians want to minimize the Second Greatest Commandment.
Jus finding this now. Thank you.
For Isaiah 6:9 and 10 I get six times. And for Psalm 110:1 I get twelve times: Mt 22:41-44; Mk 12:35-36; Lk 20:41-44; Acts 2:32-36; 1Cor 15:20-27; Heb 2:13; 10:11-16; Col 3:1; Eph 1:22; Heb 1:3; 8:1; 12:1-2.
You may be correct about connections to Psalm 110 in the passages you cite. But I think you have a different definition of “direct quotation” than the one I am using.