Bible Inspiration

For years, I held a firm belief that every single verse in the Bible was the 'inspired' and inerrant word of God. This doctrine was a cornerstone of my faith, and I often used 2 Timothy 3:16 to support it. I saw the Bible as a perfect, flawless rulebook, a direct dictation from God Himself.

But as I studied the scriptures more deeply, I encountered a problem. What if the very verse I used to prove the Bible's inerrancy was based on a translation error? What if its context pointed to a different meaning entirely? This possibility challenged me to dig deeper, to understand what it truly means for scripture to be "God-breathed."

Translation Error

The translation of "inspiration"

"Inspiration" is the wrong translation. According to Strong's Concordance the original Greek is a combination of "God" and "blow" (breath) which implies spoken directly by God. There is only 1 occurrence of the word in the entire Bible and that is why scholars derive its meaning from the church's interpretation of 2 Timothy 3:16. However, the Churches have a problem with "God breathed" or "God spoken" because the majority of Bible text was not directly spoken by God. The Bible includes many human interpretations, commentaries, witness accounts, historical recordings, and so forth. Therefore, the most popular translation is "inspiration".

However...

Poirier argues that a close look at first- and second-century uses of theopneustos reveals that the traditional inspirationist understanding of the term did not arise until the time of Origen in the early third century CE, and that in every pre-Origen use of theopneustos the word instead means "life-giving." — The Invention of the Inspired Text

Evidence from Ancient Literature

Poirier examined multiple first and second-century sources where theopneustos appears, including the Fifth Sibylline Oracle, the Testament of Abraham, Vettius Valens, Pseudo-Plutarch's Placita Philosophorum, and Pseudo-Phocylides. In each case, the term consistently meant "life-giving" rather than "inspired."

For example, in the Testament of Abraham, the text describes angels tending the body of the righteous Abraham with "theopneustic ointments" after his death. These were clearly life-giving or life-preserving ointments, not inspired ointments. Similarly, ancient texts referred to life-giving springs of water and the living soul or breath as theopneustos.

This usage parallels Genesis 2:7, where God breathed the breath of life into Adam. The term evoked the divine power to animate and give life, not merely to inspire written texts.

Scholarly Context

While Poirier's interpretation represents a minority view among scholars, it addresses a significant historical question: why did the meaning of theopneustos shift from "life-giving" to "inspired" in the third century? The traditional "God-breathed" interpretation emphasizes Scripture's divine origin, while the "life-giving" reading emphasizes Scripture's transformative power and spiritual efficacy.

The debate continues among biblical scholars, with some arguing these interpretations may be complementary rather than contradictory. However, examining the earliest uses of the term reveals that the inspirationist understanding became dominant only after Origen's influence in the early church.

The meaning of "and"

The Greek word καί (and) is correctly translated to English, but the meaning is often misunderstood.

καί is mostly used to be a connective like the English word "and", as it was translated in the NKJV. Many Bible translators added the English word "is" to 2 Timothy 3:16 because of its connective properties. You will notice in the NKJV version that it is printed in italics which means it was not part of the original Greek manuscript.

However, unlike the English word "and", καί could also be explanatory.

Sometimes it has the consecutive meaning of "and so": e.g., Matthew 5:15, "and so it shineth"; Philippians 4:7, "and so the peace..."; Hebrews 3:19, "and so we see." — Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

For example, a phrase like "tō theō kai patri" in Ephesians 5:20 is often cited:

A simple connective reading would be: "to the God and Father," which could imply two separate individuals.
An explanatory reading is: "to God, that is, the Father," clarifying that "God" and "Father" refer to the same person.

This shows that the second part of the phrase (the Father) explains or specifies the first part (God). Determining whether καί is used this way depends entirely on the grammar and context of the sentence.

Context

Paul warns in his letter about deceptive doctrines and fables and urges his followers to rather preach God's word ("Holy Scriptures") which is "God breathed" and "profitable".

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture God breathed, that is, profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

Preach the word!

Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

— <span class="bible-ref" data-reference="2 Timothy 3:13-4:4">2 Timothy 3:13-4:4 (based on NKJV)

Technically, Bible scriptures did not even exist until the second century. Paul was referring to the "scriptures", known today as "the Old Testament", which they studied in their lifetimes.

Idolising the Bible

Sola scriptura (Latin for 'by scripture alone') is a Christian theological doctrine held by most Protestant Christian denominations, in particular the Lutheran and Reformed traditions, that posits the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. — Wikipedia

Other religions and the secular system also uses rule books or laws to dictate people's expected behaviours. Without a relationship with God or with the people, this system is essential to bring order and unity in a community.

Jesus told the Jews:

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of me. But you are not willing to come to me that you may have life. — John 5:39-40 (NKJV)

This reveals a timeless danger: substituting the study of scripture for a direct relationship with God, echoing the first sin of pursuing knowledge apart from His guidance (Genesis 3).

Addressing Common Concerns

Some may ask, "If only certain scriptures are 'God-breathed,' how do we know which ones?" This concern is valid, but it misunderstands the nature of Spirit-led discernment. Paul's emphasis on the Holy Spirit's role provides the answer. The Spirit guides believers to recognize which words carry divine authority for their situation, just as Jesus promised: "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13 NKJV).

This doesn't lead to chaos or purely subjective interpretation. Rather, it calls us back to the early church model where believers were taught to "test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). This testing happens in community, under the Spirit's guidance, and in alignment with the character of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, recognizing that some scriptures are more directly from God than others doesn't diminish Scripture's value. Instead, it elevates those passages where God speaks most clearly: the words of the prophets, the teachings of Jesus, and the direct revelations given to the apostles. This actually strengthens our confidence in the core message of the gospel while acknowledging the human element in Scripture's composition.

What will you do?

You have seen how a single verse, 2 Timothy 3:16, has been shaped by translation and tradition. You have seen that the original Greek suggests that scripture which is "God-breathed" is profitable, implying that some parts are more life-giving than others. The words spoken directly by God carry more weight than the commentaries of men.

This understanding frees you from idolising the text and invites you into a relationship with its Author. Instead of relying solely on the interpretations of others (including this website), you can approach the Bible with a discerning heart.

This understanding invites you to approach Scripture differently. Rather than treating every word as equally authoritative, you can seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to discern the life-giving words that God has for you today.