Can I Trust the Bible? | Week 2: Has the Bible Been Changed? (10/11/2026)

How can we trust the Bible we have today when we don't possess the original manuscripts? Who decided which books belonged in Scripture? And what should we make of passages in our Bibles that weren't included in some of the earliest surviving copies? In Week 2 of our Sunday evening series, Can I Trust the Bible?, Pastor Adam Will explores the fascinating history of how the biblical writings were recognized, copied, and preserved through the centuries. In this session, we examine: The formation of the biblical canon: How did the early church recognize which writings belonged in Scripture? Did Constantine or the Council of Nicaea decide? Ancient biblical manuscripts: What can discoveries such as Papyrus 52, Papyrus 46, Codex Vaticanus, and Codex Sinaiticus tell us about the Bible's transmission? Textual analysis: How do scholars compare ancient manuscripts, identify copying differences, and work toward recovering the original wording? Disputed passages: Why do some Bibles include notes about Mark 16:9–20 and John 7:53–8:11, the account of the woman caught in adultery? The Dead Sea Scrolls: What do these ancient discoveries reveal about the preservation of the Old Testament? We don't have to pretend that every manuscript agrees perfectly or that the Bible's history is without complications. Instead, we can examine the historical evidence carefully, acknowledge genuine questions, and better understand why Christians have substantial reasons for confidence in the Scriptures.