"Scripture" in the New Testament

I looked up the word, “Scripture” in the New Testament. A search yielded about 165 occurrences, in 17 of the 27 books of the NT. Below are some of them, using the World English Bible, which is public domain, except where otherwise indicated. I have attempted to give the most important references, and representative ones.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered, “It is written*, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” [Deut 8:3] *CEV “The Scriptures say …” Christ responded to Satan this way three times.

John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me….

19:36 For these things happened, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “A bone of him will not be broken.” 37 Again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they pierced.” [Ps 34:20; Zech 12:10]

20:9 For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. [Psalm 16:10]

Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. [Refers to the Bereans]

Romans 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” [Gen 15:6]

12:19 Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.” [Deut 32:35]

15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

1 Corinthians 10:26 for “the earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.” [Ps 24:1]

15:3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, …

James 2:8 However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well. [Lev 19:18]

1 Peter 1:15 but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; 1:16 because it is written, “You shall be holy; for I am holy.” [Lev 11:44-5]

To the New Testament writers, and readers, "scripture" meant what we now know as the Old Testament. The New Testament mostly, or entirely, had not been written yet, and, if parts of it had been, they may not have received wide distribution yet. It seems clear that the New Testament writers, and Christ, Himself, accepted the Old Testament as authoritative and important.

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