Since the Bible has so many discrepancies....?

Question

Well, at least this is what I am always seeing online....
Can you name some of these discrepancies?

I am interested in hearing other's perspectives. I am especially interested in Athiest, Muslim, and Jewish thoughts

Thanks

Answer 1

God is satisfied with his works: Gen 1:31
God is dissatisfied with his works: Gen 6:6

God dwells in chosen temples: 2 Chron 7:12, 16
God dwells not in temples: Acts 7:48

God dwells in light: 1 Tim 6:16
God dwells in darkness: 1 Kings 8:12, Ps 18:11, Ps 97:2

God is seen and heard: Ex 33:23, Ex 33:11, Gen 3:9-10, Gen 32:30, Is 6:1, Ex 24:9-11
God is invisible and cannot be heard: John 1:18, John 5:37, Ex 33:20, 1 Tim 6:16

God is tired and rests: Ex 31:17, Jer 15:6
God is never tired and never rests: Is 40:28

God is everywhere present, sees and knows all things: Prov 15:3, Ps 139:7-10, Job 34:21-22
God is not everywhere present, neither sees nor knows all things: Gen 11:5, Gen 18:20-21, Gen 3:8

God knows the hearts of men: Acts 1:24, Ps 139:2-3
God tries men to find out what is in their hearts: Deut 13:3, Deut 8:2, Gen 22:12

God is all-powerful: Jer 32:27, Matt 19:26
God is not all-powerful: Judges 1:19

God is unchangeable: James 1:17, Mal 3:6, Ezek 24:14, Num 23:19
God is changeable: Gen 6:6, Jonah 3:10, 1 Sam 2:30-31, 2 Kings 20:1-6, Ex 33:1, 3, 14, 17

God is just and impartial: Ps 92:15, Gen 18:25, Deut 32:4, Rom 2:11, Ezek 18:25
God is unjust and impartial: Gen 9:25, Ex 20:5, Rom 9:11-13, Matt 13:12

God is the author of evil: Lam 3:38, Jer 18:11, Is 45:7, Amos 3:6, Ezek 20:25
God is not the author of evil: 1 Cor 14:33, Deut 32:4, James 1:13

God gives freely to those who ask: James 1:5, Luke 11:10
God withholds his blessings and prevents men from receiving them: John 12:40, Josh 11:20, Is 63:17

God is to be found by those who seek him: Matt 7:8, Prov 8:17
God is not to be found by those who seek him: Prov 1:28

God is warlike: Ex 15:3, Is 51:15
God is peaceful: Rom 15:33, 1 Cor 14:33

God is cruel, unmerciful, destructive, and ferocious: Jer 13:14, Deut 7:16, 1 Sam 15:2-3, 1 Sam 6:19, Deut 4:24
God is kind, merciful, and good: James 5:11, Lam 3:33, 1 Chron 16:34, Ezek 18:32, Ps 145:9, 1 Tim 2:4, 1 John 4:16, Ps 25:8

God’s anger is fierce and endures long: Num 32:13, Num 25:4, Jer 17:4
God’s anger is slow and endures but for a moment: Ps 103:8, Ps 30:5

God commands, approves of and delights in burnt offerings, sacrifices, and holy days: Ex 29:36, Lev 23:27, Ex 29:18, Lev 1:9
God disapproves of, and has no pleasure in burnt offerings, sacrifices, and holy days: Jer 7:22, Jer 6:20, Ps 50:13-14, Is 1:11-13

God accepts human sacrifices: 2 Sam 21:8-9,14, Gen 22:2, Judges 11:30-32, 34, 38-39
God forbids human sacrifice: Deut 12:30-31

God tempts men: Gen 22:1, 2 Sam 24:1, Jer 20:7, Matt 6:13
God tempts no man: James 1:13

God cannot lie: Heb 6:18
God lies by proxy; he sends forth lying spirits to deceive: 2 Thes 2:11, 1 Kings 22:23, Ezek 14:9

Because of man’s wickedness God destroys him: Gen 6:5-7
Because of man’s wickedness God will not destroy him: Gen 8:21

God’s attributes are revealed in his works: Rom 1:20
God attributes cannot be discovered: Job 11:7, Is 40:28

There is but one God: Deut 6:4
There is a plurality of Gods: Gen 1:26, Gen 3:22, Gen 18:1-3, 1 John 5:7

I am an Atheist

Answer 2

The Bible has many seeming contradictions within its pages. For example, the four Gospels give four differing accounts as to what was written on the sign that hung on the cross. Matthew said, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews” (27:37). However, Mark contradicts that with “The King of the Jews” (15:26). Luke says something different: “This is the King of the Jews” (23:38), and John maintains that the sign said “Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews” (19:19).

Those who are looking for contradictions may therefore say, “See—the Bible is full of mistakes!” and choose to reject it entirely as being untrustworthy. However, those who trust God have no problem harmonizing the Gospels. There is no contradiction if the sign simply said, “This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.”

The godly base their confidence on two truths: 1) “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16); and 2) an elementary rule of Scripture is that God has deliberately included seeming contradictions in His Word to “snare” the proud. He has “hidden” things from the “wise and prudent” and “revealed them to babes” (Luke 10:21), purposely choosing foolish things to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27).

Answer 3

Please don't fault the Bible because of the answers you got from people on this forum. How could you? They are not all being taught the truth from the Bible. For instance, what if you asked "Christians" if animals have a soul? You could get 50 different answers for that question, although the Bible clearly says animals are souls. You might ask "Christians" what God's name is. Here it comes again--50 more conflicting answers, although the Bible clearly says God's name is Jehovah.

If you want to know the truth about religion, chances are you will not get it from this forum. The Bible is the clear Word of God. It has no discrepancies. The fault lies with the people who THINK they know what it says.

Answer 4

I am a Catholic, and I love the Bible. But I don't try to pretend it's a science book or a historical documentary.

I'll limit myself to just three examples:

1. Why the Bible isn't a science book: Genesis says God created light on the first day, then the sun on the fourth day. Genesis is a beautiful story about God's power and goodness -- He created everything with just his word, and saw that it was good. That's the point. Not the science.

2. Why the Bible isn't a historical documentary: Read each of the four gospel accounts of the discovery that Jesus had risen from the dead. Who was the first to find out? Mary Magdalene (alone)? Mary and two other women? Peter and John? Read them. Each is a little bit different. But that's not the point. The point is, just when those who loved him most felt that all was lost, it turned out that all was won! Jesus rose from the dead! Does it really matter who was the first to know?

3. Read the accounts in Mark and John of the woman who anointed Jesus shortly before he died. Mark says it was at the house of Simon the Leper, and she anointed his head. John says it was at the house of Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead and she anointed his feet. So whose house was it? Did she anoint his head or his feet? It doesn't matter. The point is, Jesus honored her for her love, her devotion. The apostles might have been right about the economics -- that the oil could have been sold for 300 days' wages and the money given to the poor -- but Jesus cared more about the love in her heart than the price of the oil. He did not want the church to tear itself apart by making the perfect the enemy of the good, and in this case, her love was more perfect than their economics.

Conclusion: Yes, there are many many discrepancies about unimportant details. But that just helps prevent us from becoming too dogmatic and it doesn't detract one bit from the beautiful messages and the depth of understanding we can gain about God and our relationship with him by reading it.

Read it, love it, and don't sweat the small stuff.

Answer 5

Old school needs some schooling.

Atheists tend to read one line and derive a whole new meaning from it.
It is like assembling an object and reading direction #8 while there is 100 steps.
The discrepancies that are talked about are easily, yes easily explained if the correct reading is done.
There are no assumptions or random acts like evolution that happen.
The Bible is clear. You need an uncluttered mind.
The on line so called discrepancies are not valid in any particular way.
They are feeble attempts at persecution.

Answer 6

Jesus said, "Woe to the SCRIBES and Pharisees!" The scribes were the ones
that made copies of the scriptures so others could read them, as they didn't have
printing presses in those days. People notoriously like to change things around they
don't understand, to fit thier own understanding.
Nevertheless, the Book is not as contrary as they would like to make it out to be!
Rather it looks at both sides of the story. Our Creator understands human nature,
and that we are individuals.
When we read scriptutre, we usually see what goes along with with our own way
of thinking, and ignore everything else. When reading any "inspired" writing, we should ask for guidance. Then, if one gets a little too liberal, the Spirit will lead them to something more conservative. And if one gets a little too consevartive, the Spirit will lead them to something more liberal. As our Creator wants us to have an EVEN mind.

Answer 7

The Bible has no discrepancies in its intended message. Minor discrepancies in historical trivia or scientific principles are utterly irrelevant to the message of the Bible.

Answer 8

There are numerous inconsistencies within the bible. Almost too numerous to mention here. While others have given some examples, I'll just refer you to a site:

http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/

It's a little annoying to navigate, but it lists passages from the bible, book of mormon, and the quran.

Answer 9

There are no discrepancies.There is a difference between the old and new testament. Some words that are the same in English actually have a different connotation in the original Greek or Hebrew. When you study the bible and look up key words and read the whole chapter instead of just one verse, you will understand.ta

Answer 10

Like was mentioned, it was the interpretation changing through the years and with language barriers and whatnot. For example the story of sodom and ghommora was most likely not originally about gay people but it was intrepretted that way either intentionally or intentionally when translated into English. That's the case for a lot of things.

Do I still believe the Bible is the word of God? Yes, but we should be guided by more than the Bible, hence why Church doctrine is also necessary.

Answer 11

Saint Barnabus was a deciple of Jesus
The gospel of Barnabus originally in the bible has been removed many years ago by the Vatican -

REASON?
Jesus mentions in the gospel about the coming of the final and true messenger of God ( which in fact was Mohamed )