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Torah Scribe by Ephraim Moshe Lilien<\/p><\/div>\n
It is not a problem at all. Unless all the copies and quotes are so contradictory and diverse that we need the original documents to settle the matter, the numerous quotes and copies of the Bible provide enough certainty that we do not require the original autographs. In comparing what you do have, you see a consistency of the testimony that reduces the need for the originals. Jesus did not find it disturbing that Moses’ handwritten copies had worn out and been replaced with copies. Such was very much expected. The importance of the originals being copied, worn out, and copied over and over demonstrates that no one saw a different testimony coming forth as new copies were made. That means there was carefulness in accurately copying lest your new copy get exposed as fraudulent.<\/p>\n
Given the numerous copies and quotes of the US Constitution, would it matter one iota if someone destroyed the original autograph penned by the original writers and signed witnesses? Would the absence of the original matter at all and cause us to lose all confidence in our remaining copies? I would venture to say that it would not matter at all! It would only matter if every copy told an entirely different story from the others. Since all copies are the same and tell the same story, there is no alarm at all in not possessing the original autograph.<\/p>\n
However, turning the argument around on the Bible skeptic, where is even one original witness that can verify that the apostles of Jesus all colluded in making up a lie about Jesus being a miracle worker who was raised from the dead? I’d venture to say there were never any valid witnesses who could stand the tests of early and later scrutiny. The apostle’s testimony not only survived Jerusalem but flourished from there into the whole world. The narrative of testimony never even slowed down in 2000 years. That is worth taking note of!<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Terry Wane Benton It is not a problem at all. Unless all the copies and quotes are so contradictory and diverse that we need the original documents to settle the matter, the numerous quotes and copies of the Bible provide enough certainty that we do not require the original autographs. In comparing what you…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[568,219],"class_list":["post-66803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-accuracy-of-the-bible","tag-bible"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":94271,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-not-having-the-original-manuscripts-a-serious-problem\/","url_meta":{"origin":66803,"position":0},"title":"Is Not Having the Original Manuscripts a Serious Problem?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton It is not a problem at all. Unless all the copies and quotes are so contradictory and diverse that we need the original documents to settle the matter, the numerous quotes and copies provide enough certainty that we do not need the original autographs. In comparing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":56723,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/has-the-bible-been-changed\/","url_meta":{"origin":66803,"position":1},"title":"Has the Bible Been Changed?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 6, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Greg Gwin We are frequently asked about the reliability of our Bibles. Specifically, how can we be sure that the Bibles we are reading today are true to the original messages delivered so long ago? In particular, can we be sure that the New Testament has not been altered\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/Bible-Reading-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5364,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-we-trust-the-text-of-the-bible\/","url_meta":{"origin":66803,"position":2},"title":"Can We Trust the Text of the Bible?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 18, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Peter 1:12-21 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I was discussing with a gentleman about the location of a particular city mentioned in the Bible. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He had found an old map that placed Baal Zephon on the Mediterranean Sea instead of on the edge of the Red Sea. Doesn\u2019t\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31029,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-goliath-six-cubits-and-a-span-or-four-cubits-and-a-span\/","url_meta":{"origin":66803,"position":3},"title":"Was Goliath six cubits and a span or four cubits and a span?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 24, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: The King James Bible reports the giant Goliath as \"six cubits and a span\" in height - over nine feet tall, (over 2.75 m) (I Samuel 17:4), but the Septuagint,\u00a0a Greek Bible, also gives Goliath's height as \"four cubits and a span\" (~2.00 m). So by the interpretation which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19395,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-our-bible-text-reliable\/","url_meta":{"origin":66803,"position":4},"title":"Is Our Bible Text Reliable?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 31, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Abraham Smith \u201cThe Judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward\u201d (Psalms 19:9-11).\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/person-holding-blue-ballpoint-pen-writing-in-notebook-210661-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":38135,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-we-got-the-bible\/","url_meta":{"origin":66803,"position":5},"title":"How We Got the Bible","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 24, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton The Bible is one united book composed of 66 books. Where did it come from? Why was it written? Who caused these books to be written? The Bible gives the answers to these questions. \"Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66803","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66803"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66803\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}