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24 For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written. Romans 2:24 (NKJV)

…Because of you my name is always blasphemed among the nations. Isaiah 52:5 (LES2)

…“And My name is blasphemed continually every day. Isaiah 52:5 (NKJV)

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4 Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.” Romans 3:4 (NKJV)

…that you would be vindicated in your words and prevail when you judge. Psalm 50:6 (LES2)

…That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. Psalm 51:4 (NKJV)

The Greek in the LXX perfectly matches the quote in Romans, even though different English words are used. This one goes to the LXX. The MT is slightly different, using “blameless” instead of “prevail.”

Since the MT was completed hundreds of years after Paul wrote Romans, was this a deliberate change?

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17 For in it [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17 (NKJV) 

… the righteous one will live by my faith. Habakkuk 2:4 (LES2)

… the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:4 (NKJV)

The Greek in the LXX agrees with Romans, even though the English word “just” is different from “righteous one.” Both are dikaios in Greek.I give this one to the LXX; although, there is no difference between it and MT.

The MT says the just will live by “his” faith. The MT is law-based, which makes it performance oriented. This accounts for the stress on the faith belonging to the believer. The LXX is more Christ-centered and lets us know that the faith comes from God, not us. This agrees with Galatians 2:20.

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14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” Matthew 4:14–16 (NKJV)

…territory of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, and the rest who are on the coast and across the Jordan, Galilee of the nations! 2 People going in darkness, see a great light! Those inhabiting a territory, a shadow of death, light will shine on you! Isaiah 9:1–2 (LES2) 

…The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles. 2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. Isaiah 9:1–2 (NKJV)

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10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Matthew 4:10 (NKJV) 

13 You shall fear the Lord your God and serve him, and you shall cling to him, and you shall swear by his name. Deuteronomy 6:13 (LES2) 

13 You shall fear the LORD your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name. Deuteronomy 6:13 (NKJV) 

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5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’ ” Matthew 4:5–7 (NKJV) 

11 because he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in your ways. 12 Upon hands they will lift you, lest you strike your feet against a stone. Psalm 90:11–12 (LES2) 

11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11–12 (NKJV) 

This matches the LXX perfectly. There is no conflict with the MT, but I will give this to the LXX.

It is noteworthy that Satan left out the second part of verse 11, God’s promise to keep Jesus in his ways.

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4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” Matthew 4:4 (NKJV) 

…man shall not live on only bread, but a man shall live on every word going out through the mouth of God. Deuteronomy 8:3 (LES2) 

…man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. Deuteronomy 8:3 (NKJV) 

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1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.’ ” Matthew 3:1–3 (NKJV) 

3 The voice of one calling in the desert, “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make the paths of our God straight!” Isaiah 40:3 (LES2) 

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3 (NKJV) 

Matthew’s quote exactly matches the LXX. He connects Isaiah’s prophecy to John the Baptist, as did John himself. (John 1:23)

This one goes to the Septuagint.

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23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” Matthew 2:23 (NKJV) 

This corresponds to no specific quotation in the OT. Perhaps this is meant to be an allusion to several places in the prophets. It can be associated with Samson’s  mother  being promised he would be a Nazirite. (Judges 13:5)

It might also allude to the Hebrew word neser, which means “branch,” mentioned in Isaiah 11:1.

The connection Matthew makes, however, is to a location that was associated with people held in low estimation, as indicated from Nathaniel’s comment in John 1:46.

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17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.” Matthew 2:17–18 (NKJV) 

15 This is what the Lord said: “A voice of lamentation and weeping and mourning was heard in Ramah. Rachel, weeping over her sons, was unwilling to desist, because they were no more.” Jeremiah 38:15 (LES2) 

The first thing we note is that the LXX chapter of Jeremiah is different from the MT.  I will cover when I take a longer look at Jeremiah. 

The quote begins by following the wording of the MT. The Greek words Matthew uses match those of the LXX, except in the last part, where the LXX says Rachel was unwilling to stop weeping, but Matthew and the MT says she refused to be comforted. This is not a big deal, but it does not match the quote.

This one goes to the MT, but nothing in it contradicts the LXX. This is unlike some cases when the MT says something quite opposite from what the NT quotes from the LXX.

Apparently Matthew was using documents that were written in block style Hebrew, which was then being developed, instead of referring to the LXX. Matthew and the Holy Spirit saw fit to use it.