Bible Contradictions?

Question

I see a lot of people say that the Bible is full of contradictions, but no one states what they are. Can someone please tell me where they find a contradiction in the Bible?

Please explain how they are a contradiction, and where I can find both statements. Thanks

I am a believer in Christ and yall have just furthered my belief.
Any of the contradictions you have listed can easily be refuted. None of them have an merit, sorry.

To the girl who wrote about Judas, both say that a field was bought and he hung himself...wheres the contradiction?

Answer 1

I have seen this same question asked. One man gave a web site with a list of many.I actually went there and checked out a few. All nonsense/non contradictions. Every single one was bogus.
I've studied the bible for 20+years and have never come accross a REAL contradiction.

Answer 2

Bible difficulties, or apparent Bible contradictions, exist. The opponents of Christianity often use them in their attempts to discredit Christianity. Sometimes these attacks undermine the faith of Christians who either don't understand the issues or don't have the resources to deal with them.

Opponents of Christianity will cite what they consider a Bible contradiction or difficulty by comparing one verse to another (or more) that seems to disagree with the first. In doing this, several verses are often referenced as being contradictory or problematic. Therefore, to make this section of CARM easy to use, it is arranged by verse for easy lookup. Since many of the same "difficulties" deal with one verse in opposition to another or even several others, I have listed all the verses addressed in the same answer. This makes the initial list look larger than it really is. For example, how many animals did Noah bring into the ark? Genesis 6:19-20 says two while Gen. 7:2-3 mentions seven. Therefore, both verses are listed and both links point to the same answer.

http://carm.org/introduction-bible-difficulties-and-bible-contradictions

If we read the Bible at face value, without a preconceived bias for finding errors, we will find it to be a coherent, consistent, and relatively easy-to-understand book. Yes, there are difficult passages. Yes, there are verses that appear to contradict each other. We must remember that the Bible was written by approximately 40 different authors over a period of around 1500 years. Each writer wrote with a different style, from a different perspective, to a different audience, for a different purpose. We should expect some minor differences. However, a difference is not a contradiction. It is only an error if there is absolutely no conceivable way the verses or passages can be reconciled. Even if an answer is not available right now, that does not mean an answer does not exist. Many have found a supposed error in the Bible in relation to history or geography only to find out that the Bible is correct once further archaeological evidence is discovered.

http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-errors.html

The Big Book of Bible Difficulties: Clear and Concise Answers from Genesis to Revelation
By: Norman L. Geisler, Thomas Howe
http://www.christianbook.com/difficulties-clear-concise-answers-genesis-revelation/norman-geisler/9780801071584/pd/071584?event=AFF&p=1011693&

Answer 3

LEV 11:6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

Rabbits do not chew cud.


How about the order of creation?

Here is the order in the first (Genesis 1), the Priestly tradition:

Day 1: Sky, Earth, light
Day 2: Water, both in ocean basins and above the sky(!)
Day 3: Plants
Day 4: Sun, Moon, stars (as calendrical and navigational aids)
Day 5: Sea monsters (whales), fish, birds, land animals, creepy-crawlies (reptiles, insects, etc.)
Day 6: Humans (apparently both sexes at the same time)
Day 7: Nothing (the Gods took the first day off anyone ever did)

Note that there are "days," "evenings," and "mornings" before the Sun was created. Here, the Deity is referred to as "Elohim," which is a plural, thus the literal translation, "the Gods." In this tale, the Gods seem satisfied with what they have done, saying after each step that "it was good."

The second one (Genesis 2), the Yahwist tradition, goes:

Earth and heavens (misty)
Adam, the first man (on a desolate Earth)
Plants
Animals
Eve, the first woman (from Adam's rib)

Answer 4

Ok, how about the commandment "thou shall not kill" and the following verses:

Esther 2:23, 3:13, 7:10, 9:6-10, 9:14-16
Job 1:15-17
Psalms 18:40, 18:47, 21:9, 58:10, 59:11-13, 68:21, 11:4, 118:11-12, 137:9, 140:9-11, 149:6-9
Jeremiah 5:9, 6:4-5, 7:31, 9:16 & 25, 12:12-17, 13:14, 15:6, 16:4-5, 17:27, 21:7, 46:10, 50:28, 52:27


Read your book of mythology with your blinders off then we can discuss it.

Answer 5

My favorite is the whole death of Judas part.

What exactly DOES he do with the money he got for betraying Jesus? There are two very different accounts. And I've never heard them recconciled. (Did he throw it on the ground in front of the temple, or use it to buy a plot of land?)

And there are two accounts of how he died, though I've heard Christians try and talk their way out of that one. They have to stretch credulity quite a bit though.

Edit: One plainly states that he gave the gold back to the temple, the other clearly states that he used it to purchase a feild. How is that not a contradiction? I've read the explanation of it, and it's BS. Pulling at straws, to try and force the contradiction to go away.

I'm not trying to tell you what to believe, but you asked us for some contradiction, and that is definitely one of them. If you don't actually want someone to answer your question, why did you ask it? Why not just go on in blind belief?

Answer 6

Misty beat me to it with that site. Here's a favorite from it:

PRO 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

ECC 1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

So, is it good to be wise or is it bad?

That kind of thing is what makes me roll my eyes when I hear people say "God wrote the bible through other people, that's why it's true!"

It's a book written by guys who died a long long long long time ago.

And yes, anything can be refuted through interpretation. That's another thing that slays me. Something that is supposedly "the truth" shouldn't HAVE to be interpreted and thought of so mystically. There should be no question as to what it means. There may be no question to YOU, but to a million other Christians and non-Christians alike one book or verse can mean any number of things.

Answer 7

There are Bible difficulties. We need to remember that God does not err, but people do. There are some human mistakes and then if something seems to be a contradiction, the better study on subject reveals what the message is.

Answer 8

You'll get some non-believers spouting a list of illeged "contadictions". If you are on this forum long enough, they are usually the same ones. Anyone can find them if they do an internet search using the key words "bible contradictions". What's funny is... for every site listing contadictions, there is a site which refutes the contradictions, it's just an endless waste of time. "It is by faith we are saved, and that, not of ourselves".

Answer 9

I am a devout Christian. I have read the scriptures countless times. and over all there is one noticeable difference that I always recognize in the bible. before I mention it I'd like to say that this does not sway my faith in the bibles importance. I realize that the bible is meant to be a guide. That its teachings are meant to open our hearts and minds to eachother and to God. Now, the difference I have found is in the New Testament, One Gospel speaks of the two prisoners who were also being crucified with Jesus, and it speaks of them chastizing Jesus, for not showing the world his power and jumping off the cross, now another one of the Gospels speaks of the same two prisoners, except that only one chastizes Jesus, and the other actually tells Jesus that he believes in him, and Jesus says to him his faith has granted him a place in Heaven.
Now like I said, this means nothing to me. wether or not one or both men chastized Jesus. The bible for me is a tool to help me in solidifying my faith and life practices. The messages are always the same. Love one another, and Love God. Little discrepencies are acceptable because over time and several interpretations things are bound to be skewed. But always the messages of the bible never change. Love one another as you would Love yourself, and Love God. simple. Why people of the world deny themselves this philosophy of life is beyond me. There is no harm to do so, except the part where Jesus mentions that because Jesus suffered on earth for who he is, so shall we as followers, because of the content of what inhabits the earth, but thats another question for you to figure out.

Answer 10

Wow, you opened up the floodgates.....be sure to ask for explanations from people who know the Bible for these so called "contradictions" too.