Has the Bible been corrupted, changed, or tampered with?

TL;DR:

The Bible we read today is remarkably faithful to the original manuscripts, with 99% accuracy confirmed by historical evidence and discoveries like the Dead Sea Scrolls. Minor differences exist but don’t affect core Christian doctrines, proving that the Bible has not been corrupted or tampered with over time.

what does the bible say?

The Bible is considered to be one of the most well-preserved books from ancient history, with approximately 5,800 original biblical manuscripts existing. The Bible today is 99% accurate to those manuscripts according to historians and theologians. The minor differences, due to scribal errors and interpolations, do not significantly impact any Christian doctrine.

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the twentieth century provided copies of almost every book of the Old Testament from the third century BC to the first century AD. Despite minor differences, the Old Testament text has remained amazingly intact.

We know how the original New Testament books read because we have three surviving classes of evidence by which to reconstruct the original New Testament: Greek manuscripts, ancient versions in other languages, and citations from the early church "Fathers" who extensively quoted Scripture in their writings. The evidence shows that the Bible has not been corrupted, changed or tampered with.

from the old testament

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls—ancient manuscripts dating from the third century BC to the first century AD—helps answer this question. These scrolls contain copies of almost every Old Testament book, and their close match with the later Masoretic Text (the basis for most modern Old Testament Bibles) shows that the biblical text has been faithfully preserved with remarkable consistency over centuries, demonstrating that it has not been corrupted or significantly changed.

from the new testament

When God originally inspired the biblical writers, its words were God-breathed and inspired (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible does not make this same claim regarding copies of the original manuscripts. Even with the best efforts of Jewish scribes and Christian writers, occasional differences would make their way into a copy, until the widespread use of the printing press in the 1500s. Yet the Bible has maintained an excellent degree of preservation over the centuries.

implications for today

Many of the ancient Dead Sea scrolls from Qumran closely match the medieval Masoretic Text, which modern Hebrew and English Bibles are based on. This close match confirms that the biblical text has been faithfully preserved all these centuries.

For example, 4QGen is an important Genesis manuscript from the first century AD. It contains most of the creation account (Gen 1:1–28) and is virtually identical to the medieval Masoretic Text, showing the faithful scribal transmission of the text over the centuries. So, when we read the Genesis creation account today, which is based on the Masoretic Text, we are reading the same text that people were reading 2,000 years ago during the Second Temple period.

Knowing that the Bible we read today is overwhelmingly faithful to the original manuscripts gives us great confidence in God’s Word. We can trust Scripture as a reliable foundation for our faith and daily living, knowing it hasn’t been corrupted or altered in any way that affects core Christian truths. It also inspires us to study the Bible more deeply, appreciating the incredible care God and His people have taken to preserve His message throughout history. Understanding the Bible’s authenticity helps us defend our faith with clarity and share its truth with others without fear or doubt. Ultimately, it reminds us that God’s Word remains a living, trustworthy guide for our lives, just as it has been for believers across the centuries.

understand

The Bible today is 99% accurate to the original manuscripts, with no impact on core doctrines.
The Dead Sea Scrolls show the Old Testament text has been faithfully preserved for centuries.
Ancient manuscripts and early church writings confirm the New Testament has not been corrupted or altered.

reflect

How does knowing the Bible has been faithfully preserved impact your confidence in reading and applying Scripture?
How does the care taken in preserving God’s Word inspire you to handle the Bible with respect and diligence?
How might understanding the Bible’s authenticity encourage you to share your faith with others who have doubts about Scripture?

engage

What are the implications for our faith if the Bible had been significantly altered over time?
How do the historical discoveries, like the Dead Sea Scrolls, shape our understanding of Scripture’s reliability?
In what ways can we encourage one another to study and trust the Bible as a trustworthy guide in a world full of changing truths?