[amysmom9098]

Hi. I hope I will not upset anyone with this post, but I know that over the years, since the middle ages, things have been added to and taken away from the text of the Bible. That is one of the main problems I am having with Christianity, I have trouble trusting the veracity of the Bible as it exists today. I know that some old versions used in the middle ages had stories of Lilith, who was supposedly Adam's first wife, and I wonder why I can't find any of the texts with this version of Genesis. Also, I heard that the Dead Sea Scrolls had copies of the four gospels with a lot of different things in them than most bibles used today. And then there's the Apocrypha, which only some Catholic versions have.

So I'm confused. Why would the word of God have been altered so much? Where can I find a Bible as close as possible to the original compilation, without stuff taken out or added? Again, I don't mean to upset anyone but this is an issue I am really struggling with.

[(JD)]

Why not get Greek and Hebrew concordance Bibles? That way, you have the direct translation from the best of the languages spoken during the time of it's "writing" from God?

You can easily find the Apocrypha online if you wish to read it. Ithink it was removed by King James in the 1611 version.

Again, as I spoke in another thread, the Bible itself hasn't changed. Our language changes (such as we don't speak Elizabethan English) and meanings to words change. That there are paraphrased books now adds to the confusion imo. They aren't translations and don't really speak what is generally believed to be the original intent, this includes the Living series, and the NIV.

I think you are referring some above to the Gnostic Bible, which was never accepted as part of the Holy Bible the Christians use?

TC!

Sky

----- preface, this is a touchy subject

I think there was supposedly some forum which by the way I learned at baylor university a baptist christian school (not a liberal school), that the church leaders came together and decided upon the 'bible' .. ie what books would be in it, what some vague references would say, smudges in the print/scrolls, errors, etc. Some translations and such were made as well as words left out often. We had to take old testament and new testament. For me it doesnt bother me b/c I figure you believe in God.. but the bible is something different (for me personally) not most christians. I believe it was inspired but not directly written by God. I think there is more about it if you read old testament text books like the ones for religoin classes taught at universities. Its wierd they never talk about that at church, but i guess it takes the mystery out of it all perhaps.

[(JD)]

The Nicene Council was created and met in AD 325. While there are many myths as to what they were up to and what they actually did, it was not to change any of the known original documents.

There had been a few issues arise, some had tried to add to the formerly accepted texts of God's Word, one person being Arius.

The Council in essence developed a Creed, made clear the texts that were accepted as the God-breathed texts (canon), and decided on the day to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. I think there were some 318 of them, 2 of which did not show and thus didn't vote (but were on the outs with the council anyway?) the rest were all in one accord... and the vote was 316 to "2" voting FOR the Creed, and Canonization of the manuscripts. (Few groups can get that kind of vote on deciding what to serve at a meal!)

It is well documented in history. I think it makes for good reading (about the Council of Nicea.)

[amysmom9098]

Thanks for your responses. I am aware of the council of Nicea, I have studied Bible history for many years as a personal hobby. I have copies of the Gnostic writings, but they are not my main interest. My main interest is how we got the Bible we have today in mainstream Christianity, in it's Protestant and Catholic version. I have read the Apocrypha. However, there is one particular story I'm interested in. The story of Lilith, and how she was left out of the King James Bible, which makes me wonder. Has anyone ever heard of this story? It's not in the Apocrypha, I believe that it was in some of the Bibles used in the Middle Ages.

I have heard that even after the Council of Nicea, Bibles used throughout Europe differed from area to area in what books and pieces of books they contained. I heard that the story of Lilith, supposedly Adam's first wife before Eve, was left out when the Bible was translated into English. I have heard that the translators working on the King James version of the Bible changed the Book of Genesis to leave her story out, as she was supposedly a strong and imposing figure, not the picture of femininity that the translators of King James wanted people learning about. So I wonder, if she was left out, what else might have been changed and covered up? I would really be interested in hearing if anyone else has heard of anything about this, or knows what I am referring to.

[(JD)]

OOPs sorry I missed that.

http://www.jewfaq.org/women.htm The story of Lilith comes from rabinnical folklore. Judaism 101 link. More directly from a medieval work the Alphabet of Ben Sira,not from the Bible.

[amysmom9098]

Thanks for your help. I guess the story of Lilith was just a Hebrew myth, that was never set down in any form of Biblical writing. I have also found other information on the internet that talks of this subject. So while it is an interesting story, I guess it was never part of any form of Biblical literature.