The early church fathers extensively quoted the biblical text in their writings, providing valuable insights into the state of the New Testament during their time.

While the exact number of quotations varies (some scholars report over 30,000 quotations), it is true that a substantial portion of the New Testament can be reconstructed from their quotes (minus roughly 11 verses).

These extensive quotations from the early church fathers provide a robust foundation for reconstructing the New Testament's content, doctrines, and teachings. It's a testament to the widespread dissemination and acceptance of these writings in the early Christian community. Even if I grant you the assertion (which I won’t) that the original manuscripts were lost, changed or edited, these quotations would serve as a substantial basis for understanding the core tenets of the Christian faith as transmitted by the apostles and disciples.

The consistency across these quotes reinforces the reliability of the biblical text.