Has the Holy Bible Been Changed?
Since the beginning of Islam (7th century AD) for centuries, our Muslim brothers claim that the Holy Bible has been corrupted or changed. However, those who read both the Holy Bible and the Quran from beginning to end know that the claim that the Bible was changed is just an allegation without proof. Interestingly, among the hundreds of civilizations and races in the world, only Muslims believe the Bible has been changed. But there is no historical evidence that the Bible, especially the Gospel, was altered. They always talk about an unaltered Gospel, but no one including themselves has actually seen or knows this. Moreover, the Quran clearly tells us that the Gospel has not been changed and it is a reliable source we can always refer to when necessary. Also interestingly, some Muslims accept the heretical Barnabas Gospel as the true Gospel. However, this Gospel was written long after Islam and is considered fake by Islamic theologians.
In this article, we will share a few verses from the Quran that clearly prove the Bible has not been changed and examine what these verses tell us. But our advice is: if you want to understand and discover the truth, please question your faith, read, research, and ask God who created your questions. He will help you understand the truth, guide you soon, and speak with you.
If we want to clearly understand if the Gospel has been changed, we need to ask:
1) When was the Holy Bible changed? Before or after Prophet Muhammad?
Let’s look at before first:
Many Muslim brothers say the Bible was changed before Prophet Muhammad, otherwise he wouldn’t have been sent to correct it. Meaning, by Muhammad’s time, the Bible (Gospel) was already corrupted.
Let’s see what the Quran says about this:
“We sent down the Book (Quran) to you to confirm the previous scripture (Torah and Gospel).”
What does “confirm the previous scripture” mean?
All Islamic commentators agree the Quran was sent to confirm the scriptures present in Muhammad’s time — the Torah and the Gospel.
“He has sent down the Book to you in truth, confirming what was before it; and He sent down the Torah and the Gospel before, as guidance for the people.”
This verse does not say the previous books were corrupted, rather it calls them guidance.
“This Quran is from Allah, not fabricated by anyone. It confirms what was before it (Torah and Gospel) and explains it clearly. There is no doubt in it. It is from the Lord of the worlds.”
This verse clearly says the Quran confirms the Torah and Gospel, meaning it affirms the Bible’s correctness.
There are 12 more verses in the Quran testifying the Bible was not changed, but we recommend you read and research yourself. If the Bible had been changed during Muhammad’s time, would the Quran repeatedly confirm it so unanimously?
Thus, the Quran and Muhammad himself testify the Bible was not changed in the 7th century when Islam began. So then, when and where was the Bible changed?
2) After the 7th century, when Christianity had spread worldwide, where and how could it have been changed?
Between Jesus Christ’s death and Muhammad’s time, 7 centuries passed, and Christianity spread worldwide. So where was it changed? Egypt? Iraq? Syria? England? France? The Bible had reached nearly everywhere: Asia, Africa, Europe. So in which country did the corruption happen? And if it was changed in one country, how did it spread worldwide? The person who changed it would have had to travel the world and organise everyone to agree to change it. How could the whole world agree on this?
Who changed it?
Was it the Jews? The Christians? Or did they agree together?
Today, Christians carry the Bible (Torah, Psalms, and Gospel), and Jews carry only the Torah and Psalms. Comparing the Torah and Psalms today in Christian and Jewish hands with those from thousands of years ago, they are identical with no changes. If Christians or Jews had changed it, would either side remain silent? No one would stay quiet. So it’s impossible the Bible has been changed.
In which language was it changed?
By the 7th century, the Bible had been translated into all major world languages and was written down.
Which denomination changed it?
Christianity has three main denominations: Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant. They differ on some views. If the Bible had been changed, which denomination did it? Would the others stay silent? Impossible. If it had been changed, why is the Bible identical in all three today? This means the Bible was never changed.
Historical and Archaeological Evidence
Finally, scientific and archaeological evidence shows the Bible has not been changed. Archaeology doesn’t lie.
There are very old ancient Biblical manuscripts found in archaeological excavations, well-preserved until today.
Dead Sea Scrolls (200 BC – 70 AD)
Many Old Testament manuscripts were discovered near the Dead Sea, preserved by the Essenes between 200 BC and 70 AD. These scrolls are considered the richest archaeological literary discovery. They include fragments from all parts of the Torah and Old Testament books, and they match the later Masoretic text perfectly with no significant differences. These scrolls are kept in the British Museum in London and the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem.
Similarly, archaeological finds confirm the New Testament’s reliability and are stored in museums worldwide, you can see many for yourself in the British London in London.
Some discoveries supporting the Bible’s historical accuracy include:
- The discovery of Troy confirms the Trojan War as a historical event.
- The city of Nineveh, where the prophet Jonah preached.
- The city of Ur, Abraham’s birthplace, matching customs described in the Bible.
- The Dead Sea Scrolls confirming the text of the Old Testament.
- The discovery of Jericho, conquered by Joshua and the Israelites.
- The Pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed a blind man.
- The Pilate Inscription confirming Pontius Pilate’s existence.
- The city of Capernaum and the synagogue where Jesus preached.
In summary, the Holy Bible has neither been changed before nor after Islam. As you can see from the texts above and with further research, the Bible has always remained the same.
