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NASB | 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God's will, both publicly and privately--behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; |
Bible Question: There seems to be a division in the Evangelical community over the doctrine of inerrancy of scripture. What do you understand is the doctrine of inerrancy of Scripture and is it correct to say that the Bible is inerrant? Can you include a little history of the use of the term inerrancy? |
Bible Answer: WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND IS THE DOCTRINE OF INERRANCY OF SCRIPTURE? I'm glad you worded your question "What do you understand is the doctrine of inerrancy of Scripture ...?" I have an understanding, but before I replied I tried in vain to look for a published definition of inerrancy. While I found the word inerrancy used many times in various reference works, I was unable to find a definition of the word. . . . One respondent to your question wrote: "The doctrine of inerrancy of Scripture is the teaching that the Scripture is without error." This answer is almost on target. However, my understanding is that the doctrine of *infallibility* of the Scriptures is the teaching that the Scripture is without error. Inerrancy goes one step further, meaning that not only is the Bible *without* error in the original manuscripts, it is INCAPABLE of error. AND IS IT CORRECT TO SAY THAT THE BIBLE IS INERRANT? A partial answer to this question, one which you might find of interest even though it may not exactly answer your question, is as follow: . . . Dr. Charles C. Ryrie writes: "My own definition of biblical inspiration is that it is God's superintendence of the human authors so that, using their own individual personalities, they composed and recorded without error His revelation to man in the words of the original autographs. Several features of the definition are worth emphasizing: (1) God superintended but did not dictate the material. (2) He used human authors and their own individual styles. (3) Nevertheless, the product was, in its original manuscripts, without error." (p. 1956, The Ryrie Study Bible, Moody Press, 1976, 1978) . . . "Just to illustrate how times have changed, not many years ago all one had to say to affirm his belief in the full inspiration of the Bible was that he believed it was 'the Word of God.' ... Today (i.e., 1972) one has to say 'the plenary, verbally, infallible, inspired, and inerrant-in-the-original-manuscripts Word of God.' And even then, he many not communicate clearly!" (p. 1957, The Ryrie Study Bible, Moody Press, 1976, 1978). |