why is it that it took long for the writers to write the books in the New Testament?
826664
Because at that time history was not written down so much as it was told. They were masters at oral history because they did not have the means to write down every story/event/idea. Can you imagine living during a time where there were no computers, and all you had to record stuff was a pen and scroll?
1160558
Exactly! I think many Christian churches spend too much time on the OT and not nearly enough time on the NT. I thought Jesus said he came to fulfill the OT, so why languish there?
1130826
In an odd way, sweet_shy is right.  Sure, there are translation errors and parts of it may have been added or deleted, but it's still God's work.  It was divinely inspired; the only part that really matters is the message, and do you really think that he would let his message be corrupted?  The rest is just fluff to make it readable.  Now having read the New Testament, I find that what I read is entirely in line with my knowledge of God.  I think the message comes through just fine and there are no errors in it despite whatever stages the actual text has gone through.
300429
It is not. Back then, each copy of the Bible had to be handwritten when they were reproduced. This means the scribes had free will to add/change anything they wanted. Also the Bible was translated from Greek and Hebrew to English. So its changed a lot, because there are no originals in existence. KJV went through the hands of countless scribes before being translated.  Even the dead sea scrolls are not the originals, just really old, close to original copies. And no, they're not in English
693555
On the contrary my friend...\n\nThe writings you mention date from after the time of Christ (and after the writings of the NT gospels).\n\nThe NT gospels were authenticated by immediate disciples of Jesus Christ.\n\nLater writings from 150-1000 years after Jesus were NOT authenticated by the disciples of Jesus Christ (the ones who had actually spent time with Jesus, and so were eyewitnesses of the things he said and did).\n\nCordially,\nJohn
877013
True, and it is what I've been saying all along. When I was a Christian, I still didn't believe in the letters of Paul. Was it not the prophets of the ancient times that brought laws and the word of G-d through revelation (ie. a burning bush, the direct voice of G-d)? Then years later, the "new" testament is revealed through letters and secondary sources written by people who weren't even there.  Another great point, thanks for the question.
1141052
Everyone that says it takes money to pay for the materials to make a book is stupid. After a week you have made enough money to pay for a ton of materials. The fact of the matter is a bible probably only cost about a buck to make. They sell them for way more because they want to make money off of faith, just like televangelist charge heck of money to listen to "the word" and christian musicans charge a bunch for their concerts and CDs it is not about God here it is about green.
497036
Your concept of the books of the bible are totally wrong.\nThe bible writers were chosen by God and their writings weren't just added together.\nThe library as we know it, now bound together was written over nearly 6 thousand years.\nYou cannot make a holy man of yourself. If not inspired of God, nothing will happen. You would be looked on today as a KOOK and ignored
410265
Actually, two writers of the Gospels in the biblical canon were writing their accounts of Jesus based off the accounts they heard from the apostles and divine inspiration. The Gospels were all written maybe 40 years after Jesus's death, but I believe that God intended for those specific four Gospels to be in the Bible and therefore I believe they are legitimate.
625948
Christians believe that God inspired the writers of the Gospels.\n\nWere the Beatitudes taught on a mount or on a plain or both? It doesn't really matter. What matters is the message in the Beatitudes about how to be happy (or blessed).\n\nThe Gospels were written either by actual disciples of Christ or people who knew the disciples. These were stories that were shared every Sunday during the breaking of the bread (Mass). All Christians knew the stories and would have raised a cry if the writers got it wrong. \n\nThis is a much better oral tradition than the Old Testament which was passed along orally for over a thousand years.\n\nAnother sign of accuracy kept over the last 200 years is found in the Dead Sea Scrolls that when compared to modern Scriptures show very little discrepancy.\n\nWith love in Christ.
12099
It's because of a misguided trust in the "Textus Receptus" or "received text" that the KJV is based on. Unfortunately, the TR was one of the early modern translations, when people were just getting into comparing different manuscripts. It was originally treated as authoritative because not many other translations were competing with it (the Polyglot Bible was one of them, and was better, but it was Catholic and so it didn't get much press among the Protestants). \n\nThis respect has been passed down over the centuries, in spite of better manuscripts being discovered.
687231
Again -- the Acts of Andrew was not written by an immediate disciple of Jesus Christ, or authenticated by an immediate disciple of Jesus Christ.\n\nAnd the Acts of Andrew was written much later than the NT gospels.\n\nThat is why it was not included in the New Testament canon.\n\nCordially,\nJohn
942159
The books of the New Testament were written starting in the 40's AD and ending in around 95 or 96 AD.\n\nThe writers that knew Christ before the Crucifixion are Matthew, John, Peter, and Jude, James (these last two were half brothers to Christ.)  The book of Mark was written for Peter by Mark, a friend of Peter that may have had personal contact with Jesus at the last supper.\n\nPaul had contact with Jesus after the ascension.  Luke never had any contact with Christ nor did John the Divine (author of Revelations.)  The Divine had visions given him by Christ that he wrote down as his book.
1162432
The path in the old testament is clear. Obediance, contrition, fear\nthe path in the many books that make up the new testament are a little harder to follow. I'd like to think that any God worth his salt would let in everyone innocent of major sin. Why would a God create all these people who never have a chance to learn about Jesus only to condem them to hell? I guess this is the same God who would have wild bears maul 42 children for calling someone "baldy" (2 kings 2:23)
94503
Paul wrote the most of the letters  in the New Testiment.  I do not believe he had anything to do with any of the Gospels!
860899
first all the Bible was written by men, men who loved and followed  Jesus and wrote down his words\nand before Jesus, men were called scribes and they wrote down what they witnessed...\nand the new testament was also written by men with Jesus' words and the men's witnessing of what Jesus did and said,\nthe new testament is a fulfillment of the word from the old testament,\nGod did not change his mind, time went on and the Bible only fulfilled what was told and what happened,\n\ngood luck\nsmile\nand\nGod Bless
1080723
I know and to be a gospel it had to be written by one of the disciples or their assistant.  The gos[pel of Thomas, Judas etc, were NOT written by them.  The stuff that people will believe!