The Old and New Testaments use the term in slightly different ways: (1) In the Old Testament, the scribe’s primary responsibility was to copy the scriptures (Jer. 8: 8). (2) Scribes are frequently mentioned in the New Testament and are sometimes called lawyers or doctors of the law. They developed the law in detail and applied it to the circumstances of their time (Matt. 13: 52; Mark 2: 16-17; 11: 17-18; Luke 11: 44-53; 20: 46-47).