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ARE THERE ERRORS IN THE BIBLE?

1. Actual errors
     a. Intential (attempts to improve text) and non-intentional (mistakes in                       copying).
     b. Effect
          1) 1/1000 of New Testament in doubt.
          2) No one important doctrine rests on the doubtful reading of a text.
     c. Examples:
          1) II Chronicles 22:2, 21:5 & II Kings 8:26 (If age of King Ahaziah in II              Kings is correct---42 yrs old-- he would have been older than his              father.)
          2) I Samuel 13:1 & Acts 13:21
2. Apparent errors
     a. Incomplete story:
          1) Acts 1:18 & Matthew 27:5
          2) James 1:17 & I Samuel 15:10,11
          3) Matthew 20:30 & Mark 10:46 (1 or 2 blind men?  Not a contradiction              unless one writer says only 1 blind man)
          4) Christ is God; Christ is man
     b. Improper translation of words or use of words:
          1) Genesis 22:1 & James 1:13
          2) Philippians 2:6
     c. Cultural misunderstanding:
          1) Matthew 10:2-4 & Mark 3:16-19 & Luke 6:13-16 & Acts 1:13 (Judas son              of James or Thaddaeus?) 
          2) Matthew 12:40
     d. Progressive revelation:
          1) Numbers 31:17 & I Corinthians 7:12
          2) Exodus 21:23-25 & Luke 6:27-29
          3) Genesis 1:29 & Genesis 9:3
     e. Incomplete information (we do not understand everything yet):
          1) We once thought that Moses could not have written Genesis –              Deuteronomy, for in Moses’ time there was no writing.  Now, we know              that there was writing at that time.  Scholars once believed that there              were no such people as the Hittites who are mentioned in the Bible.               Now, we have historical records that verify that there were people              called the Hittites.
          2) If added information has supported the Bible’s accuracy in the past,              additional information can support the Bible’s accuracy in the future.
     f. Misunderstanding of what the Bible teaches (James 2:14-26 and              Ephesians 2:8,9)
     g. Human interpretations of the Bible may be in error: The Bible teaches              that the earth is flat – Revelation 7:1 (four corners) & the earth is              round – Isaiah 40:22
     h. The use of rounded numbers (Joshua 3:4 & 4:13; I Chronicles 19:18 &              21:5)            
     i. The use of figurative language (Psalm 36:7; John 21:25; I Thessalonians              4:13)