The reliability of historical texts is often scrutinized based on the quantity and quality of manuscript evidence available. Remarkably, the New Testament stands out in this regard, boasting a wealth of manuscripts that far surpasses that of other ancient texts. With nearly 20,000 manuscripts in various languages, including Armenian, Coptic, Gothic, Ethiopian, Latin, Syriac, Georgian, Slavic, and Greek, the textual evidence for the New Testament is unparalleled ().. This extensive manuscript tradition, coupled with thousands of quotations from early church fathers, ensures that the New Testament is not only well-documented but also remarkably preserved throughout history. There are so many quotations of the New Testament from the early church that should all those manuscripts disappear and all Bibles destroyed, it could be reconstructed from the church fathers alone ([[Metzger2005-my]]). ### Other Ancient Works For comparison, another similar ancient book is Homer’s [[Homer2022-gz|Iliad]]) or [[Caesar2012-gs|Caesar’s Gallic Wars]]. From the time the original work was written to the earliest manuscript that we currently have of Homer’s work, there is a time gap of 400 years. And for Gallic Wars, it's nearly 1000; that’s almost equivalent to someone today writing about the Crusades. Despite the long gap in time, the field of textual criticism is all about learning what the original works say the best we can from the copies we have. Professionals evaluate the copies, and the sources used to compile them to confirm the validity and integrity of the copy. Here is a quick rundown of some ancient works and the earliest copies we have for them. | Author | Number of Manuscripts | Written | Time Gap From Earliest Copy | Sources | | -------------------------------- | --------------------- | ----------- | --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Homer, the Iliad | 1,757 | 800 BC | 400 years | [Source](https://paperpile.com/app/p/9f3d0254-9560-0c51-b6a4-5baeeed7ecaf) | | Herodotus, History | 109 | 480–425 BC | 1,350 years | [Source](https://paperpile.com/app/p/1fc72cad-43e7-0463-a274-65032c756253) | | Caesar, Gallic Wars | 251 | 100-44 BC | 950 years | [Source](https://paperpile.com/app/p/ab4acedb-fc53-04dd-bc18-78fbbe19f694) | | Livy, History of Rome | 150 | 59 BC–17 AD | 400 years | [Source](https://paperpile.com/app/p/477f21b2-e5bc-02c7-abcc-8de613c4c55c) | | Tacitus, Annals | 33 | 100 AD | 750–950 years | [Sources](https://paperpile.com/app/p/b2dcd22a-4d0a-09e9-abcf-7b65dcae3864), [Source](https://paperpile.com/app/p/82f45e19-0bac-0cec-890c-2d8fa3d74151) | | Pliny the Elder, Natural History | 200 | 49–79 AD | 400 years | [Source](https://paperpile.com/app/p/b2dcd22a-4d0a-09e9-abcf-7b65dcae3864) | | Thucydides, History | 96 | 460–400 BC | 200 years | [Source](https://paperpile.com/app/p/d750cc17-18b8-0e50-bb1c-f3f42f4f8193) | | Demosthenes Speeches | 340 | | 1,100+ years | [Source](https://paperpile.com/app/p/c4135b58-a480-06e6-a4a9-ad6dc5736d8e) | | Sophocles, Plays | 193 | 496–406 BC | 100-200 years | [Source](https://paperpile.com/app/p/e2f06510-db5b-0f3a-80f0-8a3007e5ae84) | | Plato, Tetralogies | 210 | 400 BC | 1,300 year time gap | [Source](https://paperpile.com/app/p/ce002293-4b40-0b2d-b6f4-7b8dfc67269f) | Unlike other ancient works, such as Homer's Iliad or Caesar's Gallic Wars, which exhibit significant time gaps between their composition and the earliest surviving copies, the New Testament manuscripts display a much shorter interval. This closer proximity to the original writings enhances their reliability and authenticity. At this time there is at worst, a 30-40 years gap for some of the Gospels. One of the earliest manuscripts is the John Rylands Greek Papyrus 3.457, also known as P52. ![[The Earliest Manuscript P52]] **Resources** These websites are a great starting place for those who would like to browse and learn more about the manuscripts - http://www.csntm.org/ - http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/ - http://www.codexsinaiticus.org/en/ - http://evangelicaltextualcriticism.blogspot.com/ - https://www.ps.edu/academics/institute/ #### Conclusion The extensive manuscript evidence for the New Testament is unparalleled by any other ancient text, for its historical reliability and textual integrity. With nearly 20,000 manuscripts spanning various languages and a notably shorter time gap between original writings and extant copies compared to other ancient works, the New Testament's authenticity is unquestionable. This wealth of documentation, combined with the thousands of quotations from early church fathers, ensures a robust preservation of its contents through history, allowing for a detailed reconstruction even if original manuscripts were lost. In contrast, seminal works like Homer's Iliad and Caesar's Gallic Wars exhibit much larger intervals between their creation and the earliest surviving manuscripts, contrasting the exceptional documentary support for the New Testament. This remarkable preservation, alongside critical scholarly analysis, affirms the New Testament's place as a well-substantiated and influential historical document.