What Scripture says
The New Testament writers quoted prophecies from Scriptures that already existed and were read in synagogues every Sabbath (Luke 4:16–21, Acts 13:27, 15:21, ESV). Jesus read from the scroll of Isaiah in Nazareth (Luke 4:17). The Ethiopian official was reading Isaiah 53 when Philip met him (Acts 8:32–33).
What the evidence says
Textual Criticism
The Dead Sea Scrolls
The Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a), found at Qumran in 1947, contains all 66 chapters of Isaiah, including Isaiah 53. It dates to roughly the 2nd century BC, usually around 125 BC, by handwriting analysis, with radiocarbon tests broadly confirming it. That is more than a century before Jesus was born (see 4.2).
Other prophetic texts among the scrolls include:
- Psalms, with many copies, including Psalm 22.
- Micah, in the Minor Prophets scrolls.
- Zechariah.
- At least eight copies of Daniel (see 5.9).
The Septuagint
The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, made by Jews in Alexandria, Egypt. According to the Letter of Aristeas, the Torah was translated in the 3rd century BC, under Ptolemy II. The prophets and other books followed during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. Early Christians often quoted from it.
| Evidence | Date | Contains |
|---|---|---|
| Great Isaiah Scroll | c. 125 BC | All of Isaiah, including chapter 53 |
| Septuagint (Torah) | 3rd century BC | Genesis to Deuteronomy |
| Septuagint (Prophets) | 2nd–1st century BC | Isaiah, Micah, Zechariah and others |
| Psalms scrolls at Qumran | 1st century BC onward | Many psalms, including Psalm 22 |
So the key prophetic texts existed in Hebrew and Greek before Jesus was born. They couldn’t have been written after the events.
History
What this does and doesn’t prove
Showing the texts predate Jesus rules out one objection: that Christians wrote the prophecies after the fact. It doesn’t settle other questions:
- Interpretation: whether these texts were originally about a Messiah (see 5.10).
- Shaping: whether the Gospel writers shaped their accounts to fit (see 12.5).
Daniel
The date of Daniel is debated (see 5.9). Even on the critical date of about 165 BC, Daniel was written well before Jesus, so prophecies about the Messiah in it, such as Daniel 9 (see 12.8), predate him either way.
Where they meet
Yes, the prophecies were written before Jesus. The Great Isaiah Scroll, including Isaiah 53, dates to roughly the 2nd century BC, and the Old Testament was translated into Greek before Jesus was born.
What’s still open
How to interpret the prophecies (see 5.10). Their date is not in doubt.
Bottom line
Yes. The Great Isaiah Scroll, including Isaiah 53, dates to roughly the 2nd century BC, and the Old Testament was translated into Greek before Jesus was born. This is rated Settled.