Can we trust the Bible? How accuracy was preserved through history

The Bible is the world’s best selling book. No other book has been so widely translated or read throughout History. But in today’s world, where historical scrutiny is stronger than ever, a common question arises: Can we truly trust the words of the Bible, given that so many copies exist?

Sceptics argue that with thousands of manuscripts copied over centuries, errors and alterations must have crept in. Some even claim that the Bible we read today may not be the same as what was originally written. After all, if a message is passed down through generations, wouldn’t it naturally change, like a giant game of “Chinese whispers”?

This concern is understandable. After all, if you’ve ever played a game of "Chinese whispers," you know how quickly a message can change when passed from person to person. But is this really an accurate comparison to how the Bible was copied and preserved?

In this article, we’ll explore the process of copying, and retrieving ancient texts, how the Bible’s words have been transmitted through history, and whether copying errors have changed its meaning.

The Role of Scribes and Copying Practices

At first glance, the idea of thousands of handwritten copies of the Bible might seem like a recipe for disaster. After all, the more times something is copied, the greater the chance for errors, right? Many people assume that over centuries of duplication, the Bible has been altered so much that its original message is now lost.

The principles of copying

Before we go further, let us explain how the process of copying works.

The first rule of copying is to take a source as close to the original as possible, if you don’t have access to the original, and always take that source. It will minimize the possibility of error.

On the diagram, we can see how a mistake in one copy is not transmitted to all the other copies.

Why more copies actually strengthens the reliability

It may seem counter intuitive, but having more copies actually increases our understanding of the original. How? Because with a vast number of manuscripts available, scholars can cross-check them for differences and identify the most authentic reading. Even when minor variations exist, the sheer volume of copies allows experts to reconstruct the original text with remarkable precision.

In short, rather than weakening trust, the abundance of copies helps scholars verify the integrity of the Bible’s message.

The jewish scribes and the Old Testament

The scribes of ancient Israel were known for their extraordinary precision when copying the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament). Their process included strict rules to prevent errors, including:

• Counting every letter, word, and line – If the number did not match the original, the copy was discarded.

• Checking the middle letter of each book – This ensured that no letters had been added or removed.

• Destroying defective copies – Unlike other historical texts, damaged or faulty copies of the Scriptures were not kept.

We can see now how little mistakes were tolerated in copying the sacred texts of the Hebrew Bible. And yet, even like that, with all the care in the world, some mistakes were probably not spotted.

Do 2,000 Years of Copying Mean Corruption?

We have established how the jewish scribes were always so careful and meticulous in copying and checking their copy of the sacred texts. But what about the New Testament? There have been some dark ages in christianity where the church leaders didn’t allow the common people to have access to the Bible. Couldn’t they have changed it to their advantage?

Since we don’t have the original manuscripts today, how can we know that the earliest copies we have are faithful to the original? If you copy something hundreds of years later, nobody can verify the changes you make.

Christian Scribes and the New Testament

While early Christian scribes did not follow the exact same copying methods as Jewish scribes, they were deeply committed to preserving the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. Early copies of the New Testament were made quickly and spread widely, leading to a wealth of manuscript evidence rather than reliance on a single tradition.

• The vast geographical spread of early New Testament copies means that textual corruption in one region could be identified and corrected by comparing manuscripts from other areas.

• As Christianity grew, professional scribes took over the copying process, leading to greater standardisation from the 4th century onwards.

So, while the manuscripts that we have are not without their mistakes, these mistakes are so minor and so easily identified (when compared with other manuscripts) that we can really be quite certain of the original content.

Comparing the Bible with other ancient texts

To understand whether the Bible’s words have been corrupted, it helps to compare it with other historical writings. Many famous ancient texts, such as the works of Plato, Aristotle, and Homer, have survived history with far fewer copies than the Bible—yet scholars largely trust them.

Consider these comparisons:

• Plato’s writings – We have fewer than 10 copies, with the earliest manuscript dating 1,200 years after the original.

• Homer’s Iliad – Around 1,800 copies, with a 400-year gap between the original and the earliest surviving manuscript.

• The New Testament – Over 5,800 Greek manuscripts, with some dating to 50-100 years of the original writings, plus more than 10,000 Latin and 9,300 others in languages like Syriac, Coptic, and Aramaic.

• Old Testament - There are fewer manuscripts of the old testament (perhaps around 10,000 in total) and it is harder to place an age of the original since it was written over such a long period of time, but the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls confirmed the remarkable consistency of the Old Testament over centuries.

When it comes to historical reliability, the Bible surpasses every other ancient document in both quantity and proximity to the original writings. If we trust the authenticity of other classical works with far less evidence, should we not at least consider the Bible’s strong manuscript foundation?

How Scholars Reconstruct the Original Text

With thousands of manuscripts available, textual scholars follow a rigorous process to reconstruct the original wording of the Bible:

• Comparing Copies Across Regions – If a copying mistake appears in only one region’s manuscripts but not in others, scholars can identify and correct it.

• Identifying Patterns of Change – Some minor variations, such as spelling or word order, are easily spotted and corrected.

• Using Early Church Writings – Early Christian writers quoted the Bible extensively. Even if we had lost all manuscripts, we could still reconstruct most of the New Testament from their writings alone.

The overwhelming amount of manuscript evidence, combined with scholarly analysis, ensures that the Bible we have today is an accurate reflection of the original writings.

Do any Variations Change the Message?

But what about the differences that do exist between manuscripts? Do they change the meaning of the Bible’s message?

It’s true that no two handwritten copies of the Bible are 100% identical. We have shown how, over centuries of manual copying, scribes occasionally made mistakes. However, the real question is not whether variations exist, but whether they have changed the Bible’s message in any significant way.

The answer? No.

What Kinds of Variants Exist?

Textual variants in biblical manuscripts generally fall into a few categories, none of which impact core Christian beliefs:

• Spelling Differences – Just like “colour” and “color” in modern English, some manuscripts contain variations in spelling. These have no effect on meaning.

• Word Order Changes – In Greek and Hebrew, word order is flexible. A phrase like “Jesus Christ” might appear as “Christ Jesus” in some manuscripts, but this doesn’t alter the meaning.

• Minor Omissions or Additions – Some scribes may have skipped a word or repeated a phrase, but these changes are easy to spot by comparing multiple manuscripts.

• Clarifications or Explanations – Occasionally, a scribe might have added a note in the margin, which was later copied into the text. However, scholars can identify these additions and separate them from the original wording.

Do Any Variants Affect Christian Doctrine?

The short answer is no. Even sceptical scholars agree that no essential Christian doctrine is affected by textual variants. The core teachings of the Bible—such as the divinity of Christ, salvation through faith, and the resurrection—are consistently preserved across all manuscript traditions.

Renowned scholar F.F. Bruce once said:

In other words, while there may be minor differences between manuscripts, they do not alter the central message of the Bible.

Conclusion

Can We Trust the Bible?

After examining the evidence, one thing becomes clear: the Bible is one of the most well-preserved and reliable ancient texts in existence.

Despite being copied thousands of times over many centuries, its message has remained remarkably consistent. The sheer number of manuscripts, combined with rigorous scholarly analysis, ensures that we can be confident in the accuracy of the Bible we read today.

Key Takeaways

• More copies strengthen reliability, not weaken it. The abundance of biblical manuscripts allows scholars to cross-check and verify the text with incredible precision.

• The Bible outperforms other ancient texts. If we accept the authenticity of Plato, Aristotle, and Caesar’s writings—despite having far fewer copies—then the Bible should be considered even more trustworthy.

• Scribes were meticulous in copying the Scriptures. From Jewish scribes preserving the Old Testament to Christian scribes distributing the New Testament, extraordinary care was taken to prevent errors.

• Textual variants do not change the Bible’s message. Differences in spelling, word order, and minor omissions do not affect core Christian beliefs. The Bible’s essential doctrines remain intact across all manuscript traditions.

A Challenge for the Reader

If you’ve ever wondered whether you can trust the words of the Bible, the next step is to explore it for yourself. Read it with an open mind, examine the evidence, and ask honest questions. The Bible has stood the test of time—not only in its preservation but also in its impact on those who read it.

So, what if the Bible really is as reliable as the evidence suggests? What could that mean for your life?