2 Timothy 3:15-17
Hebrews 4:12
12
For the word of God is
living and powerful, and
sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the
division of soul and spirit, and
of joints and marrow, and is a
discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart.
The Bible…
• The Bible is not “a book.” It is
a collection of “books.”
• There are 66 books that
make up the Bible:
 39 in the Old Testament
 27 in the New Testament.
The Bible…
•
•
•
•
•
Over 40 different authors
Over 1,500 years
In 3 different languages
On 3 different continents
Not one contradiction or
mistake
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16
17
All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness
that the man of God may be
complete, thoroughly
equipped for every good
work.
We believe…
The Scriptures, both the Old
and New Testaments, are
verbally inspired of God and
are the revelation of God to
man, the infallible,
authoritative rule of faith
and conduct.
1. God Spoke to Man
2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God
2 Peter 1:20-21 - holy men of
God spoke as they were moved
by the Holy Spirit
Hebrews 1:1 – God… spoke in
time past to the fathers by the
prophets
2. Men wrote it down
Habakkuk 2:2 - Then the LORD
said: "Write the vision and make
it plain
Jeremiah 30:2 - Thus says the
LORD, “Write in a book…all the
words that I have spoken to
you.”
Isaiah 30:8 - Go, write it …on a
tablet, and on a scroll, that it
may be for time to come…
2. Men wrote it down
Written Inspiration is not
“Mechanical Dictation”
God did not dictate revelation to
be written down word for word.
He inspired the writers to
express ideas in a way that fully
captured God’s intent but
retained the writer’s personality.
“Verbal-Plenary Inspiration”
John 1:1 & 14
1
In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was
God.
14 And the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us, and we
beheld His glory, the glory as
of the only begotten of the
Father, full of grace and
truth.
3. The writings were
copied and circulated
Habakkuk 2:2 - Then the LORD
answered me and said: "Write the
vision And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
3. The writings were
copied and circulated
Habakkuk 2:2 - Then the LORD
answered me and said: "Write the
vision And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
The original writings or
“autographs” were inspired, not
the copies or “manuscripts.”
Oldest OT Manuscripts
Geniza Fragments – AD 400
Ben Asher Manuscripts – AD 700
Aleppo Codex – AD 950
Codex Leningradensis – AD 1008
Codex Vaticanus (LXX) – AD 350
Codex Sinaiticus (LXX) – AD 350
Dead Sea Scrolls – 200 BC
Oldest OT Manuscripts
Geniza Fragments – AD 400
Ben Asher Manuscripts – AD 700
Aleppo Codex – AD 950
Codex Leningradensis – AD 1008
Codex Vaticanus (LXX) – AD 350
Codex Sinaiticus (LXX) – AD 350
Dead Sea Scrolls – 200 BC
Over 5,600 NT Manuscripts
P52 - AD 125
Bodmer P66 – AD 200
Chester Beatty P46 – AD 200
Bodmer P75 – AD 250
Chester Beatty P45 – AD 250
Codex Sinaiticus – AD 350
Codex Vaticanus – AD 350
Earliest Versions of Bible
Old Latin Testaments – AD 195
Old Syriac NT – AD 300
Coptic Versions – AD 300
Latin Vulgate – AD 380
Wycliff English Version - 1380
Tyndale English Version - 1526
King James Version – 1611
4. The writings were
studied for credibility
5600 manuscripts generated
thousands of variants between
them
4. The writings were
studied for credibility
5600 manuscripts generated
thousands of variants between
them …200,000 variants
4. The writings were
studied for credibility
Textual Criticism
The practice of examining the
vast number of manuscripts to
determine the accuracy or
probability of accuracy to the
original autographs.
4. The writings were
studied for credibility
Textual Criticism
"The New Testament has not
only survived in more
manuscripts that any other book
from antiquity, but it has
survived in a purer form than any
other great book - a form that is
99.5 percent pure.“
- A General Introduction to The Bible”
Geisler & Nix
5. The writings were
“Canonized”
To “Canonize” is to “confirm
that it is authentic”
1 John 4:1 - Beloved, do not
believe every spirit, but test the
spirits, whether they are of God;
because many false prophets have
gone out into the world.
5. The writings were
“Canonized”
To “Canonize” is to “confirm
that it is authentic”
It was when church sorted through
the mass of ancient writings to
recognize what was inspired by
God and declare it as an
authoritative rule of faith and
conduct.
5. The writings were
“Canonized”
Is it Authoritative?
Is it Prophetic?
Is it Authentic?
Is it Dynamic?
Is it Accepted?
5. The writings were
“Canonized”
Council of Carthage – AD 397
Canon 24. Besides the canonical
Scriptures, nothing shall be read in
church under the name of divine
Scriptures. Moreover, the
canonical Scriptures are these:
(then follows a list of the books of
the Old and New Testaments)
6. Modern Bibles Developed
King James Version – 1611
New American Standard – 1971
New International Version – 1973
New King James Version – 1982
YouVersion Bible App - 2008
The Word of God is still
powerful and changing
lives today!
Isaiah 55:11 - So shall My word
be that goes forth from My
mouth; It shall not return to Me
void, But it shall accomplish
what I please, And it shall
prosper in the thing for which I
sent it.
The Bible continues to
bear fruit as God’s Word
Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of
God is living and powerful, and
sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the
division of soul and spirit, and of
joints and marrow, and is a
discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart.
2 Timothy 3:15-17