How can we be sure the New Testament hasn't been heavily tampered with?

q2025 · 2/25/2025, 7:31:28 AM · permalink

30 bumps

purefury · 2/25/2025, 1:45:51 PM · permalink

27 bumps

q2025 · 2/25/2025, 7:27:41 PM · permalink

26 bumps

j.k.harwood2 · 2/26/2025, 6:31:53 AM · permalink

The claims about John 5:7 (the Comma Johanneum) and Acts 8:37 are well-known, but they don’t prove widespread or malicious tampering—rather, they highlight textual transparency and scholarly integrity in preserving the most authentic biblical text possible.

1\. John 5:7 – The "Trinity Verse"

Yes, the phrase "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." does not appear in the earliest Greek manuscripts. It was likely added in later Latin manuscripts and then included in the Textus Receptus, which influenced the King James Bible.

However, this does not mean the Trinity was fabricated.

The doctrine of the Trinity existed long before this verse was added.

Other verses affirm the Trinity’s concept:

Matthew 28:19 – Jesus commands baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

John 1:1,14 – The Word was God and became flesh.

2 Corinthians 13:14 – Mentions the Father, Son, and Spirit together.

The verse was removed from modern translations not to erase the Trinity, but to reflect earlier, more accurate manuscripts.

If the Bible were being "tampered with" to push an agenda, why would later scholars remove a verse that supports a central doctrine?

2\. Acts 8:37 – "Jesus is the Son of God"

This verse (where Philip asks the Ethiopian eunuch if he believes in Jesus) is absent in the earliest Greek manuscripts but appears in later ones.

The likely reason? Early Christians added a confession of faith that was commonly spoken during baptism.

Modern translations remove it because the goal is accuracy to the original text—not because it disproves Jesus' divinity.

Jesus is still called the Son of God dozens of times throughout the New Testament (Matthew 16:16, John 20:31, Romans 1:4, etc.).

3\. The Key Point: No Doctrine Was Changed

The fact that textual variants are publicly acknowledged and corrected proves that scholars are committed to truth, not deception.

Unlike religions that hide inconsistencies, Christian textual scholars examine everything openly. Even with minor variations, no core Christian doctrine has been erased, changed, or contradicted—Jesus' divinity, the resurrection, salvation by faith, and the Trinity are all taught throughout Scripture.

Rather than being an argument against biblical reliability, these corrections show that we have access to the most authentic version of God's Word possible.

21 bumps

q2025 · 2/26/2025, 7:35:03 AM · permalink

14 bumps

j.k.harwood2 · 2/26/2025, 8:21:30 AM · permalink

10 bumps

q2025 · 2/26/2025, 10:23:35 AM · permalink

6 bumps

j.k.harwood2 · 11/22/2025, 6:24:42 PM · permalink

4 bumps

q2025 · 11/22/2025, 6:58:45 PM · permalink

3 bumps

j.k.harwood2 · 11/27/2025, 10:27:28 AM · permalink

John 1:1–3, 14

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

“The Word” is explicitly identified as Jesus Christ.

He was God, existed before creation, and created all things—attributes belonging only to God.

2\. John 10:30

“I and the Father are one.”

The religious leaders immediately tried to stone Jesus Christ for blasphemy (v.33), proving they understood exactly what He meant: equality with God, not agreement of purpose.

3\. John 8:58

“Before Abraham was, I AM.”

Jesus uses the divine name revealed in Exodus 3:14 (“I AM WHO I AM”).

Again, the response was attempted execution—because this was a direct claim to deity.

4\. Colossians 1:15–17

“For by Him all things were created… and in Him all things hold together.”

Creation and sustenance of the universe are divine functions.

Paul declares Jesus Christ as eternal, sovereign, and preexistent.

5\. Titus 2:13

“…our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Grammatically direct: Jesus is called God.

Jesus Has the Highest Name

6\. Philippians 2:9–11

“God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

This echoes Isaiah 45:23—a passage where YHWH alone declares universal worship.

That Isaiah passage is now applied directly to Jesus.

7\. Acts 4:12

“There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Salvation belongs uniquely to Jesus Christ, something Scripture repeatedly says belongs to God alone.

8\. Hebrews 1:8

“But of the Son He says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.’”

The Father directly calls the Son God.

No symbolic wiggle room here—it’s explicit.

9\. Revelation 19:16

“KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

This title belongs to God alone in the Old Testament.

Here, it is inscribed on Jesus Christ.

Summary (Plain and Clear)

Jesus existed eternally

Jesus created all things

Jesus bears the divine name “I AM”

Jesus is worshiped universally

Jesus is called God by the Father

Jesus holds the highest name in heaven and earth

The Bible does not portray Jesus as a lesser being elevated later.

It presents Him as God made flesh, willingly humbling Himself, then glorified openly.

“In Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” — Colossians 2:9

1 bump

T

turkey · 11/22/2025, 6:00:07 AM · permalink

1 bump

j.k.harwood2 · 2/26/2025, 6:24:51 AM · permalink

That’s a great question and one that has been asked for centuries. If the New Testament has been tampered with, then the foundation of Christianity would be shaky. But historical, textual, and logical evidence shows that the New Testament has been preserved with remarkable accuracy. Here’s why we can trust it:

1\. Unmatched Manuscript Evidence

The New Testament is the most well-documented ancient text in human history.

Over 5,800 Greek manuscripts exist, with more than 25,000 total manuscripts including translations.

The earliest copies date within decades of the original writings, while most ancient texts have a 1,000+ year gap.

For comparison, Homer’s Iliad (the second-best preserved ancient text) has only 1,800 manuscripts and a 400-year gap between the original and earliest copies.

Plato’s writings? Only 7 manuscripts.

Julius Caesar’s “Gallic Wars”? 10 manuscripts.

New Testament? 25,000+ manuscripts.

The sheer number of manuscripts allows scholars to cross-reference and detect any significant changes. And the result? The New Testament is over 99.5% textually pure.

2\. Early Church Fathers Quoted It—A Lot

Before the printing press, books were copied by hand. But even if every manuscript were lost, we could reconstruct nearly the entire New Testament just from the writings of the early church fathers (1st-3rd centuries).

Clement of Rome (AD 95), Ignatius (AD 108), Polycarp (AD 110), and others quoted extensively from the New Testament.

These quotes match the manuscripts we have today.

If someone tampered with the text, we’d see contradictions between the early writings and the later manuscripts—but we don’t.

3\. The Dead Sea Scrolls Prove God Preserves His Word

Some argue that the Old Testament was changed over time, but then the Dead Sea Scrolls (discovered in 1947) shattered that theory.

These scrolls, dating from 250 BC to AD 70, contain books of the Old Testament.

When compared to later manuscripts (like the Masoretic Text), they are nearly identical, showing 1,000 years of perfect preservation.

If God could preserve the Old Testament without major corruption for over a millennium, why wouldn’t He do the same for the New Testament?

4\. The Cost of Fabrication Would Have Been Too High

Let’s assume someone wanted to alter the New Testament. They’d need to:

Track down and change thousands of manuscripts across multiple continents.

Modify quotes in letters and writings from the early church fathers.

Destroy all evidence of the original readings.

But there’s zero historical record of this happening. And why would the early Christians—who were beaten, imprisoned, and killed for their faith—allow their sacred texts to be corrupted? Would men willing to die for the truth allow deception?

5\. The Message Itself Proves Its Authenticity

If the New Testament had been tampered with, we’d expect:

A political or financial agenda.

Changes that remove hard-to-accept teachings or make Christianity more appealing.

Edits that glorify the church leaders.

But instead, we see:

Honest, raw human failure (even the disciples are constantly messing up).

Hard teachings (loving enemies, sacrificing everything for Christ).

No glorification of the authors (Peter is called Satan, Paul confesses his sins, and none of the Gospel writers make themselves the hero).

Why would fabricators make themselves look bad? That’s not how historical tampering works.

6\. Jesus Promised His Words Would Be Preserved

Jesus Himself said:

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” – Matthew 24:35

I believe Godis real. If God is real (and Jesus is who He says He is), then He is powerful enough to protect His own Word from corruption.  
  
The reality is, the Old Testament isn’t just true—it’s essential. It sets the stage for Jesus, who is the fulfillment of its promises.

Now, if someone argues, “Well, it’s just stories or mythology,” my response is simple:

Then why does history keep proving it right?

Archaeology confirms places, kings, and events the Bible recorded before history books did.

The prophecies—written hundreds of years in advance—line up with precision.

The moral and ethical laws of the Old Testament are the foundation of Western civilization.

So, if nothing in the Old Testament is true, then why does reality keep aligning with it?

Jesus validated it. History validates it. Reality validates it.

Final Thoughts: If It Were Fake, It Would Have Collapsed By Now

The New Testament has survived:

2,000 years of attacks, persecution, and attempts to destroy it.

Scrutiny from historians, atheists, and critics trying to disprove it.

Empires rising and falling—yet it remains unchanged.

If the New Testament was heavily altered or corrupted, the evidence would be everywhere. But what we find instead is the most well-preserved, cross-verified, historically accurate document in existence.

If God’s Word is still standing after everything, then maybe—just maybe—it was never in human hands to begin with.  
The real question isn’t whether it’s true—the real question is: Why do some people want so badly for it not to be true?

194 bumps

purefury · 2/26/2025, 2:26:16 PM · permalink

165 bumps

j.k.harwood2 · 2/26/2025, 5:03:49 PM · permalink

159 bumps