You are right. They did not want people to read what he Bible really says. Guess the so called leaders knew they were not telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
They didn’t want the people to know the truth because the truth would set them free.
Free from the demands of a legalistic religious system that controlled almost every aspect of their lives.
Absolute control of people with the added plus of claiming that it is God sanctioned and that their eternal destiny is on the line for not submitting.
What a racket.