Chapter 4 · Text and Transmission

Has the Original Message Been Preserved?

This chapter explores how the biblical texts were copied and collected, and what Christian scholars themselves say about additions, omissions, and the formation of the canon.

Many believers assume that the Bible they hold today is identical, word-for-word, to what was originally revealed and written.

Christian scholars in the field of textual criticism, however, paint a more complex — though still respectful — picture of how the text has reached us.

Before the Printing Press: Hand-Copied Manuscripts

For centuries, scripture was preserved through handwritten copies. Scribes worked carefully, but no human copying process is perfect.

As a result, there are many thousands of manuscripts and fragments, with variations ranging from small spelling differences to entire phrases, sentences, and even longer passages.

Famous Textual Questions

Christian scholars themselves highlight several well-known cases where the text in many modern Bibles includes passages that do not appear in the earliest manuscripts, such as:

The longer ending of the Gospel of Mark.
The story of the woman caught in adultery in the Gospel of John.
Certain phrases that support later doctrinal formulas.

Modern translations often place notes or brackets around these passages, explaining that they are absent from earlier copies.

None of this is written by critics from outside the faith. It is Christian scholars, working with love and respect for scripture, who document these issues in detail.

How the Biblical Canon Was Formed

Another question is not just what the text says, but which books are recognised as scripture.

Over time, Christian communities discussed, disputed, and eventually listed which writings should be included in the New Testament.

The final shape of the canon was confirmed only after centuries of use, debate, and formal decisions in various councils.

What This Means for Certainty

For many believers, learning these details for the first time can be unsettling. Yet it is better to face them calmly and honestly than to ignore them.

If some passages were added or removed, and if the canon itself was shaped over time, then complete, unquestioned certainty about every word becomes difficult.

This does not mean the Bible is worthless or false. It does mean that a thoughtful Christian, aware of these facts, will ask:

What did Jesus himself actually teach, in the clearest, most agreed-upon parts of the text?

Continue to “What Jesus Taught”