Is the Bible reliable?
June 7, 2026
A few weeks ago, I had a wonderful conversation with a friend about whether we can trust the Bible. It’s wonderful to me because I love any excuse to talk about Jesus, even when the questions are difficult and the answers complicated. (And I certainly don’t have all the answers.) Some people may be offended by those kinds of conversations, but honestly, I think they are a great place to be. They give us an opportunity to defend our faith, and it brings me joy when someone is seriously considering their beliefs. It’s important to know what you stand for—and to know that it’s true. We live in a world that often twists truth just enough to make it challenging to tell what is real.
Now, back to the point. The Bible was written by more than 40 authors over a span of 1,500 years, across three continents and in three languages. On the surface, that sounds like plenty of room for error. While there are minor inconsistencies, most can be explained, and the overall message remains unified and consistent.
Here’s another fascinating fact: more than 25,000 archaeological digs have taken place in areas mentioned in the Bible, and not one has uncovered evidence that contradicts it. Friends, that is huge!
Still, one valid concern remains: the Bible was not written in English, so can we really trust the translation? That’s where the Dead Sea Scrolls come in.
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of about 1,000 ancient manuscripts dating from the third century BCE to the second century AD. They were discovered between 1947 and 1956 in eleven caves near Qumran, on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. After being carefully pieced together and studied, they confirmed that the Bible we have today has been translated accurately. The differences that do exist are generally matters of word choice, but not changes to core meaning.
Take the Greek word “love,” for example. In Greek, love has three words—agape, eros, and philia—while English uses just one. Agape refers to unconditional, self-sacrificial love. Eros describes romantic love, and philia means brotherly love. As you can see, sometimes translation differences reflect the limits of English rather than the message.
So yes, we can trust that the Bible has been translated truthfully. Even so, I still have questions sometimes, and maybe you do too. But take heart: one day we will get to ask Jesus our questions face-to-face.