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The Greek Septuagint translation of Leviticus 24 pronounces death on anyone who names the name of God in blasphemy. 2 Timothy echoes this language, calling everyone who names the name of God to turn away from evil.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
LXX Leviticus 24:16
Septuagint
15 And speak to the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them, Whoever shall curse God shall bear his sin. 16 And he that names the name of the Lord, let him die the death: let all the congregation of Israel stone him with stones; whether he is a stranger or a native, let him die for naming the name of the Lord. 17 And whoever shall strike a man and he dies, let him die the death.
2 Timothy 2:19
New Testament
18 They have strayed from the truth by saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are undermining some people’s faith. 19 However, God’s solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from evil.” 20 Now in a wealthy home there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also ones made of wood and of clay, and some are for honorable use, but others for ignoble use.
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Notes and References
“... Less well known but still important is the use of Leviticus 24:16 at Matthew 26:66; Mark 14:64; John 10:33; 19:7; and 2 Timothy 2:19. ... There is a notable difference between the Hebrew and the Septuagint text of Leviticus 24:16, namely that the latter seems to be talking about actually saying the divine name of God, whereas the former is talking about blaspheming that name, but Leviticus does not expand on what constitutes blasphemy. Is it “taking the Lord’s name in vain”? Is it using God’s name in some sort of curse? Is it claiming to be God and therefore defaming the actual deity? It seems clear from Leviticus 24:10–23 that we are dealing with legal cases involving a blasphemer. ...”
Witherington, Ben, III
Torah Old and New: Exegesis, Intertextuality, and Hermeneutics
(pp. 241-242) Fortress Press, 2018
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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