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new testament

B2-C1 (Specialized/Religious Context)
UK/ˌnjuː ˈtes.tə.mənt/US/ˌnuː ˈtes.tə.mənt/

Formal, Academic, Religious. Used primarily in theological, historical, literary, and religious discourse.

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Definition

Meaning

The second primary division of the Christian Bible, comprising 27 books which chronicle the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the early history of the Christian church.

In broader cultural usage, the term can refer to the foundational texts of Christianity, the teachings of Jesus, or a symbol of the Christian covenant and faith. It is often contrasted with the 'Old Testament' (Hebrew Bible).

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

The term is almost always capitalized as it is a proper noun referring to a specific canonical collection. It functions as a singular noun phrase (e.g., 'The New Testament is...').

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant lexical differences. Usage is identical in religious and academic contexts.

Connotations

Identical theological and historical connotations in both varieties.

Frequency

Frequency is context-dependent (higher in religious communities and academic theology/history departments). No regional variation in frequency of use for the term itself.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
study the New Testamentbooks of the New TestamentNew Testament scriptureNew Testament theologyNew Testament canonNew Testament scholar
medium
a passage from the New Testamentteachings of the New TestamentNew Testament GreekNew Testament churchNew Testament narrativeNew Testament perspective
weak
in the New Testamentaccording to the New TestamentNew Testament timesNew Testament figureNew Testament conceptNew Testament basis

Grammar

Valency Patterns

[verb] the New Testament (e.g., study, quote, translate)the New Testament [verb] (e.g., contains, describes, teaches)[preposition] the New Testament (e.g., in, from, of)

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

the Greek scriptures (in specific theological contrast to Hebrew scriptures)

Neutral

the Christian scripturesthe Gospels and Epistles

Weak

the second covenant (theological term)the Christian canon

Vocabulary

Antonyms

Old TestamentHebrew BibleTanakh

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “a New Testament kind of love (referring to altruistic, agape love)”
  • “old wine in new testament? (intentional malapropism of 'old wine in new wineskins' from the text)”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Virtually never used.

Academic

Frequently used in disciplines like Theology, Religious Studies, History, Classical Studies, and Literature. Example: 'The seminar focuses on apocalyptic literature in the New Testament.'

Everyday

Used primarily by individuals in religious discussion or general knowledge contexts. Example: 'My grandmother reads a chapter from the New Testament every morning.'

Technical

Used in technical biblical scholarship (textual criticism, hermeneutics, exegesis). Example: 'The manuscript evidence for the New Testament is remarkably robust.'

Examples

By Part of Speech

noun

British English

  • The New Testament was originally written in Koine Greek.
  • He is an authority on New Testament manuscripts.
  • The sermon drew on several New Testament parables.

American English

  • The New Testament is a central text for Christianity.
  • Her research compares Old and New Testament prophecy.
  • A key theme in the New Testament is grace.

Examples

By CEFR Level

A2
  • The New Testament is a part of the Bible.
  • Jesus Christ is in the New Testament.
B1
  • Christians believe the New Testament tells the story of Jesus.
  • The four Gospels are the first books of the New Testament.
B2
  • Scholars often analyze the historical context of the New Testament writings.
  • Paul's letters in the New Testament were crucial for the early Church's development.
C1
  • Intertextuality between the Old and New Testaments is a complex field of biblical theology.
  • The canonization of the New Testament was a process that took several centuries.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: 'A NEW agreement or COVENANT (testament) established by Jesus, recorded in NEW books.' Differentiates it from the OLD agreement (Old Testament).

Conceptual Metaphor

COVENANT AS A BINDING DOCUMENT. A 'testament' is literally a 'will' or a contract, metaphorically framing God's relationship with humanity as a legal/spiritual agreement.

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • In Russian, it is 'Новый Завет' (Novy Zavet). 'Завет' carries the same dual meaning of 'covenant' and 'testament/will.' No direct trap, but the conceptual link to 'договор' (contract) or 'завещание' (last will) is key.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing it in lower case ('new testament').
  • Using it as a plural (e.g., 'The New Testaments are...' is incorrect; it's a singular collection).
  • Confusing 'Testament' with 'Testimony' in meaning.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The is composed of 27 books, including the Gospels, Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation.
Multiple Choice

Which language was the New Testament originally written in?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

There are 27 books in the New Testament.

The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), the Historical Book (Acts of the Apostles), the Epistles (Letters from Paul and others), and the Prophetic Book (Revelation).

It means 'covenant' or 'agreement,' specifically referring to the new covenant between God and humanity through Jesus Christ.

Yes, the 27-book New Testament is canonical for all major Christian denominations (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox), though the order of books can sometimes vary slightly.

new testament - meaning, definition & pronunciation - English Dictionary | Lingvocore