Is the Bible Trustworthy?
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Bible Facts
Accuracy Lost in Translations?
Preservation of the Text
Evidence of the Bible’s Truthfulness from:
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Science
Archeology/History
Prophecy
Summary
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66 books written by 40 authors over 1,600 years
Remarkable consistency in themes and doctrine
Inspired: “All Scripture is breathed out by God
and is profitable for teaching, reproof, for
correction, an for training in righteousness, that
the man of God may be equipped for every
good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Most popular book ever written with annual
sales estimated at 100,000,000
Important book in understanding the world
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Foundation for Christianity
Describes God, His purpose and eternal timeline, His
creation, and His relationships to creation
 Defines wrong and consequences; right and blessings
 The story of Christ and the eternal salvation He provides
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Autographs have been lost
Hand copied until 1454 when the printing press
was discovered
Translated into many languages. Many
translations in some languages
So, is the Bible as it presently exists trustworthy?
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Have we lost the original text been lost in the
string of many translations each based on the
last translation?
Results of the telephone game
Fact: All credible translations are based on
translations of the original languages.
Key; use the most reliable manuscripts possible
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The Talmudim A.D. 100-500
The Massorettes A.D. 500-900
Prior to 1947, the oldest existing manuscript
was from the 9th century
Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls dated around
100 B.C. allowed us to check accuracy
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Result : 95% identical, with only minor variations
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The Talmudim A.D. 100-500
The Massorettes A.D. 500-900
Prior to 1947, the oldest existing manuscript
was from the 9th century
Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls dated around
100 B.C. allowed us to check accuracy
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Result : 95% identical, with only minor variations
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Three reliability criteria
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Number of manuscripts available
Time interval between date of autograph and copy
Quality of the manuscript
Author
Book
When
Written
Earliest
Copy
Time Span
# of copies
Caesar
Gallic Wars
100-44 BC
AD 900
1,000 years
10
Plato
Tetralogies
427-347 BC
AD 900
1,200 years
7
Tacitus
Annal/Histories
AD 100
AD 1100
1,000 years
20
Thucydides
Peloponnesian
460-400 BC
AD 900
1,300 years
8
Aristotle
De Anima, etc.
384-322 BC
AD 900
1,400 years
49
900 BC
400 BC
500 years
643
AD 40-100
AD 125
25 years
24,000
Homer
The Iliad
Nine Authors
New Testament
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Scholarly accuracy and reliability of the Bible is
far superior to all other historical literature
“The last foundation for any doubt that the
Scriptures have come down to us substantially
as they were written has now been removed.”
Sir Frederick Kenyon, former Director of the
British Museum
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Only 400 words (0.5%) in the New Testament
are in question. Variants for these words are
slight. No doctrine is affected by the
differences
“The purity of the text is of such a substantial
nature that nothing we believe to be true, and
nothing we are commanded to do, is in any
way jeopardized by any variants.”
D. A. Carson, New Testament Greek scholar
“ For truly I say unto you, until heaven and earth
pass away, not an iota , not an dot , will pass
from the Law until it is accomplished.”
Matthew 5:18
What the Bible says:
What people thought:
What we now know:
Earth is a sphere
Earth is a flat disc
Earth is a sphere
Millions of stars
1,100 stars
Millions of stars
Every star is different
All stars are the same
Every star is different
Light is in motion
Light is fixed in place
Light is in motion
Air has weight
Air is weightless
Air has weight
Winds blow in cyclones
Winds blow straight
Winds blow in cyclones
Blood is the source of life
and is healing
Sick people must be bled
Blood is the source of life
and is healing
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Science now thinks the earth’s origin happened
suddenly…The Big Bang; and development of
life happened about in the order seen in Genesis
Bible describes:
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Conservation of mass and energy
Water cycle of evaporation, condensation and
precipitation
Gravity
Effect of emotions on physical health
Spread of contagious disease by close contact
Importance of sanitation to health
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25,000 archeological excavations support the
trustworthiness of the Bible by collaborating
Biblical accounts
Mari, Nuzi and Alalakh
Hazor, Gezer, Megiddo and Jerusalem
Jericho
Pool of Bethesda
Luke’s account of rulers, officials and events
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25,000 archeological excavations support the
trustworthiness of the Bible by collaborating
Biblical accounts
Mari, Nuzi and Alalakh
Hazor, Gezer, Megiddo and Jerusalem
Jericho
Pool of Bethesda
Luke’s account of rulers, officials and events
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Fulfilled prophecy makes the Bible totally
unique
Fulfilled prophecy helps to prove the Godly
origin and truthfulness of the Bible
1,239 prophecies in the OT and 578 in the NT
Biblical standard for a prophet; 100% accuracy
When prophets spoke the people
acknowledged that God was speaking to them
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His conception Isaiah 7:14 (735 B.C.) “Behold, the
virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his
name Immanuel.”
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His birth Micah 5:2 (750-735 B.C.) “But you, O
Bethlehem …, who are too little to be among the clans
of Judah, from you will come forth for me one who is to
be a ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from old,
form the ancient of days.”
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His betrayal Zechariah 11:12-13 ( 530 B.C) “I said to them, “If
it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.”
And they weighed out as the lordly price at which I was priced by
them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the
house of the Lord, to the potter.”
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His death Psalm 22:12-18 ( King David 1000 B.C.) “Many bulls
encompass me, strong bulls of Bashan surround me; like a
ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my
bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my
breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd and my tongue
sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs
encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have
pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones and they
stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.”
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His betrayal Zechariah 11:12-13 ( 530 B.C) “I said to them, “If
it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.”
And they weighed out as the lordly price at which I was priced by
them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the
house of the Lord, to the potter.”
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His death Psalm 22:12-18 ( King David 1000 B.C.) “Many bulls
encompass me, strong bulls of Bashan surround me; like a
ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my
bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my
breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd and my tongue
sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs
encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have
pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones and they
stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.”
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Who will conquer Tyre?
Other nations will take part in the conquest
Tyre will be flat like the top of a rock
Tyre will become a place to spread nets
Tyre’s stones and timber will be laid in the sea
Other cities would fear because of Tyre’s
destruction
Tyre will not be rebuilt
Ezekiel 26:3-5,7,12,14,16 (590 B.C.) 3-5. “therefore thus
says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, O Tyre,
and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea
brings up its waves. They shall destroy the walls of
Tyre and break down her towers, and I will scrap her
soil from her and make her a bare rock. She shall be in
the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets, for
I have spoken, declares the Lord God, And she shall
become plunder for the nations. 7. For thus says the
Lord God; “Behold, I will bring against Tyre, from the
north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings,
with horses and chariots, and with horsemen and a host
of many soldiers. 12. They will plunder your riches
Ezekiel 26:3-5,7,12,14,16 (590 B.C.) and loot your
merchandise. They will break down your walls and
destroy your pleasant houses. Your stones and timber
and soil they will cast into the midst of the waters. 14. I
will make you a bare rock. You shall be a place for the
spreading of nets. You shall never be rebuilt for I am
the Lord; I have spoken, declares the Lord God. 16.
Then all the princes of the sea will step down from their
thrones and remove their robes and strip off the
embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves
with trembling; they will sit on the ground and tremble
every moment and be appalled at you.
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Who will conquer Tyre
Other nations will take part in the conquest
Tyre will be flat like the top of a rock
Tyre will become a place to spread nets
Tyre’s stones and timber will be laid in the sea
Other cities would fear because of Tyre’s
destruction
Tyre will not be rebuilt
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The number of translations does not impact
accuracy
The Bible has been very carefully preserved and
is the benchmark for accuracy and reliability
The truthfulness of the Bible is supported by
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



Science
Archeology
Prophecy
Amazing trustworthy book
What will you do with the truth of Scripture?



The number of translations does not impact
accuracy
The Bible has been very carefully preserved and
is the benchmark for accuracy and reliability
The truthfulness of the Bible is supported by





Science
Archeology
Prophecy
Amazing trustworthy book
What will you do with the truth of Scripture?