APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY: Week of October 21-27, 2024, Explain your beliefs: Role-play. Topic: Has the Bible been changed or manipulated?, Lesson 8. Prepared Assignment.

APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY:  October 21-27, 2024, Explain your beliefs: Role play. Topic: Has the Bible been changed or manipulated?, Lesson 8. Prepared Assignment.

Explain your beliefs (4 mins.) Role play. ijwbq 129. Topic: Has the Bible been changed or manipulated? (th lesson 8).

Publisher: Good morning teacher, I was told that you wanted to talk to me.

Assistant: Hello Marta. Yes, it had to do with your presentation in the literature class about the book that we consider has greatly influenced our way of thinking and acting. I want to congratulate you, it was a good presentation because of the way you addressed your classmates. I noticed that you did a good job of researching it, but I want to help you with something, of course if you allow me. 

Publisher: Yes, teacher, with pleasure. I'll listen to you.

Helper: Martha, it's nice to see that a young woman like you has a good concept of the Bible as a book. And I imagine that your parents have a lot to do with this way of thinking. But I think you should do a little more research on some truths that you may not know about the Bible. 

Publisher: What do you mean, teacher?

Helper: Maybe you are not aware that the Bible has been manipulated to control us in our way of being and to control our emotions and behavior. Are you aware of what I am telling you?

Publisher: Believe me, what you just told me is something very common that I hear. You know that I am a Jehovah's Witness and as you said, I have done a lot of research on this beautiful book. And one of the accusations against the Bible is that it has been manipulated for the benefit of a few.

Assistant: So you are aware that that is true.

Publisher: Well, the fact that I have heard this accusation against the Bible does not mean that I agree with what has been said. And among some things that I researched for this exposition, I found a text that may be the cause of the accusation of manipulation. I made a copy just in case someone asked and it is this text from John 5:7. According to the Reina Valera version of 1960 it says: For there are three who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one.

Assistant: I really don't understand much of what you're saying. Let's continue with your explanation.

Publisher: Well, what I wanted to mention is that in very reliable manuscripts such as: The Alexandrian Codex, the Vatican manuscript 1209, the original Latin Vulgate, etc. None of these have this Biblical text. And in other versions, the beautiful name of God, which is Jehovah, has been removed.

Assistant: Well, it's possible that what you say is true. But how can you be so sure that the very old book doesn't contain errors?

Publisher: Well, there is that possibility. But now there are so many manuscripts that have been found very close to those periods of writing, that it is easy to see where there may have been small errors. For example, more than 5,000 manuscripts of what is commonly called the New Testament have been discovered. 

Assistant: But Marta, you must have heard that books can be manipulated to achieve the same thing with us. 

Publisher: Yes, I have heard that. But look at this text that contains this great truth. Isaiah 40:8. It says: “The green grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” That is why I am sure that God is behind keeping the text as pure as possible for our days.

Assistant: I see that your research has gone far beyond what you mentioned in class. And at another time I would like to go a little deeper into this and other topics.

Publisher: It will be a pleasure, Professor. And I will bring you written information about what we have discussed.