The Codex Sinaiticus Will Soon Be Online, Now The Question Is Which Bible To Believe

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For 1,500 years the Codex Sinaiticus laid in a Sinai monastery undisturbed. In 1844 the monks say it was stolen and spilt between Egypt, Russia, Germany and Britain.

The different parts of the Codex will be merged together online. Everyone in the world with an Internet connection will be able to read the complete text and a translation.

For those who say that the Bible they are now reading is the word of God they may have some heavy questions. The original text differs from what is on the pages of the King James Bible and other modern versions.

The Codex is the oldest Bible that is still around. It also includes books that were not included in the Authorised Version, the version most Christians are familiar with. It also does not have verses about the Resurrection.

It's amazing that the Codex is still around. Since at least the 4th century it had been hidden at St Catherine's Monastery when it was discovered in the early 19th century. It remained intact because of the dry desert air.

There are still 30 Greek Orthodox monks that reside at St Catherine's. The monastery is a holy place for Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The burning bush of Moses is in the area.

Outside of the Vatican, the monastery has the largest library of early manuscripts. There are about 33,000 of the earliest religions printed word there. The monastery is also home to a collection of icons.

The Codex that was preserved in the desert has two extra New Testament book. The Shepherd of Hermas, written in Rome and the Epistle of Barbabas. The Epistle tells the death of Jesus in a different light that other Gospels have; that the Jews were the ones that killed the man that is considered by many as the Son of God.

"His blood be upon us," Barnabas has the Jews cry.

The Codex does not mention the ascension of Jesus into heaven and omits references to the Resurrection. The Archbishop of Canterbury has stated that those are the basis of Christian belief.

The critics will be discussing the text for decades trying to figure out which versions are the true word of God.

The BBC reports:

"It should be regarded as a living text, something constantly changing as generation and generation tries to understand the mind of God," says David Parker, a Christian working on digitising the Codex.