Be Convinced That God’s “Word Is Truth”

1. Why do many today lack confidence in the Bible?

MANY today are suffering from a lack of confidence. They do not know whom they can trust. They wonder whether people they look up to​—politicians, scientists, and businessmen—​really have their best interests at heart. In addition, they do not have high regard for Christendom’s clergy. So it is not surprising that they view with skepticism the book those religious leaders claim to represent​—the Bible.

2. In harmony with Psalm 119:160, of what must we be convinced?

² As servants of Jehovah, we are convinced that he is “the God of truth” and that he always wants what is best for us. (Ps. 31:5; Isa. 48:17) We know that we can trust what we read in the Bible​—that “the very essence of [God’s] word is truth.”b (Read Psalm 119:160.) We agree with what one Bible scholar wrote: “There is no hint of falseness or chance of failure in anything God has said. God’s people can trust what he says because they trust the God who has said it.”

3. What will we consider in this article?

³ How can we help others to have the same confidence that we have in God’s Word? Let us reflect on three reasons why we can trust the Bible. We will consider the accuracy of the text, the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, and the Bible’s power to change lives.

THE BIBLE’S MESSAGE HAS BEEN ACCURATELY PRESERVED

4. Why do some people doubt the Bible’s accuracy?

⁴ Jehovah God used some 40 faithful men to compose the books of the Bible. However, none of the original manuscripts have survived to our day.c All we have are copies of copies. This causes some people to wonder if what we read in the Bible today accurately reflects the text as it was originally written. Have you ever wondered how we can be sure that it does?

5. What was involved in copying the Hebrew Scriptures? (See cover picture.)

⁵ In order to preserve his inspired message, Jehovah directed that it be copied. He instructed the kings of Israel to make their own copies of the written Law, and he appointed the Levites to teach that Law to the people. (Deut. 17:18; 31:24-26; Neh. 8:7) After the exile of the Jews to Babylon, a group of professional copyists began to make numerous copies of the Hebrew Scriptures. (Ezra 7:6, ftns.) These men were conscientious. Eventually, copyists began to count not only the words but even the letters so as to be sure that everything was accurately transcribed. Even so, because of human imperfection, some small errors crept into the Bible text. However, many copies of the same text were made, so those errors could later be identified. How?

6. How could errors in copies of the Bible be identified?

⁶ Modern scholars have a reliable way to identify errors made by those who copied the Bible text. To illustrate: Suppose 100 men are assigned to copy a page of text by hand. One of the men makes a slight error in his copy. One way we could detect that error is by comparing his copy with all the others. Similarly, by comparing a number of Bible manuscripts, scholars are able to identify errors or omissions that one copyist may have made.

7. How accurate were many Bible copyists?

⁷ Those who copied Bible manuscripts took pains to do so accurately. Consider an example that proves this point. The oldest complete manuscript of the Hebrew Scriptures dates back to 1008 or 1009 C.E. It is called the Leningrad Codex. In recent times, however, a number of Bible manuscripts and fragments have been discovered that are about 1,000 years older than the Leningrad Codex. Someone might think that after those manuscripts were copied and recopied over a period of 1,000 years, the text of the Leningrad Codex would bear little resemblance to the text of those older manuscripts. Yet, that is not the case. Scholars who compared the earlier manuscripts with the later ones found that despite some relatively slight variations in wording, the substance of the Bible’s message was accurately preserved.

8. How do copies of the Christian Greek Scriptures compare with copies of some ancient secular texts?

⁸ Early Christians followed the tradition of the copyists of the Hebrew Scriptures. They diligently made copies of the 27 books of the Greek Scriptures, which they used at their meetings and in their preaching activities. After comparing surviving manuscripts of the Greek Scriptures with other works of the same time period, one scholar concludes: “As a general rule there are more [copies of the Greek Scriptures], . . . and they tend to be more complete.” The book Anatomy of the New Testament states: “One can be confident that what we read in a responsible modern translation [of the Greek Scriptures] represents substantially what the ancient authors wrote.”

9. According to Isaiah 40:8, what is true regarding the Bible’s message?

⁹ The careful efforts of many copyists over the centuries have contributed to the accuracy of the Bible that we read and study today.d Undoubtedly, it was Jehovah who made sure that his message to mankind would be accurately preserved. (Read Isaiah 40:8.) Of course, some may argue that just because the Bible’s message has been preserved does not prove that it was inspired by God. So let us now consider some evidence of the Bible’s inspiration.

BIBLE PROPHECIES ARE RELIABLE

Left: C. Sappa/​DeAgostini/​Getty Images; right: Image © Homo Cosmicos/​Shutterstock

10. Give an example of a fulfilled prophecy that confirms the truthfulness of 2 Peter 1:21. (See pictures.)

¹⁰ The Bible contains many prophecies that were fulfilled, some of them hundreds of years after they were recorded. History confirms that these prophecies came true. This does not surprise us because we know that the Author of Bible prophecy is Jehovah. (Read 2 Peter 1:21.) Think of the prophecies regarding the fall of the ancient city of Babylon. In the eighth century B.C.E., the prophet Isaiah was inspired to foretell that the then powerful city of Babylon would be captured. He even gave the name of its conqueror, Cyrus, and foretold precisely how the city would be seized. (Isa. 44:27–45:2) Isaiah also prophesied that Babylon would eventually be destroyed and completely deserted. (Isa. 13:19, 20) That is exactly what happened. Babylon fell to the Medes and the Persians in 539 B.C.E., and the site of this once great city is now a pile of ruins.​—See the video The Bible Foretold the Fall of Babylon in the electronic edition of the Enjoy Life Forever! book, lesson 03 point 5.

11. Describe how Daniel 2:41-43 is being fulfilled today.

¹¹ The fulfillment of Bible prophecy is not just a thing of the past; we are seeing prophecies being fulfilled today. Consider, for example, the remarkable fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy regarding the Anglo-American World Power. (Read Daniel 2:41-43.) That prophecy accurately predicted that this dual world power would be “partly strong” like iron and “partly fragile” like clay. This has proved to be true. Britain and America have shown ironlike strength, playing a key role in winning both World Wars and continuing to wield great military might. Yet, their power has also been weakened by their citizens, who tend to rise up to claim their rights through labor unions, civil rights campaigns, and independence movements. One expert in world politics recently observed: “There is no advanced industrial democracy in the world more politically divided, or politically dysfunctional, than the United States today.” And Britain, the other part of this world power, has been especially divided in recent years by opposing opinions regarding what ties it should maintain with countries in the European Union. These divisions have made it almost impossible for the Anglo-American World Power to act decisively.

12. Of what does Bible prophecy convince us?

¹² The many Bible prophecies that have already been fulfilled strengthen our confidence in the reliability of God’s promises for the future. We feel as did the psalmist who prayed to Jehovah: “I long for your salvation, for your word is my hope.” (Ps. 119:81) Through the pages of the Bible, Jehovah has kindly given us “a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11) Our hope for the future depends, not on man’s efforts, but on Jehovah’s promises. May we continue to build our trust in God’s Word by being keen students of Bible prophecy.

BIBLE-BASED ADVICE IS HELPING MILLIONS

13. According to Psalm 119:66, 138, what is another proof that the Bible is trustworthy?

¹³ For another proof that we can trust the Bible, consider the good results people experience when they follow its advice. (Read Psalm 119:66, 138.) For example, married couples who were once on the brink of divorce are now happily united. Their children enjoy being raised in the loving atmosphere of a Christian home, where they feel secure and loved.​—Eph. 5:22-29.

14. Relate an example that shows how applying Bible truth changes people for the better.

¹⁴ By applying the Bible’s wise advice, even dangerous criminals have turned their life around. Consider how its counsel affected a prisoner named Jack.e He was a violent criminal, known for being one of the most dangerous inmates on death row. But then Jack sat in on a Bible study. The kindness displayed by the brothers conducting the study deeply touched him, and he too started to study. As he applied Bible truth in his life, his conduct and even his personality began to change for the better. In time, Jack qualified to be an unbaptized publisher and got baptized. He zealously preached to other inmates about God’s Kingdom and helped at least four of them to learn the truth. When the day of his execution arrived, Jack was a changed man. One of his attorneys said: “Jack is not the same person I knew 20 years ago. The teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses have changed his life.” Although Jack’s death sentence was carried out, his example certainly highlights that we can trust God’s Word and that it has the power to transform people for the better.​—Isa. 11:6-9.

15. How does applying Bible truth distinguish Jehovah’s people today? (See picture.)

¹⁵ Because they apply Bible truth, Jehovah’s people are united. (John 13:35; 1 Cor. 1:10) Our peace and unity are especially noteworthy when compared with the political, ethnic, and social disunity in the world. Seeing the unity among Jehovah’s people profoundly affected a young man named Jean. He grew up in an African country. When civil war broke out, he joined the army but later fled to a neighboring country. There he came in contact with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Jean says: “I learned that followers of the true religion do not get involved in politics and are not divided. Rather, they love one another.” He continues: “I had dedicated my life to defending a country. But when I learned Bible truth, I was moved to dedicate my life to Jehovah.” Jean changed completely. Instead of fighting against people of a background different from his, he now shares unifying Bible truth with everyone he meets. The fact that the Bible’s advice works so well for people from so many backgrounds is powerful proof that we can trust God’s Word.

CONTINUE TRUSTING GOD’S WORD OF TRUTH

16. Why is it vital for us to strengthen our confidence in God’s Word?

¹⁶ As this world goes from bad to worse, our confidence in the truth will be put to the test. People may try to sow doubts in our mind​—doubts about the truthfulness of the Bible or about whether Jehovah has appointed a channel for guiding his worshippers today. But if we are convinced that Jehovah’s Word is always true, we will be able to resist such attacks on our faith. We will be “resolved to obey [Jehovah’s] regulations at all times, down to the last.” (Ps. 119:112) We will “not be ashamed” to tell others about the truth and to encourage them to live in harmony with it. (Ps. 119:46) And we will be able to endure the most difficult situations, including persecution, “with patience and joy.”​—Col. 1:11; Ps. 119:143, 157.

17. Of what will our yeartext remind us?

¹⁷ How thankful we are that Jehovah has revealed the truth to us! That truth stabilizes us, giving us a definite purpose and clear direction in an increasingly confused and chaotic world. It provides us with hope for a better future under the rulership of God’s Kingdom. May our yeartext for 2023 help us to stand firm in our conviction that all of God’s Word​—the very essence of it—​is truth!​—Ps. 119:160.