The New Testament (NT) text has been at the center of scholarly attention for centuries, especially in an effort to assess its credibility. On the one hand, there are apologetic claims that the unusually large number of copies and the great age of the text are strong evidence that the NT text is reliable. On the other hand, some researchers warn that we should be cautious in interpreting this data, as there are many methodological factors to consider.

Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler (2011), two of many Christian apologetics, claim that there are over 24,000 manuscript copies of the NT, making it one of the best preserved and most reliable ancient texts. This claim is often accompanied by an emphasis on the age of the copies, which is said to be very old, which is believed to be an indication of authenticity. However, there are some concerns regarding the methodology behind this claim. One methodological fallacy that often occurs is the attempt to conflate two different variables, given that historically reliable texts are not necessarily textually reliable. Just because a copy is old, it does not necessarily mean that it is the most “original” or the most faithful to the original text. It could be that the old text is a copy of the “ancestor” text that is inaccurate, but reproduced anyway. Such texts, even if they number in the thousands, are not recommended for research. Therefore, the criteria of age and number of copies should be applied with caution, and should be combined with other criteria. For example, the geographical distribution of the text, quotations from ancient authors, and the "short and difficult" characteristics of the text are often more reliable indicators in determining readings that are close to the original.

Another aspect that is often overlooked in discussions of the number of copies is chronological distribution. It is true that there are thousands of copies of NT manuscripts found, but the oldest copies are far fewer in number. Most of the manuscripts we have are from a younger period, which does not really reflect the quality of the original text. In addition, the oldest copies are usually fragmentary, in the form of pieces of text that do not represent the whole book. To overcome this challenge, translators use critical editions, such as those compiled by Nestle-Aland or UBS (United Bible Societies). These editions use an approach called "reasoned eclecticism". This approach seeks to determine the most likely original reading from the available manuscripts, taking into account external aspects, such as the age and nature of the text, geographical distribution, and genealogical relationships between manuscripts, as well as internal aspects, such as the copyist's writing style, unique vocabulary, historical context, and early church theology. In addition, the habits of the copyists are also taken into account, paying special attention to texts that are more difficult or shorter, contain unusual formulations or are less subtle in terms of grammar and discourse. This critical approach ensures that the NT text we have today is the result of an in-depth analysis of thousands of manuscripts, with the aim of obtaining the closest reading possible to the original text.

While there are many micro-level textual variations, such as words, phrases, and sentences, on a macro-level, the NT text tends to be stable. The story structure, core themes, and content of the preaching have been well preserved throughout the transmission history of the text. This is actually in line with the nature of oral tradition in the ancient world, where despite variations in pronunciation or sentence construction, the core of the message is well preserved.

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