LONDON, England (CNN) -- The world's oldest known Christian Bible goes online Monday -- but the 1,600- year-old text doesn't match the one you'll find in churches today. Discovered in a monastery in the Sinai desert in Egypt more than 160 years ago, the handwritten Codex Sinaiticus includes two books that are not part of the official New Testament and at least seven books that are not in the Old Testament.
The New Testament books are in a different order, and include numerous handwritten corrections -- some made as much as 800 years after the texts were written, according to scholars who worked on the project of putting the Bible online. The changes range from the alteration of a single letter to the insertion of whole sentences. And some familiar -- very important -- passages are missing, including verses dealing with the resurrection of Jesus, they said. Juan Garces, the British Library project curator, said it should be no surprise that the ancient text is not quite the same as the modern one, since the Bible has developed and changed over the years. "The Bible as an inspirational text has a history," he told CNN. "There are certainly theological questions linked to this," he said. "Everybody should be encouraged to investigate for themselves." That is part of the reason for putting the Bible online, said Garces, who is both a Biblical scholar and a computer scientist.
"Scholars will want to look very closely at it, and some of the Web site functionality is specifically for them -- the ability to search the text, the ability to highlight a word, the degree of detail is particularly interesting for scholars interested in the text," he said. But, he added, "It's for everyone, really a wide audience, because of curiosity, because they appreciate the value of it."
By the middle of the fourth century, when the Codex Sinaiticus was written, there was wide but not complete agreement on which books should be considered authoritative for Christian communities, according to the Web site where the Codex is posted. The Bible comes from the Monastery of St. Catherine in the Sinai desert, where a scholar named Constantine Tischendorf recognized its significance in 1844 -- and promptly took part of it, Garces explained.
"Constantine Tischendorf was in search for ancient manuscripts, so he appreciated the age and value of it," Garces said. He took a handful of pages to Germany to publish them, then returned in 1853 and in 1859 for more. On that last trip, he took 694 pages, which ended up in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Soviet government decided to sell them in 1933 -- to raise money to buy tractors and other agricultural equipment.
The British government bought the pages for £100,000, raising half the money from the public. Garces called that event one of the first fundraising campaigns in British history. Film footage from the time shows crowds of people turning out to see the manuscript, which was considered a national treasure, he said. Though the Bible has been reassembled online, in the real world it remains scattered.
Most of it is in London. Eighty-six pages are held at the University Library in Leipzig, Germany, parts of 12 pages are held at the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg, and 24 pages and 40 fragments remain at St. Catherine's Monastery, recovered by the monks from the northern wall of the structure in June 1975. The manuscript contains the Christian Bible in Greek, including the oldest complete copy of the New Testament. (A copy held at the Vatican dates from about the same period.) Older copies of individual portions of the Christian Bible exist, but not as part of a complete text.
The Codex also includes much of the Old Testament that was adopted by early Greek-speaking Christians. That portion includes books not found in the Hebrew Bible and regarded in the Protestant tradition as apocryphal, such as 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, 1 & 4 Maccabees, Wisdom and Sirach. The New Testament portion includes the Epistle of Barnabas and The Shepherd of Hermas.
As it survives today, Codex Sinaiticus comprises just over 400 large leaves of parchment -- prepared animal skin -- each of which measures 15 inches by 13.6 inches (380 mm by 345 mm).
IN ZAKA FADI, FADI GASKIYA, KOMAI TA JA MA A YI MAKA
Posted: at 14-06-2011 10:12 PM (12 years ago) | Hero
frayobkk at 14-06-2011 10:20 PM (12 years ago) (m)
Any way when it comes out tehn we will see the only spirit will lead his ppl if it should be accepted or not
Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Luke 18:27
Posted: at 14-06-2011 10:20 PM (12 years ago) | Gistmaniac
RasLabula at 15-06-2011 03:04 AM (12 years ago) (m)
Yes. The bible is corrupt. It uses you and divides your family and beliefs that you know are wrong as a human. The bible has been wrote and re-wrote and re-wrote and re-wrote by many men. Men that want to shape their own lives according to themselves. If you believe their is a god, than I urge you to read about Pantheism. You do not need a controlling all powerful/ spiteful being... You are free and yourself. Thats all you are. No matter what lie you choose to believe! You will all just end up made of stars...
and there is the end of my rant.
Posted: at 15-06-2011 03:04 AM (12 years ago) | Newbie
frayobkk at 15-06-2011 04:27 AM (12 years ago) (m)
Bibble is written by inspired men with the help of Holy spirit dont expect to know more about GOD if u dont even believen there is GOD IF u think there is no GOD how can you start to prove that ?
Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Luke 18:27
Posted: at 15-06-2011 04:27 AM (12 years ago) | Gistmaniac
frayobkk at 15-06-2011 04:36 AM (12 years ago) (m)
Jesus even make it clear when he pear to the apostle Thamos was among then read from the book of john 20: 24-29 u will understand more 24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” 26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas,[a] because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Luke 18:27
Posted: at 15-06-2011 04:36 AM (12 years ago) | Gistmaniac
frayobkk at 15-06-2011 04:03 PM (12 years ago) (m)
@Raslabula i hope u knows what u are doing pls joke with anything but dont joke with the name of GOD Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Proverbs 3:9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Luke 18:27
Posted: at 15-06-2011 04:03 PM (12 years ago) | Gistmaniac
wandepope at 17-06-2011 04:42 AM (12 years ago) (m)
if the Bible was not important those that dont believe the Bible would not spend their time looking for flaws.Everyday i read what you all write against the BIble and Christianity i believe the Words of CHRIST the more because HE said these things will come.the more you try to prove the Bible wrong the truer the Words of CHRIST become ...let him hear that have an ear
Posted: at 17-06-2011 04:42 AM (12 years ago) | Upcoming
mchinwendu at 17-06-2011 05:09 AM (12 years ago) (f)
Quote from: wandepope on 17-06-2011 04:42 AM
if the Bible was not important those that dont believe the Bible would not spend their time looking for flaws.Everyday i read what you all write against the BIble and Christianity i believe the Words of CHRIST the more because HE said these things will come.the more you try to prove the Bible wrong the truer the Words of CHRIST become ...let him hear that have an ear
Amen!
Posted: at 17-06-2011 05:09 AM (12 years ago) | Upcoming
mchinwendu at 17-06-2011 05:15 AM (12 years ago) (f)
Quote from: RasLabula on 15-06-2011 03:44 PM
You can easily prove there is no GOD. Not in the biblical sense anyway.
Look up at the stars at night. There is no god. lol.
Please will you easily share the proof that there is no God. The stars did not just appear...the stars and all creation even mankind prove that a creator "God" does exist.[ /b]
Posted: at 17-06-2011 05:15 AM (12 years ago) | Upcoming
mchinwendu at 17-06-2011 06:00 AM (12 years ago) (f)
God warns us of the false and tells us to study to show ourselves approved; and to test all things to see whether they are of God or not. It is because pretenders and false information will present along with the real and true information. Unfortunately, those who do not study will be swayed by whatever winds blow their way.
Those who study God's word "the Bible" is definitely aware of what is going on with the Bibles versions. Yes, there is a difference between the Bibles of early years and the Bible versions of today...verses that were present before are no longer, some even do change the whole meaning of the verse. Today much is done in the name of copyright and money making, the main source being the evil one so that many are lost. SO PLEASE DO BEWARE! Today, one really has to obey God's word and study, it is a matter of live or death. Those who are copyrighting the Bibles instead of publishing them, I have been told have to change something every year to keep the copyrights. So, even if certain Bible versions were published accurately, over the years to come greedy men all in the name of money will try their best to change them and make money. It is also a way of preparing the minds of those who do not belong to Christ to receive and accept the anti-Christ. In many of the Bible versisons today, those who don't know Jesus will not have the truth, no power or authority and no protection in Jesus name because they are doing their best to remove all.
Saying the above does not in anyway take away from God and what God has said or done in his true and living words giving to us in the Bible. God tells us to keep his word in our heat. Read, study and pray...God speaks to the heart of his people and leads them in the right direction, no matter what is going on in the world.
Additionally, God warns us of this in the book of Revelation which says that those who add or take away from the Bible, the plagues in the Bible will added to that person...
So, the answer is that the Bible, God's true and living word is not corrupt. Although, there are those who are altering some versions of the newer Bibles in order to prepare the minds of many to receive and accept the coming of the anti-Christ-the false one who will claim to be God. BE VERY CAREFUL. I would advise getting an older Bible, start studying and tuck God's word away in your heart, if you are not doing it already. There will come a day when all Bibles will be hard to come by...please don't wait to late.
Posted: at 17-06-2011 06:00 AM (12 years ago) | Upcoming
God warns us of the false and tells us to study to show ourselves approved; and to test all things to see whether they are of God or not. It is because pretenders and false information will present along with the real and true information. Unfortunately, those who do not study will be swayed by whatever winds blow their way.
Those who study God's word "the Bible" is definitely aware of what is going on with the Bibles versions. Yes, there is a difference between the Bibles of early years and the Bible versions of today...verses that were present before are no longer, some even do change the whole meaning of the verse. Today much is done in the name of copyright and money making, the main source being the evil one so that many are lost. SO PLEASE DO BEWARE! Today, one really has to obey God's word and study, it is a matter of live or death. Those who are copyrighting the Bibles instead of publishing them, I have been told have to change something every year to keep the copyrights. So, even if certain Bible versions were published accurately, over the years to come greedy men all in the name of money will try their best to change them and make money. It is also a way of preparing the minds of those who do not belong to Christ to receive and accept the anti-Christ. In many of the Bible versisons today, those who don't know Jesus will not have the truth, no power or authority and no protection in Jesus name because they are doing their best to remove all.
Saying the above does not in anyway take away from God and what God has said or done in his true and living words giving to us in the Bible. God tells us to keep his word in our heat. Read, study and pray...God speaks to the heart of his people and leads them in the right direction, no matter what is going on in the world.
Additionally, God warns us of this in the book of Revelation which says that those who add or take away from the Bible, the plagues in the Bible will added to that person...
So, the answer is that the Bible, God's true and living word is not corrupt. Although, there are those who are altering some versions of the newer Bibles in order to prepare the minds of many to receive and accept the coming of the anti-Christ-the false one who will claim to be God. BE VERY CAREFUL. I would advise getting an older Bible, start studying and tuck God's word away in your heart, if you are not doing it already. There will come a day when all Bibles will be hard to come by...please don't wait to late.
I wish most Christians has your type of understanding of the truth. I also hope people like chik00000000000000001 will learn to embrace the truth no matter how painful or unexpected. May God help us.
IN ZAKA FADI, FADI GASKIYA, KOMAI TA JA MA A YI MAKA
Posted: at 17-06-2011 10:41 AM (12 years ago) | Hero
frayobkk
RasLabula
mubaji
harold634
tttonero
wandepope
mchinwendu
Jeonleon
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