Is the Bible We Have Today the Infallible Word of God or a Product of Additions Over Time?
For centuries, believers have been told that the Bible is the infallible word of God. It is considered perfect in every word and untouched by error. But with so many versions, translations, and manuscript discoveries emerging over the past hundred years, a critical question has surfaced. Is the Bible we have today truly the infallible word of God as originally given? Or has it been altered and added to over time?
To explore this question, we must examine the field of textual criticism. This is an academic discipline that investigates how biblical texts have been copied. It also looks at how they have been preserved and sometimes changed. This article will guide you through the evidence. It will help you understand how textual criticism affects our view of the infallible word of God.
What Is Textual Criticism and Why Does It Matter?
Textual criticism is not about criticizing the Bible. Instead, it’s about comparing thousands of manuscripts to determine what the original texts most likely said. The goal is to get as close as possible to the original words written by prophets, apostles, and other biblical authors.
Understanding textual criticism matters. It highlights a reality many believers are unaware of. We do not possess the original manuscripts (called autographs). What we have are copies of copies, some contain differences.
So, when we claim the Bible is the infallible word of God, we have to ask: which version? Which manuscript? Which translation?
Textual Criticism and the Old Testament
The Masoretic Text
Most English Old Testaments are based on the Masoretic Text. It is a carefully copied Hebrew text finalized between the 7th and 10th centuries CE. While extremely consistent, it is over a thousand years removed from the original writings.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
Discovered in the mid-20th century, the Dead Sea Scrolls include fragments of nearly every book in the Old Testament. These scrolls date from the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE. They sometimes agree with the Masoretic Text. Other times, they don’t.
In cases like Psalm 22:16, one version says “they pierced my hands and my feet,” while another says “like a lion are my hands and feet.” These variations force us to ask: which one is the original?
Other Versions: Septuagint and Samaritan Pentateuch
The Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, sometimes includes verses or wording not found in the Masoretic Text. The Samaritan Pentateuch, used by a separate Jewish sect, differs in both theology and chronology.
All these traditions preserve ancient forms of the text, yet they are not always identical. This challenges the idea that there is a single, unchanged infallible word of God in the Old Testament.
Jeremiah’s Warning: When Scribes Use the Pen to Lie
The question of whether the Bible is the infallible word of God isn’t new. Even in ancient times, prophets like Jeremiah challenged the integrity of those entrusted with preserving and transmitting God’s word. In Jeremiah 8:8, the prophet declares:
“How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of YHVH is with us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.”
Let those words sink in for a moment.
This is a shocking accusation. The scribes, who were supposed to be faithful stewards of the Torah, are called out for using their pens to distort truth. Scribes were not casual writers. They were the professional copyists and legal scholars of their time. Their job was to preserve the Scriptures, interpret the Law, and instruct the people. In many ways, they were the gatekeepers of what was considered the infallible word of God.
Jeremiah exposed a sobering truth. Even those in religious authority could be influenced by political power. Corruption or personal agenda could also sway them. By accusing the scribes of lying with their pens, he forced his generation—and ours—to think about whether every word passed down was copied with pure intent. It made us consider the uncomfortable possibility that this might not have been the case.
Jeremiah’s ancient rebuke aligns with what textual criticism reveals today: the Bible’s transmission history is filled with human fingerprints. Copyist errors, intentional edits, and theological interpretations have all shaped the versions we now read. Jeremiah’s warning serves as a timeless reminder that sacred texts can be misused, even by those whose job is to protect them.
What Do We Mean by “Word of God”?
Does this undermine the idea of an infallible word of God? It depends on how we define infallibility. If we mean a mechanically perfect document untouched by human influence, Jeremiah’s words challenge that view. But if we understand the infallible word of God as the enduring message of truth that survives, even through scribal error, it remains part of that message. Jeremiah’s warning becomes part of that very message.
I’ve heard Dr. James Tabor describe this as “the thin blue line that runs throughout the Bible.” It’s that clear, but narrow thread of divine speech, often surrounded by human history, poetry, or commentary, that carries the full authority of the Creator’s voice.
Jeremiah reminds us to stay vigilant, discerning, and humble. The authority of scripture doesn’t lie in the unbroken perfection of every pen stroke, but in the enduring truth that survives in spite of them.
How Do We Define the Word of God?
It also depends on how we define the word of God itself. Personally, I believe the term applies specifically to what God Himself spoke, whether directly or through His prophets. When we begin to separate divine revelation from human commentary, we can more clearly discern what may rightly be called the infallible word of God. This doesn’t dismiss the value of other writings, but it does place special weight on the moments where the text attributes words to YHVH Himself. If we treat everything as equally divine, we risk blurring that sacred distinction.
Textual Criticism and the New Testament
Infallible Word of God: Manuscript Abundance and Variation
The New Testament has far more manuscript support than any ancient book—over 5,800 Greek manuscripts and thousands more in Latin, Syriac, and Coptic. However, this abundance comes with a cost: no two manuscripts are exactly alike.
Some differences are minor: word order or spelling. Others are significant. For instance:
- Mark 16:9–20 (the longer ending of Mark) is missing from the earliest and best manuscripts.
- John 7:53–8:11, the story of the woman caught in adultery, is absent from many early texts.
- 1 John 5:7–8 includes a phrase affirming the Trinity in later Latin manuscripts. However, this Trinity affirmation is missing from the earliest Greek versions.
If the Bible is the infallible word of God, can it contain stories that were added centuries later?
Infallible Word of God: Copyist Errors and Doctrinal Edits
Most New Testament variations were unintentional. Copyists made mistakes like skipping lines or duplicating words. But others seem to have been deliberate attempts to clarify theology or harmonize stories. There is evidence of this in the Old Testament, as well.
Textual criticism helps us detect these changes and work backward to reconstruct the earliest form of the text. Yet the process itself reveals that what we have today may not be word-for-word what was originally written.
Has the Bible Been Added to Over Time?
The evidence is clear: the Bible has undergone additions, edits, and translations that reflect theological agendas, cultural shifts, and human error. Some scholars estimate there are over 400,000 textual variants in the New Testament alone—more than there are words in the New Testament!
Of course, the majority are minor and don’t affect doctrine. But some do.
So, does that disprove that it’s the infallible word of God? Not necessarily. But it does challenge how we define “infallible.”
If infallibility means God’s truth has been faithfully preserved in spirit and message, many would say yes, the Bible still qualifies. But if we claim every word in every version is directly dictated and preserved without error, the manuscript evidence says otherwise.
The Infallible Word of God: What About Translations?
Translations introduce another layer of complexity. Is the infallible word of God found in the King James Version? The New International Version? The Septuagint? What about the Message Version, arguably the worst translation?
Each translation reflects interpretive choices. For example, some Bibles translate the Hebrew word nephesh as “soul,” while others say “life” or “being.” These are not insignificant differences.
Even punctuation, which was not in the original languages, can shift meaning. Consider Luke 23:43:
- “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
- Or: “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise.”
That one comma changes the timeline of Yeshua’s promise.
Which is the infallible word of God?
Theological and Faith-Based Perspectives
For many believers, the Bible’s authority doesn’t rest on perfect preservation, but on God’s ability to communicate truth through imperfect means. Just as God used flawed humans to write scripture, He may use flawed copying to carry its message.
Some define the infallible word of God as the sum of its message: salvation, divine law, covenant, grace. Not the precise wording of every verse.
Others take a stricter view, insisting that God preserved every word without error. However, this view becomes harder to maintain when we see multiple endings to Mark or missing stories in early manuscripts.
The Infallible Word of God: What Textual Criticism Offers Us
Instead of undermining faith, textual criticism can deepen it. It invites us to explore the rich history of how scripture came to be and challenges us to seek YHVH not just in ink, but in spirit.
Textual criticism helps us approach the Bible humbly, aware that what we read today has been shaped by centuries of transmission. It allows us to celebrate the incredible consistency of scripture across time, while still being honest about its human fingerprints.
And most importantly, it reminds us that God’s truth does not rely on paper alone.
Conclusion: Is the Bible Still the Infallible Word of God?
So, has the infallible word of God been added to over the years?
Yes—and no.
Yes, in the sense that copyists, translators, and editors have altered, added, or clarified certain portions. No, in the sense that the core message: love, redemption, justice, obedience, and covenant has remained astonishingly intact.
The Bible you hold today is the result of centuries of transmission, devotion, error, and restoration. It is not a single untouched manuscript, but a layered, living record of humanity’s encounter with the Divine.
Rather than blind belief in a perfect text, perhaps the real invitation is to see scripture as a mirror of God’s desire to speak to us…even through imperfection.
So, the next time you open your Bible, don’t just ask, “Is this the infallible word of God?” Ask also: “What is God revealing to me through these words?”
Further Reading and Reflection
For readers interested in diving even deeper into the origins of the biblical text, I highly recommend The Moses Scroll by Ross K. Nichols. This fascinating book explores a controversial manuscript many scholars now believe may be an early version of a Dead Sea Scroll. One discovered decades before the official cache.
What makes this scroll especially intriguing is that it presents Moses’ words in the first person, offering a direct narrative, unlike the third-person style found in most of the Bible we have today. Could this be the oldest version of what Moses actually wrote? Could it contain the original Ten Words—the Ten Commandments—as they were first given? If so, what might that mean for our understanding of the infallible word of God?
The implications are enormous. I invite you to explore it with an open mind and consider the spiritual and theological consequences. Get your copy at this link!
While you’re here, don’t forget to browse my other articles and recipes that support a heart-healthy life in body, mind, and spirit. Whether you’re seeking deeper biblical insights, healing food strategies, or tools for whole-person wellness, you’ll find plenty to nourish both your curiosity and your calling.
Hating Your Brother: Teachings of Yeshua & the Moses Scroll(Opens in a new browser tab)
Yeshua: Not Abolishing the Law but Magnifying It(Opens in a new browser tab)
The Power of Words: Healing Through Faith(Opens in a new browser tab)
The Meaning of YHVH and Its Divine Significance(Opens in a new browser tab)
Deceit in Relationships: Dealing with Deceitful People(Opens in a new browser tab)
