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Because Christianity was from the beginning a missionary religion, the New Testament soon began to be translated into other languages. The first of these was into Syriac sometime in the second century; the oldest extant Syriac manuscripts come from the fourth century. Latin versions followed, culminating in the Vulgate, translated by Jerome in the second half of the fourth century. Coptic manuscripts come from the third century, whereas Armenian and Ethiopic versions are from the fifth and sixth centuries. In all more than 19,000 manuscripts in other languages survive.
Not only do many manuscripts exist but the writings of the New Testament are well attested in the works of the Church Fathers. The writings of Justin Martyr (died A.D. 165), Irenaeus (A.D. 130-202), Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 150-215), Origen (A.D. 185-254), Tertullian (A.D. 160-225), Hippolytus (A.D. 170-236) and Eusebius (A.D. 260-340) contain over 19,000 quotations and citations from the Gospels. So much of the New Testament appears in the writings of the Church Fathers that, had we no ancient manuscripts, the greater part of the New Testament could be reconstructed from their writings.
Certainly there are minor variations among these many manuscripts but scholars agree that there is no modification in the basic message that they convey.
Luke's chronology
In ancient times precise dates seem to have been less important than they are today and, in the Gospels, only Luke provides specific chronological data. In Luke 2:1,2, we find: "And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria."
Josephus identifies Cyrenius as governor in Syria from A.D. 6 onwards. However an inscription from Antioch shows he was proconsul in Syria from 11 B.C. until after the death of Herod the Great in 4 B.C.
A papyrus published by the British Museum shows that the Roman census took place every fourteen years, with one beginning in 8 B.C. In addition, an archaeological find from Egypt shows that it was customary for people to return to their city of birth "in order that they may complete the family registration of the enrollment."
Again in Luke 3:1,2 we find its author demonstrating the historicity of his Gospel when he states:
"(1) Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberias Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother, Philip, tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanais, the tetrarch of Abilene.
(2) Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John….
Pilate's tenure was from A.D. 26-36, Herod Antipas from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39, Philip from 4.B.C. to A.D. 33/34. Caiaphas was the official high priest from A.D. 18/19 to A.D. 36, while his father-in-law, Annas, although deposed in A.D. 15, appears to have retained his "high priest" title. Regarding Lysanias, an inscription from the reign of Tiberias has shown that one of that name was indeed tetrarch in Abila, near Damascus.
This carefully constructed synchronization of dates by Luke helps to provide confidence in the historicity of the events narrated.
Archaeology
The naming by Luke of Lysanias as being tetrarch of Abila is but one of the archaeological evidences for the accuracy of the Gospel stories. In fact, Luke's mention of geographical sites--thirty-two countries, fifty four cities, and nine islands--has proved to be totally accurate. Though New Testament archaeology has not yet corroborated where Jesus lived, it has shown there was a synagogue at Capernaum in the first century A.D. Thus archaeology has illuminated and in some cases confirmed the existence of people, places, and cultural factors relevant to the historical Jesus.
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