Introduction

• Many people consider the Bible an old book that has been endlessly copied. How do we know we can trust what it says?
• The first big translation was the Septuagint. But Jesus, Paul, and other New Testament writers quoted from it.

Three sources of evidence

Jesus

• Luke 4:14-21 – Jesus read from Isaiah 61:1-2, which was a messianic prophecy. Jesus called this passage scripture – God’s divinely inspired word. Were there copying mistakes in this scroll? Probably. But still, Jesus called it scripture.

Peter

• II Peter 3:15-16 – Note that Peter called Paul a beloved brother despite Paul previously sharply rebuking Peter for hypocrisy.
• I Peter 1:1 – Paul’s letters were all in wide circulation to all the churches by AD 70. Peter considered them equal to Old Testament scripture.
• Colossians 4:16 – Paul directed that his letters be copied and read by all.

Paul

• I Timothy 5:17-18 – Elders who rule well can be paid for their work. This is a quote from Luke 10:7. Paul quoted it and put it on par with Old Testament scripture.
• All of these quoted from old, likely flawed manuscripts and called them scripture.

Conclusion

• II Timothy 1:12