The Bible is Filled with Errors

Sep 27, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Ancient Scrolls Outnumber Caesar’s Wars

The Bible’s manuscript evidence dwarfs every ancient text’s credibility. Over 5,800 Greek New Testament manuscripts exist—compared to 10 copies of Caesar’s Gaelic Wars and two of Tacitus’ histories. These documents were copied within decades of originals, not centuries, reducing error risks. The Dead Sea Scrolls proved texts remained unchanged across 1,000 years. Abundant copies act like birth certificates cross-checked across generations: discrepancies fade, original truth emerges. [45:45]

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
(2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV)

Reflection: When doubts about Scripture’s reliability surface, how might the overwhelming manuscript evidence steady your confidence? What step could you take this week to study this evidence more deeply?

Day 2: Digging Up Hittites to Silence Skeptics

Archaeology repeatedly confirms biblical claims once mocked as fiction. Critics denied Hittites existed until 19th-century digs uncovered their empire. The Tel Dan inscription proved King David’s historicity. Pontius Pilate’s name etched in stone validated Gospel accounts. Like a detective solving cold cases, spades and trowels keep vindicating Scripture’s accuracy. These discoveries don’t just answer critics—they invite wonder at God’s preservation of truth. [53:39]

“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
(Isaiah 55:11, NIV)

Reflection: Which biblical account you once questioned feels more credible knowing archaeology supports Scripture? How might this shift how you discuss doubts with others?

Day 3: Four Gospels, One Resurrection Camera Angle

Differing resurrection accounts don’t contradict—they collaborate. Matthew mentions two women at the tomb, John only names Mary. Luke describes two angels, Mark one. Like camera angles at a football game, varied perspectives confirm authenticity. Police distrust identical witness statements; complementary details prove independence. The Gospels’ “discrepancies” become their greatest credential—raw testimony from awestruck observers. [52:31]

“Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.”
(Mark 16:12-13, NIV)

Reflection: When have differing Christian perspectives on an issue actually deepened your faith in truth’s complexity? How might you extend grace next time someone shares a “different angle” on Scripture?

Day 4: Jesus Trusted Adam—Shouldn’t We Trust Genesis?

Christ treated Genesis as history, Jonah as fact, Moses as real. He quoted Scripture 78 times, affirming its authority. If the incarnate God trusted every “jot and tittle,” followers inherit this confidence. Skepticism about Scripture’s truthfulness becomes skepticism about Christ’s integrity. The risen Savior’s validation of the Bible binds our trust to both His empty tomb and His open scroll. [56:14]

“For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
(Matthew 5:18, NIV)

Reflection: Which biblical account feels hardest to accept as literal history? How might Jesus’ view of Scripture reshape your approach to that passage?

Day 5: When Psalm 22 Predicted Crucifixion Before It Existed

Centuries before crosses dotted Roman hills, David described pierced hands and divided garments. Isaiah foretold a virgin-born Messiah’s silent suffering. Zechariah predicted 30 silver coins paid to a traitor. Over 300 prophecies about Jesus were fulfilled—a statistical impossibility without divine authorship. Scripture’s predictive power isn’t fortune-telling; it’s God signing His name across history. [58:20]

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
(Micah 5:2, NIV)

Reflection: Which fulfilled prophecy most anchors your confidence in Scripture’s divine origin? How could sharing this “God-signature” story encourage someone doubting the Bible?

Sermon Summary

The Bible stands as God’s written revelation, not as a collection of human ideas that happen to be helpful. Scripture calls itself perfect, trustworthy, God-breathed, and able to equip God’s people for every good work. God used human writers, but the Holy Spirit carried them along so that His Word would reveal who He is, what sin is, how salvation comes through Jesus, and how life is meant to be lived.

The manuscript evidence gives strong reason to trust that the Bible has been faithfully preserved. Thousands upon thousands of ancient biblical manuscripts exist, many copied within decades of the original writings. The Dead Sea Scrolls showed remarkable consistency with later Old Testament copies, proving that the message had not somehow changed over a thousand years. The abundance of copies does not weaken confidence in the text. It gives scholars more material to compare and helps expose copying errors when they occurred.

The Gospel accounts do not need to sound word for word alike to be true. Different eyewitnesses naturally remember and emphasize different details, much like four camera angles covering the same football game. The Gospels complement one another because each one gives a real perspective on the same historical events. Minor questions about numbers or names do not change biblical doctrine, salvation, or the truth of Christ.

Archaeology has repeatedly confirmed details once mocked by critics, including the Hittites, the house of David, Pontius Pilate, and the Pool of Bethesda. Prophecy also bears God’s fingerprints through details concerning Bethlehem, the suffering servant, thirty pieces of silver, crucifixion, and the preservation of Israel. Scripture’s unity is just as striking: forty writers, three languages, three continents, fifteen hundred years, and one unfolding story of God bringing sinners back to Himself through Jesus.

Jesus trusted Scripture completely, treated its people and events as history, and declared that Scripture cannot be broken. Christianity ultimately rests on a risen Savior, and that risen Savior affirmed God’s Word. Some hard passages still require faith, study, research, and honest questions, but difficult does not mean untrue. God’s Word remains a powerful tool, piercing hard hearts, exposing sin, giving direction, and producing transformed lives.

Key Takeaways

1. Scripture comes from God Himself Scripture does not present itself as mostly true or generally helpful. God breathes His truth through human authors so that His people can know salvation, righteousness, and the way of life He calls good. The authority of the Bible rests in God’s character, not in human approval. [39:20]
2. Many manuscripts strengthen biblical confidence The thousands of ancient copies give textual scholars the ability to compare, test, and recover the wording of Scripture with remarkable confidence. The Bible has far more manuscript support than many ancient writings that critics accept without hesitation. God’s preservation does not depend on one fragile copy surviving history. [47:35]
3. Different accounts can tell one truth The Gospel writers do not repeat one another like rehearsed witnesses because independent witnesses notice different things. Their perspectives work together like different camera angles on the same event. Differences in detail are not automatically contradictions. [52:31]
4. Jesus validates the written Word Jesus treated Adam, Moses, Abraham, Jonah, and the Scriptures as real and trustworthy. His resurrection establishes His authority, and His authority confirms the Word He affirmed. Faith in Scripture is tied to faith in the risen Savior. [63:19]
5. A transformed life remains powerful evidence God’s Word does more than win arguments. It confronts sin, breaks stubbornness, heals what has been twisted, and makes people different than they used to be. A life changed by Jesus stands as a living witness that God’s truth is powerful and real.

## [63:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[23:47] - Why the Bible Can Be Trusted
[33:08] - The Common Objection to Scripture
[36:01] - The Bible as Final Authority
[38:07] - Scripture Claims God’s Authority
[40:35] - Manuscript Evidence for the Bible
[45:23] - The Dead Sea Scrolls
[47:52] - Answering Alleged Contradictions
[53:19] - Archaeology Confirms Biblical History
[56:14] - Jesus, Prophecy, and Scripture’s Unity
[60:04] - The Real Issue of Authority
[62:59] - The Risen Savior and Transformed Lives
[65:08] - Communion and Christ’s Sacrifice
[75:33] - God’s Word as a Powerful Tool
[81:38] - Studying Scripture With Humility

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” [23:29]

Psalm 19:7
“The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” [22:33]

2 Peter 1:20-21
“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” [39:51]

Observation questions

In Psalm 19:7, what words are used to describe God’s law, and what results does it produce in people? [38:30]
According to 2 Timothy 3:16–17, what four ways is Scripture useful, and what is God’s goal for the person shaped by it? [39:10]
According to 2 Peter 1:20–21, what did not produce prophecy, and who carried human writers along as they spoke from God? [39:51]
What examples were given of evidence that supports the Bible’s preservation and historical reliability, including manuscripts, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and archaeology? [45:30]

Interpretation questions

If Scripture is “God-breathed” while also being written by human authors, what does that mean for the way believers should receive its authority and message? [39:35]
Why can differences between the Gospel accounts be understood as complementary perspectives rather than automatic contradictions? How does the comparison to different camera angles help explain this? [52:31]
Why do thousands of manuscripts strengthen confidence in the biblical text rather than weaken it? What does comparing many copies allow scholars to do? [47:35]
Why is the question of biblical authority often more than an intellectual issue? How can a person’s desire to remain in control affect how they respond to God’s Word? [01:00:23]

Application questions

When Scripture corrects or rebukes something in a person’s life, what is their usual response—defensiveness, avoidance, humility, or obedience? What is one area where God may be calling them to listen more carefully? [39:10]
Is there a difficult Bible passage or question that has caused doubt, confusion, or hesitation? What would it look like to bring that question to God, study it honestly, and ask another believer for help rather than simply setting it aside? [01:21:38]
God’s Word is meant to equip believers for every good work. What specific good work, relationship, responsibility, or struggle in life needs more biblical direction right now? [23:46]
Jesus trusted and affirmed Scripture, and the resurrection confirms His authority. How does confidence in the risen Jesus shape the way a believer approaches parts of the Bible that are difficult to understand? [01:03:10]
A transformed life is a powerful witness to the truth of God’s Word. Where has Jesus already changed a person’s attitudes, choices, relationships, or desires? Who might be encouraged by hearing that story? [01:03:47]
God’s Word is a powerful tool, yet it is easy to leave it unopened or unused. What simple and realistic practice could help a person regularly read, study, and apply Scripture this week? [01:17:34]

Sermon Clips

63s

#ResurrectionFaith

“When it comes right down to it, Christianity, our belief structure, doesn't stand merely upon a single book. Our faith truly rests upon a risen savior. A savior who valued and affirmed this, God's word. The resurrection, the cornerstone of our faith, it validates Jesus, and Jesus validates the Bible. God's word is trustworthy. The challenge for you is to read it, believe it, defend it, and live it out. The strongest defense for scripture is a transformed life. Mine, yours, some of the people we know.”

81s

#UnifiedBible

“Something else you need to know about the word of God. This is one unified work, yet it was written over a period of roughly fifteen hundred years in three languages on three separate continents by approximately 40 different human authors. God inspired a wide range of individuals to record his story. He uses people from all different walks of life. The writers of this book were kings, shepherds, fishermen, doctors, prophets, and tax collectors. Yet one consistent message is shared throughout the pages of God's word. This is the story of God's love for humanity and his desire to forgive our sins and restore us all to him through faith in Jesus. That kind of unity cannot be explained naturally, scientifically, or logically. And by God's design, scripture tells us one amazing unfolding story. All of these things serve as evidence for one divine author.”

46s

#BiblicalAuthority

“We believe this book is meant to instruct us on how we're to live out our lives in accordance with God's will. Its main purpose is to lead people to people to a restored relationship with God that comes through the repentance and forgiveness that is obtained only through faith in Jesus. We believe that this book reveals the principles by which God judges every man, woman, and child, and will therefore remain until the end of the world as the true center of Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should and will be ultimately tried by God.”

38s

#ShareYourFaith

“We get too scared, and we say, I can't tell people about God, and I can't tell people about the Bible because I don't have all the answers. Guess what? Nobody does. Nobody does. Only God himself. And the way we find answers is go to him. And it does. It shows somebody if you're trying to share your faith with somebody and you don't have all the answers, that shows them that you're real, and that you're human, and that you're vulnerable, and that you're not claiming to know more than you really know. It also shows them that you have faith. So don't be ashamed and don't be afraid. Just believe.”

56s

#DeadSeaScrolls

“When critics of the Bible heard about these Dead Sea Scrolls, they fully expected there to be major changes in the modern material. They thought, surely, what they found that was a thousand years older than what we had, there were gonna be all kinds of discrepancies. The things that were originally were that were a thousand years old, there's no way what they had modern were gonna compare. Instead, they found remarkable consistency between documents that had been a thousand years older than what they currently had. Remarkably consistent in what they both said. The message had not changed. And as people of this book, we know why. It's because God had faithfully preserved his word so that we could have it intact.”

73s

#TrustGodsWord

“Now let's be honest. Some of the things that are found in this book are difficult, if not impossible, to believe and or accept without a measure of faith. Does every difficult passage in God's word have an immediate answer? No. It doesn't. I wish it did. It would make my job a lot easier. Some questions remain very difficult to answer or explain. I believe that that God did that on purpose. There are some things we just aren't meant to know. There are some things that require us to walk in faith. But difficult doesn't mean impossible. Throughout history, many supposed contradictions were eventually answered through higher quality academic work, through manuscript discoveries, and through archaeology. The humble believer will look at this and say, I may not know the answer yet, but I know enough about God to trust in his word.”

59s

#NewTestamentEvidence

“No ancient book even comes close to the manuscript evidence that exists supporting the New Testament writings that we have today. And I'm gonna explain the earliest New Testament fragments date within decades of the original writings. Did you hear what I said? Date within decades of the original writings. Copies that were made while some of the original authors that God had chosen may have still even been alive. Copies were being made at that point in history instead of centuries having passed before they were copied. This dramatically reduces the possibility of corruption or inaccuracies. We possess manuscripts that were written and or copied astonishingly close to the original works themselves.”

55s

#TextualCriticism

“Imagine in every generation for two thousand years, someone is tasked with copying your birth certificate. Is it possible that mistakes in that birth certificate would appear over time? Certainly. It seems perfectly logical, right, that over time something might be miswritten. But if thousands of copies existed, comparing them would quickly reveal the original wording and or information, would it not? That's exactly how textual criticism works. The abundance of manuscripts having so many different writings strengthens, not weakens, our confidence in the integrity of the biblical texts.”

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Why do differing Gospel accounts complement rather than contradict?

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