"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."
— Isaiah 40:8 (KJV)
God promised to preserve His Word. The manuscript evidence proves He kept that promise with overwhelming precision.
Manuscript, archaeological, and historical evidence
The New Testament has 5,800+ Greek manuscripts, 10,000+ Latin, 9,300+ others. By comparison, Homer's Iliad (2nd most attested) has only 643 manuscripts. No ancient document comes close.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Matthew 24:35)
Application: The sheer volume of manuscripts allows scholars to verify the original text with 99.5% accuracy.
1947 discovery found Old Testament manuscripts 1,000 years older than any previous copies. Result? They matched perfectly—proving the Bible was faithfully preserved.
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. (Isaiah 40:8)
Application: Isaiah scroll from Dead Sea (150 BC) matches modern Isaiah—word-for-word over 2,000 years.
100+ biblical facts confirmed by archaeology: Pool of Bethesda, Pontius Pilate inscription, Hittite civilization, King David inscription, Nazareth existence, crucifixion nails, and more.
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. (John 20:30)
Application: No archaeological discovery has ever contradicted the Bible. Every shovel of dirt confirms Scripture.
Yes, there are 400,000 textual variants across manuscripts—but 99% are spelling/grammar. Zero affect core Christian doctrine. Variants prove honesty, not error.
The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. (Psalm 12:6)
Application: More manuscripts = more variants detected, but also more confidence in the original text.
NT written 40-90 AD (within eyewitness lifetimes). Compare: Alexander the Great's biographies written 400+ years after death. No time for legend to develop around Jesus.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes. (1 John 1:1)
Application: Early dating means witnesses were still alive to correct false accounts. Truth was verifiable.
Bible includes embarrassing facts: Peter's denial, disciples' cowardice, women as first witnesses (not credible in 1st century). Liars don't include details that hurt their case.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory). (John 1:14)
Application: Gospel writers prioritized truth over propaganda. They recorded unflattering facts about themselves.
Caesar's Gallic Wars: 10 manuscripts, 1,000-year gap. Plato: 7 manuscripts, 1,200-year gap. New Testament: 5,800+ manuscripts, 25-50 year gap. Bible wins by landslide.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God. (2 Timothy 3:16)
Application: If you doubt the Bible's reliability, you must reject all ancient history. No text is better attested.
If you doubt the Bible's textual reliability, you must reject all ancient history. No other ancient work has anywhere near the manuscript evidence of the New Testament.
| Ancient Work | Author | Manuscripts | Time Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Testament | Various | 5,800+ | 25-50 years |
| Homer's Iliad | Homer | 643 | 400 years |
| Caesar's Gallic Wars | Julius Caesar | 10 | 1,000 years |
| Plato's Tetralogies | Plato | 7 | 1,200 years |
| Aristotle | Aristotle | 49 | 1,400 years |
| Tacitus' Annals | Tacitus | 20 | 1,000 years |
The Verdict: The New Testament has 900x more manuscripts than the average ancient work, with a time gap 20-50x shorter. It's the most reliable ancient document ever written.