The following chart represents a compilation of various ancient
manuscripts, their original date of writing, the earliest copy, the number of
copies in existence, and the time span between the originals and the copies.
If the Bible is singled out to be criticized as unreliable then all the
other writings listed below must also be discarded.
Author
|
Date
Written |
Earliest Copy
|
Approx.
Time between original & copy
|
# of Copies
|
Accuracy
of
Copies
|
Lucretius
|
died 55 or 53 B.C.
|
1100
yrs
|
2
|
----
|
|
Pliny
|
A.D. 61-113.
|
A.D. 850.
|
750 yrs
|
7
|
----
|
Plato
|
427-347 B.C.
|
A.D. 900.
|
1200
yrs
|
7
|
----
|
Demosthenes
|
4th Cent. B.C.
|
A.D. 1100.
|
800 yrs
|
8
|
----
|
Herodotus
|
480-425 B.C.
|
A.D. 900.
|
1300
yrs
|
8
|
----
|
Suetonius
|
A.D. 75-160.
|
A.D. 950.
|
800 yrs
|
8
|
----
|
Thucydides
|
460-400 B.C.
|
A.D. 900.
|
1300
yrs
|
8
|
----
|
Euripides
|
480-406 B.C.
|
A.D. 1100.
|
1300
yrs
|
9
|
----
|
Aristophanes
|
450-385 B.C.
|
A.D. 900.
|
1200
|
10
|
----
|
Caesar
|
100-44 B.C.
|
A.D. 900.
|
1000
|
10
|
----
|
Livy
|
59 BC-AD 17
|
----
|
???
|
20
|
----
|
Tacitus
|
circa A.D. 100.
|
A.D. 1100.
|
1000
yrs
|
20
|
----
|
Aristotle
|
384-322 B.C.
|
A.D.1100.
|
1400
|
49
|
----
|
Sophocles
|
496-406 B.C.
|
A.D. 1000.
|
1400
yrs
|
193
|
----
|
Homer
(Iliad)
|
900 B.C.
|
400 B.C.
|
500 yrs
|
643
|
95%
|
New
Testament |
1st Cent. A.D. (A.D.
50-100).
|
2nd Cent. A.D.
(c. A.D. 130 f.) |
less
than 100 years
|
5600
|
99.5%
|
This chart was adapted from three sources: 1) Christian
Apologetics, by Norman Geisler, 2) the article "Archaeology
and History attest to the Reliability of the Bible," by Richard
M. Fales, Ph.D, and 3) A Ready Defense, by Josh Mcdowell.
[Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, Matt Slick]
