The author of Hebrews misquotes the Old Testament by saying that Jesus spoke of a body being prepared for him, which is not what Psalm 40:6 says.

The author of Hebrews quotes Psalm 40:6 in a way that seems to distort the original text, which leads to questions about the inspiration of the New Testament. However, it is essential to recognize that the New Testament authors often referenced older texts that may differ from the later Hebrew Masoretic text. In this case, the Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, provides a version that includes the phrase about a body being prepared, supporting the theological point being made about Christ's role as the final sacrifice. Moreover, the differences between the Septuagint and the Masoretic text illustrate that the New Testament authors were not corrupting the scripture but rather drawing from a valid and historically significant source. The Septuagint serves as a witness to an older reading of the Psalms, and the majority of textual variants found between these versions do not affect essential Christian doctrines. In examining the specific Hebrew word for 'open' in Psalm 40:6, we find that it has multiple meanings, which can also relate to the concept of preparation and sacrifice. This linguistic nuance further supports the idea that the author of Hebrews was not misquoting but rather interpreting the text in a way that aligns with the overarching narrative of Christ's mission. Thus, the supposed misquotation is more about the richness of the biblical text than any corruption of it.