On these pages is a list of what appears to be inconsistencies in the Bible. How should they be interpreted? That is what each reader of this section needs to consider.
To the atheist and anyone who disbelieves in the Bible, this may provide proof for his/her stand. There is no way around it. The evidence is in black and white.
To the Bible purist who believes in the inerrancy of these Scriptures, there is nothing wrong. There is an explanation for every perceived difference. Many of them are really insignificant.
Is either view right, or can each be attributed to the emotional and traditional experience of the reader? Is the Bible completely wrong, or is it completely error free? Or is there an answer somewhere in between these extreme views?
The purpose of this list is to bring out the fact that changes occur as a document passes through the centuries. These may be caused by changes in handwriting and words within a language; in transferring thoughts from an ancient language to a modern one; in the actual copying from one scroll to another; by writing from different viewpoints; or even by deliberate changing. This does not necessarily mean that the original lost documents were wrong. These facts are known by Biblical scholars. Where are the originals? What are these later ones, some only fragments, that were preserved?
There has been editing from at least the time of Ezra. There is Biblical evidence that some changes have been deliberate (Jeremiah 8:8). There is a theory, based on research, that the Calpurnius Piso family of the early Christian era in Rome, created a fictional story, which became the New Testament. Within the Restored New Testament (James Pryse) and the Scholars’ Version (Fellows of the Jesus Seminar) are arguments suggesting that everything in the New Testament is not authentic. If one checks the mythology and legends of ancient people worldwide, similarities to stories within the Bible are evident. One needs to consider these points, regardless of his own views.
Was the Bible inspired by God? Was it written by God? Many Christians seem to believe so. If that be true, there should be no errors or need to revise old versions and to create new ones. However, when man becomes involved, something is likely to go wrong. It was man who decided which writings should be included and which should be omitted. It was man who debated whether or not the Book of the Revelation should be included. It was man who removed the Apocrypha from later editions of the 1611 King James Version. If there are actually errors, it is man who is at fault. If one should examine the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, from a literary standpoint, there is strong evidence of inspired writing.
It is our hope that both those who condemn the Bible and those who defend it as being inerrant will examine it thoroughly without a religious bias to learn what really is there. Also, one should study the history of the writings from all available sources. Read both sides of the issue before coming to your own conclusion. The presence of errors can be overcome, not by dwelling on them nor by brushing them aside. There are Christians who are aware of the inconsistencies. They do not place the book on a high pedestal, yet gain the message it contains. The challenge to search for truth lies before you.
