how can there be so many diffrent interpretations?

Question

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost.

Answer 1

Yes, the word of God is not open to private interpretation. Instead, it should be interpreted through the power of the Holy Ghost. The problem is that men have spent over 1,500 years denying the spirit of prophecy. Men spent over 1,500 years saying that the heavens were closed and that there were no more revelations. This attitude pretty much meant that we were on our own when it came to interpreting the Bible and people started using their own wisdom rather than relying on God. This is what has lead to the many very different interpretations of the Bible. This is why we have so many different religions.

Which religion is the correct one? Why, mine, of course. Of course, almost everyone else feels the same about their own religion. Everyone believes that their religion is the one that is interpreting the Bible using the Holy Ghost, but we can't all be doing so. The vast majority of religions have to have at least some false doctrines. It is up to each of us to search out and find the one that has the most, if not all of, the truth.

Answer 2

If we were to assume that the Bible is indeed the factual word of God, then there would still be many interpretations because of the difficulty of finding an "exact" translation from one language to another, and now the Bible has been translated to and from so many different languages that it's almost impossible to know what the original documents said. Also, the collection is just a selection of documents that the older churches decided should be in the volume, and there are other historical documents that have been left out. Some interesting philosophical reading on the subject can be found in John Steinbeck's book "East of Eden" which discusses how one simple word which cannot be translated exactly from the original and has been translated into several forms "would," "should," "could," and "must" depending on the version of the Bible, affects the entire meaning of the story of Cain and Abel. And that's just the beginning...

Answer 3

Christians like any other religion, were persecuted and forced into exile.

During exile, the group of people is split up.

Some go north, some go south, some go east or west.

As a result these books get passed down and translated differently and there you go.

Holy Books are also often compiled by different groups of Priests in different regions.

Like the Greek Priests and the Ethipian Orthodox, etc, etc... so some of the Bibles actually have more books than the others.

This become interesting, because if you read all the books, you actually get a broader understanding of Christianity, as God's Word and a religion, as well as a historical viewpoint.

In my opinion, these are Holy Books too. Like the book of Enoch. It only is present in the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible, but played an important life in the roles of early Christians and also explains alot that the NIV doesn't.

Answer 4

Here is a true translation from the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures - according to the original Greek writings.

1 Peter 1:19-21 reads -
19. Consequently we have the prophetic word [made] more sure; and YOU are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and a daystar rises, in YOUR hearts.

20. For YOU know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation.

21 For prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit.

I know that older Bible versions that were translated were written in a language of the "Olden days"... in other words, The King James Version is in Old English which is not popular...and sometimes makes it hard to understand in our everyday language.

The scripture which you are interested in knowing about basically tells us that Prophecy does not originate with Man...but from Jehovah God through his active force, or Holy Spirit.

Bible prophecy is not a dead record of already fulfilled predictions. Many prophecies found in the Scriptures are now in the course of fulfillment or await realization in the near future.

Unlike some comments made on this question -
Many historians can back up prophecies mentioned in the Bible according to Archeological findings.

Jehovah's Witnesses know that the Bible is a book of reliable prophecy. And they fully agree with the apostle Peter's exhortation: "We have the prophetic word made more sure; and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and a daystar rises, in your hearts." (2 Peter 1:19)

Our sincere hope is that you will be heartened by the splendid prospects that Bible prophecy holds out for the future!

Answer 5

Most people do not have the first clue about the above passages and could care less. The Holy Bible is the most fantastic book that was ever written but most people don't know that. Each person has a mind to think, reason, and understand. That is the way we are made. We are not robots. Most people believe what they were taught from birth. They form their own oipinions as they get older. If they are never taught The Holy Bible from a young age they are easily led astray.

Answer 6

Because the original language of the New Testament was written in Greek. For Ex: The Greek language has 3 words for love. "Eros" which is romantic love "Phelia" love between friends and "agape" Christian love " or the love of God operating in the human heart. In English of course we only one word, but English is a language base of context (surrounding words).
Ex: I love my wife. I really love my best friend Bob because he is trustworthy. But of course my love for my wife and friend are two different types of love.
In addition, when the scholars translate the Bible from Greek to English it depends on which way the scholars were aiming for "Dymanic" is a translation for getting the "idea" (The message, New Living Word)
On the other hand we have a formal translation this is a more a word for word translation (KJV,NKJV NABS, ESV)
Just like any other language from English to Spanish you just want have the exact word for word translation.
This does not mean that the Bible is not trustworthy however, the translation we have are very good. The doctrine is accurate dealing with Salvation by grace not by work, Christ the only way to God etc. etc. But if you are looking for the exact word for word translations they have Greek Bibles for the New Testament and Hebrew Bibles for the Old because the Old T. was written in Hebrew. They have program called Bible Works were you can scroll down the Greek and see what the word means in English

Answer 7

Peter isnt talking about how the believers process Scripture.....

Peter is talking about the revelations themselves given to prophets by God ARE NOT dependent upon mans interpretation. In other words, guided by the Holy Spirit, Moses, Elijah, Jesus, Paul, Peter merely proclaimed exactly what God wanted them to without the doubt of his message and not relying on them to interpret it. (with possibly the exception of apocolytpic literature which is not meant to be specific) though they were given visions.

Answer 8

Its not the interpretation thats the problem, it's the traslation. 2 Timothy 2:16 says "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Understand you will hear from unrightious people who will say the bible is a lie and so on. But remember that people who have realized they are living in sin and ask God to forgive them of their sins and asked Jesus in their hearts will then begin to understand His inspiration. Read 2 Timothy 3:15-16

Answer 9

The Bible is changed to suit changing conditions. Sounds a bit man-made does it not. Consider this.

The Bible is trash.

The Bible is the biggest load of garbage and codswallop ever written by man, and I’m sure it will go down in history as the greatest load of gobbledygook ever to inflict such traumatic mental and physical damage on humanity, but still today, some people sadly believe the Bible to be true. That’s very sad indeed. Very sad.

When people quote various passages from the Bible, for example ...

Mathew 5:29-30 God encouraged self-mutilation.
Isaiah 13:15-18 God allowed women raped and little children slaughtered.
Genesis 6:11-17 and 7:11-24 God is the greatest mass murder in history.

What happens? Religious people pop up from under every stone with the same old garbage. “That was the old Bible, or we’ve changed the meaning, or wrong interpretation, or we’ve changed the context, or the quotes are out of context or or or, excuse after excuse.”

The fact is, they are Bible quotes, and the Bible is full of evil atrocities which religious people continually cover up, yet seem happy to drum into the minds of gullible little children. This is such a shameful disgrace in a civilised world.

If religious people are unable to apply commonsense and logic to develop a simple moral code to live by, then perhaps they could strip out of the Bible the evil, murders, rapes, abuse, and all traumatic references. Granted there will not be a lot left to read, but at least religious people may end up with a decent moral code to follow based on good, and not scare the living daylights out of innocent little children.

Answer 10

Because men all trust their own understandings. I'd say a lot of Bible believers have intentions to take the Word at face value and stick with it, but, at some point we dont understand something or disagree and then we use our own person interpretation.