Inconsistencies in the Bible? Where? (See details please)?

Question

OK, I have read the bible, almost the entire bible, excluding a few minor prophets I haven't finished yet.

Please!!! No rude comments trying to convince me to be a certain religion.

All I want to know is where the inconsistencies in the bible are! Just give me the book, chapter and verse and where it contradicts something else. Thanks!

Wow, im amazed how many people won't just answer my question. Dont say "there are alot", just tell me where please!

As a Christian I understand why you would throw in something about it, but I want to throw a special thanks out to those of you that actually answered my question and left me bible verses. Thanks!

Answer 1

Here is a list of over 1300 of them: http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/by_book.html

Example
Plants were created before humans.
Genesis 1:11-13, 27-31
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so .... And the evening and the morning were the third day.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them .... And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Plants were created after humans.
Genesis 2:4-7
These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth ... And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground.

Answer 2

How about the difference in the order of creation in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. In Genesis 1 it states that animals are created before man and that man and woman were created at the same time. However, in Genesis 2, it states that man was created first, then animals, then man gets to name the animals, then a woman is created. Two different stories with different orders of events.


As you can see by all of the answers that poured in so quickly, there are plenty of contradictions in the bible. A lot of people will say those are just errors in translation. I guess that means the bible is full of errors and not contradictions. Some will rationalize it and say that the write meant to write something else. Some will say that it is being taken out of context, yet not explain how it is out of context. Some will just make up stories to explain how the contradiction happened. The sheer amount goofs in the bible, even with the explanations above, show that it is not a divine work. If it is not a divine work then it is a work from man. If it is a work from man then there needs to be a lot more evidence than just a bible before a person should be expected to believe in a god.

There is a reason why a lot of atheists will tell you they became atheist because they read the bible.

Answer 3

The big ones are between the Gospels in the New Testament.

For instance, look at the differences in the Nativity. There are two verrrry different accounts of the time around JC's birth.

Start there.

Also, you'll find some differences in attitudes toward women. There are things called "pastorals" and some other kind of writing that Paul did.

But actually, Paul didn't write everything attributed to him. He only wrote SOME of the stuff--the stuff that seems kinda liberal and not-particularly-sexist.

The bit about, "don't let women speak in church"? NOT Paul!

Some Church fool wrote that in about 3-400, when they were "setting" the Canon of accepted books of the Bible.

It's a scam! Don't believe it! The stuff that doesn't fit in with the groovy, liberal, love-everybody philosophy that Jesus embodied is almost ALWAYS a later addition!

If it sounds like it doesn't fit, that's because some nasty theologian-type from 3-400 wedged it in MUCH LATER than the JC Posse.

Think HARD about the tone of these gospels. Think about what fits, and what doesn't.

You'll see the inconsistencies in style and message soon enough.

Or get some books on the subject--that would work, too.

Answer 4

I've studied the Bible for 35 years and have found none. Sometimes I think I may find one, but more information and a little study proved otherwise. One of these examples would be "who killed Goliath?" Now most of us know through I Samuel 17:50 that it was David that slew Goliath. However, later on in II Samuel 21:19, it says Elhanan slew Goliath. However, in I Chronicles 20:5 it says Elhanan slew the brother of Goliath. So which is it? So, I did a little, simple looking in to it.

If you look the latter two passages up in the Young's Interlinear, you will see that the word "brother" is in the second Samuel text in the original Hebrew. However, it was untranslated due to a slight distortion in one of the letters.

II Samuel 21:19
0853 את 'eth ayth = untranslatable (closest is plowshares, but has other letters attached)

I Chronicles 20:5
0251 אח 'ach awkh = Brother

In Hebrew, the three letters that look almost identical are the Tav "ת", the Hay "ה" and the Khet "ח". A distortion in the Khet of Second Samuel 21 caused it to look like a Tav, and thus render the two-letter word as untranslatable. Rather than researching the possible distortion, the translators chose to ignore it.

The book of Chronicles is a backup for just such an occurrence. In computers, when you copy or save files, a hard drive will write the information twice to make sure the task was performed accurately. This is called "parity" and the Bible utilizes this technique as well.

So the Bible, in its original text, comes through just fine.
_____________________

As for the Genesis "when was man created". Did anyone go to school and take writing class? It is called a summary. Come now, you can do better than THAT! :D

Answer 5

You have to check the bible verses the original text which is the Torah. There are 27 major changes from the Torah to the Bible. The omission of Lilith, Adams first wife is but one of the changes. The change from reincarnation to Resurrection during the second counsel of Constantinople is another. There are the simple ones also like "If Adam and Eve were the first humans and they had amongst their children Cain and Able, Cain kills Able then goes and buys a wife, Where did she come from?
You have to compare the Bible and Koran against the original called the Torah to get it all straight.

Answer 6

I'll give you one, which I've recently come across.

Mark 14:12; 15:25 states that Jesus was crucified the day after the Passover meal was eaten. John 19:14 says it was the day before.

I found this in a wonderful book called "Misquoting Jesus," by Bart D. Ehrman. I'd recommend it highly to anyone who's fond of reading the Bible.

Answer 7

Sounds to me like you are already filled with a spirit of discernment.. Did you read the New Testament before you read the Old? From the way you talk it sounds like you did.. That is the best way.. Jim

Answer 8

I know that some people have a hard time with the 2 accounts of creation. In Genesis.

I am a Christian and I am not bothered by this. Or any of the other ones mentioned here. I have the Holy Spirit inside me and I know that Jesus loves me better than anyone else.

I don't think that denying they exist is going to help anyone.

Answer 9

The major reason people see "inconsistencies in the Bible" is they lack understanding. This understanding comes from the Holy Spirit. They pick and choose passages that are totally unrelated and they do not fit, so they call it an inconsistency.
One thing we must understand is they think that one day a frog will become a man (evolution).

Answer 10

Those who lean unto there own understanding of scripture are leading others astray and blinded by their "pride!" But this has to occur for the Kingdom of God is coming to this earth and establish His way as the only way.

Pride is man's downfall. The End of the circle of man's self rule will be the beginning of Christ's Kingdom but that "pride" must be broken first!

Answer 11

If you find anything that may not be clear, check out a King Jame's Bible that you can get from an LDS(the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) bookstore. It is exactly the same bible but it has footnotes that clear a few things up.