What Is the Bible?
September 2, 2025
How was the Bible written?
September 2, 2025
This is a question that many people ask, and honestly, it is a good question. If the Bible claims to be the Word of God, then it is reasonable to ask how we know that it really is from God. How do we know it has not been changed over time? Do we know the people who wrote it told the truth? How do we know that the Bible we have today is the same Bible that was originally written?
These are not questions Christians should be afraid of.
The Bible does not ask us to believe that it is trustworthy simply because someone tells us that it is. There are reasons we can examine. We can look at what the Bible says about itself, what Jesus believed about Scripture, how the biblical writings were preserved, the manuscript evidence we have today, the historical setting of the Bible and the testimony of the people who wrote it.
None of this means that every question about the Bible is easy. There are difficult passages, difficult historical questions and things that Christians have debated for centuries. But difficult questions do not automatically mean that the Bible is unreliable.
When we look at the evidence as a whole, there are very good reasons to take the Bible seriously.
Most importantly, Christians trust the Bible because we trust the God who gave it.
What Does the Bible Say About Its Own Reliability?
Before looking at historical evidence, it is important to understand what the Bible actually claims about itself.
The Bible does not describe itself as a collection of human ideas about God. It claims that God was involved in giving Scripture to humanity.
This is what Christians mean when we say the Bible is inspired by God.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 — All Scripture Is God-Breathed
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
Paul describes Scripture as being “given by inspiration of God.”
The idea behind the word translated as “inspiration” is often expressed as God-breathed.
That does not mean God physically wrote the Bible with His own hand. Human beings wrote the individual books, using their own language, experiences and writing styles. What Christians believe is that God worked through those human authors by His Spirit so that the Scriptures they produced were His Word.
This is an important distinction.
The Bible was written by people, but Christians believe its ultimate source is God.
Did Human Beings Write the Bible?
Yes.
This is sometimes where people see a problem. They hear that human beings wrote the Bible and think, “Then how can you say it came from God?”
But the Bible itself gives us an answer.
God has always chosen to work through people.
He used prophets to speak His message. God used apostles to witness and teach about Jesus. He used people to record history, write songs, give wisdom and communicate His revelation.
The fact that God used human authors does not mean that He was not involved in what they wrote.
2 Peter 1:20–21 — Men Spoke From God
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
Peter makes this very clear.
The message did not simply come from human beings deciding what they wanted people to believe. The writers were “moved by the Holy Ghost.”
This is why Christians can say that the Bible is both a human document and the Word of God.
There were human hands involved, but God was working through them.
Did the Bible’s Writers Make Everything Up?
The biblical authors themselves strongly reject the idea that they simply invented the stories they were telling.
The New Testament writers repeatedly present themselves as witnesses to real events.
For example, Luke explains that he investigated the events surrounding Jesus and carefully put his account together.
Luke 1:1–4 — Luke Investigated What Happened
“Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.”
Luke says that he investigated the events and wanted his reader to know the certainty of what he had been taught.
That is significant.
He was not presenting his Gospel as a fictional story.
He was presenting an account based on testimony and investigation.
Were the Apostles Eyewitnesses?
The apostles repeatedly described themselves as witnesses to Jesus.
They were not simply people who lived hundreds of years after Jesus and decided to create a new religion based on stories they had never seen.
The apostles claimed to have seen Jesus, heard Him teach, watched Him die and encountered Him after His resurrection.
That does not automatically prove that everything they said was true, but it means we have to take their testimony seriously and examine it.
1 John 1:1–3 — John Testified About What He Had Seen
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
John does not speak as though he is passing along a legend he heard long after the events happened.
He says, “we have heard,” “we have seen” and “our hands have handled.”
The Christian message is rooted in events that the New Testament writers claimed to have witnessed.
What About the Resurrection?
The resurrection of Jesus is at the centre of Christianity.
If Jesus did not rise from the dead, Christianity falls apart.
Paul himself said that if Christ had not been raised, Christian faith would be empty.
1 Corinthians 15:14–17 — If Christ Was Not Raised
“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”
Paul did not treat the resurrection as a small detail that could be removed without changing Christianity.
It was the foundation.
The apostles were claiming that something happened in history.
Jesus died.
His tomb was found empty.
His followers claimed that He appeared to them alive.
And those followers then went out and preached that Jesus had risen.
Whether someone accepts the resurrection as true is ultimately a matter of faith as well as historical reasoning, but Christianity is making a historical claim that can be examined.
Did Jesus Trust the Scriptures?
One of the strongest reasons Christians trust the Bible is because of Jesus’ own attitude toward Scripture.
Jesus repeatedly quoted the Old Testament and treated it as authoritative.
When He was tempted by Satan, He responded with Scripture and when He taught people, He appealed to Scripture.
When He challenged religious leaders, He used Scripture.
He did not treat the Old Testament as an unreliable collection of ancient religious opinions.
He treated it as God’s Word.
Matthew 5:17–18 — Jesus Did Not Set Aside Scripture
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
Jesus took Scripture seriously.
He did not come to replace God’s Word with His own personal opinion.
He came to fulfil what had been written.
Did Jesus Believe Scripture Could Be Broken?
Jesus went even further than simply quoting Scripture.
He said that Scripture could not be broken.
John 10:35 — Scripture Cannot Be Broken
“If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;”
Jesus referred to Scripture as the Word of God.
For Christians, this matters enormously.
If we believe Jesus is who the New Testament says He is, then His view of Scripture should carry significant weight.
Has the Bible Been Changed Over Time?
This is one of the most common concerns people have.
Someone might say, “The Bible has been copied so many times that surely the original message has been lost.”
It is true that the original physical manuscripts written by Moses, Paul, John and the other biblical authors have not survived.
The Bible was copied by hand.
That means there are manuscript differences.
However, the existence of manuscript differences does not mean we have no idea what the original text said.
In fact, having many manuscripts gives scholars the ability to compare them with one another and identify where differences occur.
This is one of the reasons manuscript evidence matters.
What Are Manuscripts?
A manuscript is a handwritten copy of a text.
Before printing presses existed, biblical books had to be copied by hand so that they could continue to be read and shared.
Naturally, copying by hand creates the possibility of mistakes.
A scribe might accidentally leave out a word, repeat something or spell something differently.
That does not mean someone successfully rewrote the entire Bible.
Because we have many manuscripts and other ancient witnesses, scholars can compare them and examine where the differences are.
This is very different from having one copy that was secretly altered and no other evidence to compare it with.
Do Manuscript Differences Mean the Bible Is Unreliable?
No.
There are differences between biblical manuscripts, and Christians do not need to pretend otherwise.
Some differences involve spelling or word order.
Some involve small wording differences.
There are also a few passages where scholars debate whether a particular verse or section was part of the earliest manuscripts.
Modern Bibles sometimes mention these textual differences in footnotes.
That can actually be a sign of honesty rather than unreliability.
We are not hiding the evidence.
We can acknowledge where there are questions and still recognise that the vast majority of the biblical text is well established through the manuscript evidence.
The existence of variants is not the same as the Bible being corrupted.
Was the Bible Translated Many Times?
This is another common misunderstanding.
Some people imagine that the Bible was translated from Hebrew into Greek, then from Greek into Latin, then into another language, and eventually into English, with each translation changing the meaning a little more.
That is not generally how modern Bible translations are produced.
Modern English translations are translated from the available Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts rather than simply translating one English Bible from another English Bible.
This is why having different English translations does not mean we have a chain of translations where the original meaning has been lost.
Psalm 119:160 — God’s Word Is True
“Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”
The Bible presents God’s Word as something trustworthy and enduring.
Translation requires careful judgment because languages work differently, but that does not mean the original message has disappeared.
What About the Dead Sea Scrolls?
The Dead Sea Scrolls are another important part of the story of biblical manuscripts.
They contain ancient Jewish manuscripts, including copies of books from the Old Testament.
Their discovery gave scholars very old manuscripts with which to compare later copies of the Hebrew Scriptures.
The Dead Sea Scrolls do not prove every theological claim Christianity makes, but they provide important evidence for studying how the biblical text was transmitted.
They are one part of the larger manuscript picture that helps us understand the preservation of the Old Testament.
How Do We Know the Bible Was Not Changed by the Church?
Another common claim is that the church supposedly changed the Bible centuries later to make it say what Christians wanted it to say.
The manuscript evidence makes that claim difficult to support.
We have biblical manuscripts from different periods and geographical locations, as well as quotations from early Christian writers.
This means we are not dependent on one medieval copy controlled by one organisation.
The biblical text existed in many places and was being copied, read and quoted long before the printing press.
If someone wanted to completely rewrite the Bible centuries later, they would have had to somehow change manuscripts that were already spread across different regions and languages.
The evidence we have does not support the idea that the Bible was simply rewritten by the medieval church.
Did Early Christians Already Treat the Apostles’ Writings as Important?
Yes.
The New Testament writings were circulated among early Christian communities.
Paul instructed churches to read his letters and share them with other churches.
Colossians 4:16 — Paul’s Letters Were Shared
“And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.”
This shows that the New Testament writings were not created to sit privately with one person.
They were being read publicly and shared among Christian communities.
Peter also refers to Paul’s writings alongside “the other scriptures.”
2 Peter 3:15–16 — Peter Refers to Paul’s Writings
“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
Peter’s reference to Paul’s writings alongside the other Scriptures is significant because it shows that apostolic writings were already being treated with a high level of authority within the early Christian movement.
Did People Decide What Books Belonged in the Bible?
The Bible is a collection of books, so naturally there had to be recognition of which writings belonged among the Scriptures.
But this is sometimes described as though church leaders hundreds of years later simply sat down and voted on which books they wanted to put into the Bible.
The reality was more complicated.
The Old Testament Scriptures were already recognised as authoritative within Judaism before Christianity began.
The New Testament writings came from the apostolic period and were read and circulated among Christian communities.
Early Christians considered things such as apostolic connection, consistency with the teaching received from the apostles and widespread recognition among churches.
The church did not create the authority of Scripture.
Rather, Christians recognised writings that they believed already carried apostolic and divine authority.
Does Archaeology Prove the Bible Is True?
Archaeology cannot prove every statement in the Bible.
That is an important distinction.
Archaeology cannot dig up evidence and scientifically prove that God exists or that Jesus rose from the dead.
However, archaeology can confirm that many of the people, places, cultures and historical settings described in the Bible are real.
It can also help us understand the world in which biblical events took place.
This matters because the Bible presents itself as a book grounded in history.
It is not primarily a collection of timeless myths set in an imaginary world.
The Bible names kings, cities, nations, geographical locations and historical events.
Those claims can be investigated.
Does Historical Evidence Prove Everything in the Bible?
No.
We should be careful about saying that archaeology or history has “proven the Bible” in a way that goes beyond what the evidence can actually establish.
Some biblical events have stronger external evidence than others.
Some remain difficult to investigate because we simply do not have enough surviving evidence.
That does not mean the Bible is false.
It means we should be honest about what the evidence can and cannot tell us.
Christianity does not require us to exaggerate evidence.
We can look at what we know and allow the evidence to speak for itself.
What About Apparent Contradictions in the Bible?
There are passages in the Bible that can appear difficult or contradictory when they are read quickly.
That should not be ignored.
If someone raises a genuine difficulty, the right response is not simply to say, “Don’t ask questions.”
Instead, we should look at the context.
Who wrote the passage?
Who were they writing to?
What was happening?
What kind of writing is it?
Are the two passages actually talking about the same thing?
Are they using different details to describe the same event?
The four Gospels, for example, contain different details about Jesus’ life. That does not automatically mean they contradict each other.
Four people can describe the same event while mentioning different details.
Different does not always mean contradictory.
Does the Bible Contain Human Perspectives?
Yes.
The Bible contains genuine human experiences.
David writes about fear, joy, anger and sorrow in the Psalms.
Job wrestles with suffering.
Jeremiah expresses deep grief.
Paul speaks about his struggles.
The Gospel writers sometimes emphasise different details.
These human perspectives do not make Scripture unreliable.
They show us that God worked through real people living in real situations.
The Bible does not need to sound like every book was written by the same person in order to be God’s Word.
Why Does the Bible Have Different Writing Styles?
The Bible contains history, poetry, wisdom literature, prophecy, letters and apocalyptic writing.
That means we should not read every part of the Bible in exactly the same way.
Poetry uses imagery.
Proverbs communicates wisdom.
Historical passages describe events.
Letters address particular people and situations.
Prophecy often uses symbolism and imagery.
Understanding the type of writing we are reading helps us understand what the author intended to communicate.
The Bible’s variety does not make it unreliable.
It is part of what makes the Bible such a rich collection of writings.
What Does the Bible Say About Truth?
The Bible consistently presents God as truthful and His Word as trustworthy.
John 17:17 — God’s Word Is Truth
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
Jesus did not describe God’s Word as partly true or simply useful religious advice.
He said, “Your word is truth.”
For Christians, this is foundational.
If God is truthful and Scripture is His Word, then we have good reason to trust what He has revealed.
Can We Trust the Bible Even When We Do Not Understand Everything?
Yes.
Trust does not require us to have an answer to every possible question.
There are things in the Bible that I do not think we should pretend are easy.
Sometimes we need to study a passage more deeply and we need to understand the historical and cultural setting.
At times we have to admit that we do not know exactly why a particular detail was included.
Not understanding something does not mean it is false.
We do this with many areas of life.
If we do not understand how something works, that does not automatically mean it does not work.
The same principle applies when studying Scripture.
We can have unanswered questions while still having good reasons to trust the Bible.
Does Faith Mean Believing Without Evidence?
No.
Biblical faith is not simply pretending something is true without any reason to believe it.
The Bible contains testimony, historical events, eyewitness claims, prophecy, teaching and evidence that people were expected to consider.
The Gospel of John, for example, explains why it recorded certain events.
John 20:30–31 — John Wrote So People Could Believe
“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
John wanted people to believe, but he gave them reasons for that belief.
He recorded what he believed Jesus had done so that his readers could consider it and believe.
Christian faith is therefore not supposed to be blind faith.
It is trust based on what God has revealed.
Why Is the Bible Still Relevant Today?
The Bible was written in ancient times, but its message is still relevant because the human heart has not changed as much as we sometimes think.
People still struggle with fear, anger, jealousy, pride, grief, temptation, loneliness and broken relationships.
We can still search for purpose, still ask why they are here.
People still wonder whether God exists and whether He cares about them.
And the Bible continues to point people toward the same God.
Isaiah 40:8 — God’s Word Endures
“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
Human cultures change.
Languages change.
Technology changes.
But God’s Word does not become irrelevant simply because the world around us changes.
Its message continues to speak to the deepest questions of human life.
What Is the Strongest Reason to Trust the Bible?
There are many reasons to take the Bible seriously.
We can look at its manuscript evidence, examine its historical claims, investigate its authors, consider the testimony of the apostles and look at the way Jesus treated Scripture.
We can study the unity of its message across many books and generations.
All of these things are worth considering.
But ultimately, the Christian’s confidence in Scripture comes back to God.
If God exists and He has revealed Himself to humanity, then it makes sense that He would be able to communicate His truth through human authors.
And that is exactly what the Bible claims happened.
2 Peter 1:21 — God Worked Through the Writers
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
The Bible’s authors were human.
But the message was not simply their own invention.
God worked through them.
Can We Trust the Bible?
Yes, Christians have good reasons to trust the Bible.
That does not mean every question has an easy answer.
It does not mean there are no difficult passages.
It does not mean Christians should ignore historical questions or manuscript differences.
And it certainly does not mean we should be afraid to investigate the Bible.
In fact, we can examine it honestly.
We can look at the manuscripts, study the historical setting, investigate what the biblical authors claimed and we can consider what Jesus believed about Scripture.
We can ask difficult questions.
And we can do all of this without being afraid that honest investigation will somehow destroy our faith.
The Bible has survived centuries of copying, persecution, criticism and attempts to dismiss it.
Yet it continues to be read because its message continues to speak to people.
The Bible Is Worth Taking Seriously
If you are asking whether the Bible can be trusted, I would encourage you not to dismiss it before you have really looked at it.
You do not have to pretend that every question is easy, you do not have to ignore the difficult parts and you do not have to switch off your brain and simply accept everything someone tells you.
Read it for yourself.
Look at what it actually says.
Study the life of Jesus.
Look at the evidence surrounding the biblical writings.
Ask your questions.
And most importantly, ask God to help you understand what you are reading.
Psalm 119:105 — God’s Word Gives Light
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
The Bible is not simply a book Christians are expected to defend.
It is God’s revelation to humanity, it tells us who God is, it tells us what went wrong with humanity and it tells us why we need a Saviour.
And it points us to Jesus Christ.
Why Can We Trust the Bible?
We can trust the Bible because it claims to be God’s Word, and that claim is supported by the way Scripture was received, preserved and witnessed throughout history.
The Bible was written by human beings, but Christians believe those writers were guided by the Holy Spirit.
We have ancient manuscripts that allow the biblical text to be examined and compared.
The Bible’s historical claims can be investigated.
The apostles claimed to be eyewitnesses of Jesus.
Jesus Himself treated Scripture as God’s authoritative Word.
And the message of Scripture, written by many different authors over many generations, tells one unfolding story of God’s relationship with humanity and His plan of salvation.
2 Timothy 3:16 — Scripture Is God-Breathed
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
That is ultimately why Christians trust the Bible.
Not because Christians are afraid to question it.
Not because we have never encountered a difficult passage.
And not because we think we have every answer.
We trust it because we believe God has spoken.
The Bible was written through human hands, but its ultimate source is God.
And if God really has given us His Word, then the Bible is not just another ancient book to study.
It is something worth listening to.
It tells us about the God who created us, the sin that separated us from Him and the incredible love He showed us by sending Jesus Christ to save us.
We can investigate the Bible honestly without being afraid of what we will find.
And the more we understand it, the more we can see why Christians throughout generations have trusted it as the Word of God.d lives—including yours—are transformed by it.
✨ Still Have a Question?
You can send it through the Ask a Bible Question page, and I’ll respond with guidance from God’s Word.
You can also leave your questions on my YouTube channel. This is where I regularly share Bible verses, encouragement, and answers to common questions.
