Can I Trust the Bible?
Is the Bible historically reliable? Has it been changed over time? Who wrote it — and why are there so many versions? This study examines the evidence for the Bible's trustworthiness.
How to use this guide
Read the linked article for each session before your group meets. Then work through the discussion questions together — or use them as personal journal prompts. One session per week works well for most groups.
Session 1 — Who Wrote the Bible?
About 40 human authors over 1,500 years — yet one coherent story. How did that happen, and what does it mean for how we read Scripture?
Read: Who wrote the Bible?Discussion Questions
- 1.What does "God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16) mean — and what does it not mean?
- 2.How does the diversity of biblical authors actually strengthen the case for a divine Author behind them?
- 3.Does knowing who wrote a book of the Bible change the way you read it?
Session 2 — How Do We Know the Bible Hasn't Been Changed?
Manuscript evidence, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and textual criticism — what do they tell us about how faithfully the Bible has been transmitted?
Read: How do we know the Bible hasn't been changed over time?Discussion Questions
- 1.What is the significance of having over 5,800 Greek New Testament manuscripts?
- 2.How did the Dead Sea Scrolls change the conversation about Old Testament reliability?
- 3.What would need to be true for the Bible's text to have been significantly altered?
Session 3 — Why Are There So Many Different Bible Translations?
KJV, NIV, ESV, NLT — does the variety of translations undermine confidence in the Bible, or does it actually enrich our understanding of it?
Read: Why are there so many different Bible translations?Discussion Questions
- 1.What is the difference between formal and functional equivalence — and which do you prefer to read?
- 2.Does knowing that "not one major doctrine rests on a disputed translation" reassure you? Why or why not?
- 3.Have you ever read the same passage in two translations and found the difference illuminating?
Session 4 — Physical Evidence for the Bible's Stories
Archaeology has turned up coins, inscriptions, tunnels, and scrolls that confirm what Scripture describes. What has been found — and what does it mean?
Read: What physical evidence exists for the Bible's stories?Discussion Questions
- 1.Which of the ten archaeological discoveries was most surprising or compelling to you?
- 2.How does the Tel Dan Inscription change the sceptical case against King David's existence?
- 3.What would it look like if archaeology had systematically contradicted the Bible instead?