Changes

Ehrman also fails to account for the Christian community having already incorporated his concerns.  The [[NIV]] Study Bible, completed over a 20 year time span through the work of over 100 scholars<ref>The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan Press, 1985, Preface</ref>, does not include the John or I John texts except in footnotes and has a prominently marked break in the text before the last part of Mark stating clearly that the end of the chapter is not included in the earliest manuscipts&mdash;and this was 20 years before Ehrman decided to write his book as if he was bringing up something new that had been hidden.  And yet, even with all of the changes made, the form of the Bible is still well over 99+% the same as it had been before&mdash;hardly cause for major concern.

Ehrman also fails to account for the Christian community having already incorporated his concerns.  The [[NIV]] Study Bible, completed over a 20 year time span through the work of over 100 scholars<ref>The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan Press, 1985, Preface</ref>, does not include the John or I John texts except in footnotes and has a prominently marked break in the text before the last part of Mark stating clearly that the end of the chapter is not included in the earliest manuscipts&mdash;and this was 20 years before Ehrman decided to write his book as if he was bringing up something new that had been hidden.  And yet, even with all of the changes made, the form of the Bible is still well over 99+% the same as it had been before&mdash;hardly cause for major concern.

    

    

The '5700 different translations with no two the same' is meant to play to ignorance.  Before the printing press, copying over 60 books by hand would lead to at least one mistake somewhere, even if it was only dropping a 'the'.  It has also been widely noted just how accurately the Bible has been copied, as is seen by comparing ancient versions that existed in different locations thousands of miles apart.  The quantity of copies of the Bible from ancient times either in full, fragmented parts, or quotes from the writings of the ancient fathers, makes it by far the most copied and reliable document of antiquity.  To question the Bible, one must throw out all ancient writings as being inaccurate since they are not nearly as well documented, as extensive, or copied as accurately.<ref>A Ready Defense (1993), Josh McDowell, Pg. 43 - 46</ref>

The '5700 different translations with no two the same' is meant to play to ignorance.  Before the printing press, copying over 60 books by hand would lead to at least one mistake somewhere, even if it was only dropping a 'the'.  It has also been widely noted just how accurately the Bible has been copied, as is seen by comparing ancient versions that existed in different locations thousands of miles apart.  The quantity of copies of the Bible from ancient times either in full, fragmented parts, or quotes from the writings of the ancient fathers, makes it by far the most copied and reliable document of antiquity.  To question the authenticity of the Bible, one must throw out all ancient writings as being inaccurate since they are not nearly as well documented, as extensive, or copied as accurately.<ref>A Ready Defense (1993), Josh McDowell, Pg. 43 - 46</ref>

== Further reading ==

== Further reading ==