Psa 4:1 To the chief musician, for stringed instruments, A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. You gave room to me in distress. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
Psa 4:2 O sons of men, until when shall My glory be for a reproach? Will you love vanity? Will you run after a lie? Selah.
Psa 4:3 But know that Jehovah has set apart the godly for Himself. Jehovah hears when I call to Him.
Psa 4:4 Tremble and do not sin. Speak within your own heart on your bed and be still. Selah.
Psa 4:5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in Jehovah.
Psa 4:6 Many are saying, Who will make us see any good? O Jehovah, lift up the light of Your face on us.
Psa 4:7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the time their grain and their wine grew.
Psa 4:8 I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for You alone, O Jehovah, make me dwell in safety.

Psa 2:1 Why have the nations raged and the peoples are meditating on vanity?
Psa 2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves; yea, the rulers have plotted together against Jehovah and His Anointed, saying,
Psa 2:3 We will break their bands in two, and throw off their cords from us.
Psa 2:4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall mock at them.
Psa 2:5 Then He will speak to them in His anger, and He will terrify them in His wrath;
Psa 2:6 Yea, I have set My king on My holy mount on Zion.
Psa 2:7 I will declare concerning the statute of Jehovah: He said to Me, You are My Son. Today I have begotten You.
Psa 2:8 Ask of Me, and I will give the nations as Your inheritance; and the uttermost parts of the earth as Your possession.
Psa 2:9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Psa 2:10 Now, then, be wise, O kings; be taught, O judges of the earth:
Psa 2:11 Serve Jehovah with fear; yea, rejoice with trembling.
Psa 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Oh the blessings of all those who flee to Him for refuge!

Lev 5:1 And when a person sins, and hears the voice of swearing, and he is a witness, or has seen, or has known, if he does not reveal it, then he shall bear his iniquity.
Lev 5:2 Or if a soul touches any unclean thing, or the unclean dead body of an animal, or the unclean dead body of livestock, or the dead body of unclean swarming things, it being hidden from him that he is unclean and is guilty,
Lev 5:3 or if he touches the uncleanness of man, any of his uncleanness by which he is unclean, and it is hidden from him, and he knows, then he is guilty.
Lev 5:4 Or if a person swears, speaking rashly with the lips, to do evil, or to do good, anything which the man speaks rashly with an oath, and it is hidden from him, and he knows, then he is guilty of one of these.
Lev 5:5 And it shall be when he is guilty of one of these, then he shall confess that in which he has sinned.
Lev 5:6 And he shall bring his guilt offering to Jehovah for his sin which he has sinned, a female out of the flock, a lamb, or a doe of the goats, for a sin offering. And the priest shall atone for him regarding his sin.
Lev 5:7 And if his hand does not reach to a lamb, then he shall bring his guilt offering, he who has sinned, two turtledoves, or two offspring of a dove, to Jehovah; one for a sin offering, and one for a burnt offering.
Lev 5:8 And he shall bring them to the priest, who shall bring near for a sin offering first. And he shall nip off its head from its neck, but shall not divide it.
Lev 5:9 And he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, and that which remains of the blood shall be drained at the base of the altar; it is a sin offering.
Lev 5:10 And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, as by decree. And the priest shall atone for him, because of his sin which he has sinned; and it shall be forgiven him.
Lev 5:11 And if his hand cannot reach to two turtledoves, or two offspring of a dove, then he who sinned shall bring his offering, a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall not put oil on it, nor put frankincense on it; for it is a sin offering.
Lev 5:12 And he shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take from it his full handful, the memorial offering, and shall burn it as incense on the altar, on the fire offering of Jehovah; it is a sin offering.
Lev 5:13 And the priest shall atone for him, for his sin which he sinned from one of these; and it shall be forgiven him. And it shall be for the priest as a food offering.
Lev 5:14 And Jehovah spoke to Moses saying,
Lev 5:15 If a person commits a trespass and sins in error against the holy things of Jehovah, then he shall bring his guilt offering to Jehovah, a ram, without blemish out of the flock, at your evaluation in silver shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering.
Lev 5:16 And he shall make good that in which he sinned against the holy thing, and he shall add its fifth part to it, and give it to the priest. And the priest shall atone for him with the ram of the guilt offering; and it shall be forgiven him.
Lev 5:17 And if a person sins, and he has done that which is not to be done from any one of all the commands of Jehovah, and does not know, and he is guilty, and bears his iniquity,
Lev 5:18 then he shall bring a ram, without blemish from the flock, at your evaluation for a guilt offering to the priest. And the priest shall atone for him, for his sin of error which he erred, and he did not know; and it shall be forgiven him.
Lev 5:19 It is a guilt offering; truly he is guilty before the face of Jehovah.

Lev 4:1 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
Lev 4:2 Speak to the sons of Israel saying, When a person sins against any of the commands of Jehovah through error, which is not to be done, and shall do any one of them;
Lev 4:3 if the priest who is anointed sins, resulting in guilt to the people, then he shall bring near for his sin which he has sinned a bull, a son of the herd, without blemish, to Jehovah for a sin offering.
Lev 4:4 And he shall bring the bull into the opening of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the face of Jehovah. And he shall lay his hand on the head of the bull and shall slaughter the bull before the face of Jehovah.
Lev 4:5 And the priest who is anointed shall take some of the blood of the bull and shall bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 4:6 And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the face of Jehovah, at the front of the veil of the holy place.
Lev 4:7 And the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense, at the opening of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the face of Jehovah.
Lev 4:8 And all the fat of the bull of the sin offering, he shall lift up the fat which is covering over the inward parts, and all the fat which is on the inward parts,
Lev 4:9 and the two kidneys, and the fat which is on them, which is on the flanks, and he shall remove the lobe on the liver beside the kidneys.
Lev 4:10 As it is raised up from the sacrifice of the peace offerings of the bull, the priest shall burn them as incense on the altar of burnt offering.
Lev 4:11 And the skin of the bull, and all its flesh with its head, and with its legs, and the inward parts, and its dung,
Lev 4:12 he shall bring out all the bull to the outside of the camp, to a clean place, to the place of the pouring of ashes; and he shall burn it on the wood with fire; it shall be burned at the place of pouring of ashes.
Lev 4:13 If all the company of Israel shall err, and the thing has been hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do that which is not to be done to any of all the commands of Jehovah, and are guilty;
Lev 4:14 when the sin shall be known, that which they have sinned against it, then the congregation shall bring near a bull, a son of the herd, for a sin offering. And they shall bring it in front of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 4:15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the face of Jehovah. And they shall slaughter the bull before the face of Jehovah.
Lev 4:16 And the priest who is anointed shall bring in some of the blood of the bull to the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 4:17 And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and shall sprinkle seven times before the face of Jehovah, at the front of the veil.
Lev 4:18 And he shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar before the face of Jehovah in the tabernacle of the congregation. And he shall pour out all the blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 4:19 And he shall lift up all its fat from it and shall burn it as incense on the altar.
Lev 4:20 And he shall do with the bull as he has done to the bull of the sin offering, so he shall do to it. And the priest shall atone for them; and it shall be forgiven them.
Lev 4:21 And he shall bring the bull to the outside of the camp, and he shall burn it as he burned the first bull; it is a sin offering of the congregation.
Lev 4:22 When a ruler sins and has acted against one of all the commands of Jehovah his God, which is not to be done, through ignorance, and is guilty;
Lev 4:23 or his sin which he has sinned shall be made known to him, then he shall bring his offering, a buck of the goats, a male, without blemish;
Lev 4:24 and he shall lay his hand on the head of the he-goat and shall slaughter it in the place where he slaughters the burnt offering, before the face of Jehovah; it is a sin offering.
Lev 4:25 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering, and with his finger he shall put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and he shall pour out its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering.
Lev 4:26 And he shall burn it as incense on the altar, with all its fat, as the fat of the sacrifice of the peace offerings. And the priest shall atone for him because of his sin; and it shall be forgiven him.
Lev 4:27 And if any person of the people of the land sins through error by doing that which is not to be done, against one of the commands of Jehovah, and is guilty;
Lev 4:28 or his sin which he has sinned shall be made known to him, then he shall bring his offering, a ewe of the goats, without blemish, a female, for his sin which he has sinned;
Lev 4:29 then he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and shall slaughter the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.
Lev 4:30 And the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and shall put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. And he shall pour out all its blood at the base of the altar;
Lev 4:31 and he shall take off all its fat, as has been taken off the sacrifice of peace offerings. And the priest shall burn it as incense on the altar for a soothing fragrance to Jehovah. And the priest shall atone for him, and it is forgiven him.
Lev 4:32 And if he brings a lamb as his offering, a female, without blemish, he shall bring it,
Lev 4:33 and he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and he shall slaughter it for a sin offering in the place where he slaughters the burnt offering.
Lev 4:34 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar.
Lev 4:35 And he shall take off all its fat, as is taken off the fat of the lamb from the sacrifice of peace offerings. And the priest shall burn them as incense on the altar, on the fire offerings of Jehovah. And the priest shall atone for him for his sin which he has sinned; and it is forgiven him.

Lev 3:1 And if his offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he is offering it from the herd, whether male or female, without blemish, he shall bring it near before the face of Jehovah.
Lev 3:2 And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the opening of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood on the altar all around.
Lev 3:3 And he shall bring near from the sacrifice of the peace offering a fire offering to Jehovah, the fat which covers the inward parts, and all the fat on the inward parts,
Lev 3:4 and the two kidneys, and the fat on them, on the loins, and the fatty lobe by the liver beside the kidneys, he shall remove.
Lev 3:5 And the sons of Aaron shall burn it as incense on the altar, on the burnt offering on the wood on the fire, a fire offering of a soothing fragrance to Jehovah.
Lev 3:6 And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings is from the flock, male or female, without blemish, he shall bring it near.
Lev 3:7 If he is bringing near a sheep for his offering, then he shall bring it near before the face of Jehovah.
Lev 3:8 And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and shall slaughter it in front of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood on the altar all around.
Lev 3:9 And he shall bring near from the sacrifice of the peace offerings a fire offering to Jehovah, its fat; he shall remove the entire fat tail close by the backbone, and all the fat that covers the inward parts, and all the fat that is on the inward parts,
Lev 3:10 and the two kidneys, and the fat on them, on the loins, and he shall remove the lobe by the liver, beside the kidneys; he shall remove it.
Lev 3:11 And the priest shall burn it as incense on the altar, bread of the fire offering to Jehovah.
Lev 3:12 And if his offering is a goat, then he shall bring it near before the face of Jehovah.
Lev 3:13 And he shall lay his hand on its head and shall slaughter it in front of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood all around on the altar.
Lev 3:14 And he shall bring near from it his offering, a fire offering to Jehovah, the fat covering the inward parts, and all the fat on the inward parts,
Lev 3:15 and the two kidneys, and the fat on them, on the loins, and the lobe on the liver, beside the kidneys, he shall remove.
Lev 3:16 And the priest shall burn them as incense on the altar, bread of the fire offering for a soothing fragrance; all the fat is Jehovah’s.
Lev 3:17 It shall be a never ending statute for your generations in all your dwellings. You shall not eat any fat or any blood.

Lev 2:1 And when a person brings near an offering, a food offering to Jehovah, his offering shall be of flour. And he shall pour oil on it; and he shall put frankincense on it.
Lev 2:2 And he shall bring it to the sons of Aaron the priest, And he shall take from it the fulness of his handful from its flour, and from its oil, with all its frankincense. And the priest shall burn it as incense on the altar, a memorial offering, a fire offering, a soothing fragrance to Jehovah.
Lev 2:3 And the rest of the food offering is for Aaron and for his sons, most holy, of the fire offerings of Jehovah.
Lev 2:4 And when you bring near an offering, a food offering baked in an oven, it shall be of fine flour, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, or unleavened thin cakes anointed with oil.
Lev 2:5 And if your offering is a food offering baked in a pan, it shall be of unleavened fine flour, mixed with oil.
Lev 2:6 You shall divide it into bits, and you should pour oil on it; it is a food offering.
Lev 2:7 And if your offering is a food offering on a griddle, your offering shall be fine flour mixed with oil;
Lev 2:8 And you shall bring the food offering made of these things to Jehovah, and shall bring it to the priest. And the priest shall bring it near to the altar.
Lev 2:9 And the priest shall lift up the food offering, its memorial offering, and shall burn it as incense on the altar, a fire offering, a soothing fragrance to Jehovah.
Lev 2:10 And the rest of the food offering is for Aaron and his sons, most holy, of the offerings of Jehovah.
Lev 2:11 Any food offering which you shall bring to Jehovah, you shall not make with leaven; for all leaven and all honey you shall not burn it as incense, a fire offering to Jehovah.
Lev 2:12 As an offering of firstfruits, you shall bring them to Jehovah, but they shall not go up on the altar for a soothing fragrance.
Lev 2:13 And every offering of your food offering you shall season with salt, and you shall not let the salt of the covenant of your God be lacking from your food offering; you shall offer salt with all your offerings.
Lev 2:14 And if you bring near a food offering of firstfruits to Jehovah, fresh ears roasted with fire, grains from a garden, you shall bring near your firstfruits for a food offering.
Lev 2:15 And you shall put oil on it, and lay frankincense on it; it is a food offering.
Lev 2:16 And the priest shall burn it as incense, with its memorial offering from its grains, and from its oil, besides all its frankincense, a fire offering to Jehovah.

Lev 1:1 And Jehovah called to Moses and spoke to him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,
Lev 1:2 Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, If any one of you brings an offering to Jehovah, from livestock of the herd, or from the flock, you shall bring near your offering.
Lev 1:3 If his offering is out of the herd, a male, without blemish, he shall bring it to the opening of the tabernacle of the congregation, at his pleasure, before the face of Jehovah.
Lev 1:4 And he shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it is accepted for him to make atonement for him.
Lev 1:5 And he shall kill the son of the herd before the face of Jehovah. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall bring near the blood and sprinkle the blood on the altar all around at the opening of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 1:6 And he shall skin the burnt offering, and shall cut it into pieces.
Lev 1:7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire.
Lev 1:8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall arrange the pieces, with the head and the fat, on the wood on the fire, which is on the altar.
Lev 1:9 And he shall wash its inward parts, and its legs, with water. And the priest shall burn as incense the whole of it on the altar for a burnt offering, a fire offering of soothing fragrance to Jehovah.
Lev 1:10 And if his offering is out of the flock, out of the sheep, or out of the goats, for a burnt offering, a male, without blemish, he shall bring it near.
Lev 1:11 And he shall slaughter it by the side of the altar northward, before the face of Jehovah. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall sprinkle its blood all around on the altar.
Lev 1:12 And he shall cut it to pieces with both its head and its fat, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood which is on the fire on the altar.
Lev 1:13 And he shall wash the inward parts and the legs with water, and the priest shall bring near all of it and burn it as incense on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a fire offering of soothing fragrance to Jehovah.
Lev 1:14 And if the burnt offering is a burnt offering out of the fowls to Jehovah, then he shall bring near his offering, of turtledoves or of the offspring of the dove.
Lev 1:15 And the priest shall bring it near to the altar and shall nip off its head. And he shall burn it as incense on the altar; its blood shall be drained by the side of the altar.
Lev 1:16 And he shall remove its crop with its feathers, and shall throw it near the altar eastward, to the place of the ashes.
Lev 1:17 And he shall cleave it with its wings, not dividing it, and the priest shall burn it as incense on the altar, on the wood which is on the fire; a burnt offering; it is a fire offering of soothing fragrance to Jehovah.

Exo 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron came in and said to Pharaoh, So says Jehovah the God of Israel, Send away My people, and they shall feast to Me in the wilderness.
Exo 5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah that I should listen to His voice to send away Israel? I do not know Jehovah, and I also will not send Israel away.
Exo 5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us go a journey of three days into the wilderness and sacrifice to Jehovah our God, that He not strike us with plague or with sword.
Exo 5:4 And the king of Egypt said to them, Moses and Aaron, why do you loose the people from their work? You go to your burdens.
Exo 5:5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land are many now, and you make them cease from their burdens.
Exo 5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their overseers, that day, saying,
Exo 5:7 You shall not go on giving straw to the people to make bricks, as yesterday and the third day. They shall go and pick up straw for themselves.
Exo 5:8 And the fixed number of bricks which they were making yesterday and the third day you shall put on them. You shall not diminish from it. For they are idle; so they are crying, saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to our God.
Exo 5:9 Let the bondage be heavy on the men, that they may work in it, and may not trust in the lying words.
Exo 5:10 And the taskmasters of the people, and their overseers went out and spoke to the people, saying, Pharaoh has said this, I will not give you straw.
Exo 5:11 You go take straw for yourselves from wherever you may find it. For not a thing will be reduced from your work.
Exo 5:12 And the people scattered in all the land of Egypt to pick up stubble for straw.
Exo 5:13 And the taskmasters were demanding, saying, Finish your work, the matter of a day in its day, as when there was straw.
Exo 5:14 And the overseers of the sons of Israel were beaten, those whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had put over them, saying, Why have you not finished your appointed task, to make bricks as a day ago and the day before, both yesterday and today?
Exo 5:15 And the overseers of the sons of Israel came in and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why do you do this way to your slaves?
Exo 5:16 No straw is given to your slaves, and they are saying to us, Make bricks. And, behold, your slaves are beaten, but your people are at fault.
Exo 5:17 And he said, You are lazy and idle. So you are saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to Jehovah.
Exo 5:18 Therefore, go now and work. And straw will not be given to you; and a certain number of bricks you shall deliver.
Exo 5:19 And the overseers of the sons of Israel saw themselves in affliction, saying, You shall not diminish from your bricks, the matter of a day in its day.
Exo 5:20 And they met Moses and Aaron standing to meet them when they came from Pharaoh.
Exo 5:21 And they said to them, May Jehovah look on you and judge, you who have made our odor to stink in Pharaoh’s eyes and in the eyes of his servants, to give a sword in their hands to kill us.
Exo 5:22 And Moses returned to Jehovah and said, Lord, why have You done evil to this people? Why then have You sent me?
Exo 5:23 And since I came in to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people. And You did not certainly deliver your people.

Lam 1:1 How alone sits the city that was full of people! She has become like a widow, once great among the nations; a noblewoman among the provinces has become a payer of tribute.
Lam 1:2 She bitterly weeps in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks. She has no comforter among all her lovers. All her friends dealt deceitfully with her; they became enemies to her.
Lam 1:3 Judah went captive from affliction, and from great slavery. She dwells among the nations; she finds no rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her between the straits.
Lam 1:4 The roads of Zion are in mourning without any going to the appointed feasts. All her gates are deserted; her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted; and she is in bitterness.
Lam 1:5 Her foes have become as chief; her enemies are at ease. For Jehovah has afflicted her for the multitude of her trespasses. Her children have gone, captive before the foe.
Lam 1:6 And from the daughter of Zion all her splendor has departed. Her rulers have become like bucks; they find no pasture; and they have gone without strength before the pursuer.
Lam 1:7 In the days of her affliction and her wandering, Jerusalem remembers all her desirable things from previous days, when her people fell into the hand of the foe; and there is no ally for her. The foes saw her; they laughed at her annihilations.
Lam 1:8 Jerusalem has grievously sinned; on account of this, she has been removed. All the ones knowing her despise her, for they saw her nakedness. Also, she groans and turns backward.
Lam 1:9 Her uncleanness is in her skirts. She did not remember her end and has gone down astoundingly. She had no comforter. O Jehovah, behold my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself.
Lam 1:10 The enemy has spread out his hand on all her desirable things. Indeed, she has seen the nations enter into her holy place, whom You commanded that they not enter into Your congregation.
Lam 1:11 All her people sigh from seeking bread. They gave their desirable things for food to revive the soul. See, O Jehovah, and look on me, for I have become vile.
Lam 1:12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow which is done to me, with which Jehovah has afflicted me in the day of His burning anger.
Lam 1:13 From on high He has sent fire into my bones and subdued them. He spread a net for my feet; He has turned me back; He gave me desolation. All the days I faint.
Lam 1:14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by His hand, they intertwine, they rise on my neck. He caused my strength to falter. The Lord gave me into their hands. I am not able to rise up.
Lam 1:15 The Lord has trampled all my mighty ones in my midst. He called a gathering against me to crush my young men. As a winepress, the Lord trod the virgin daughter of Judah.
Lam 1:16 I weep for these; my eye, my eye runs down with water, because a comforter who could be reviving my soul is far from me. My sons are desolated because the enemy prevails.
Lam 1:17 Zion spreads forth her hands; there is not one comforting to her; Jehovah has commanded concerning Jacob that his enemies should be all around him. Jerusalem has become as an impure thing among them.
Lam 1:18 Jehovah is righteous, for I rebelled against His mouth. I beseech you, all peoples, hear and see my sorrow. My virgins and my young men went into exile.
Lam 1:19 I called for my lovers; they deceived me. My priests and my elders expired in the city, while they sought food for them to bring back their life.
Lam 1:20 Behold, O Jehovah, for I am distressed. My inward parts ferment; my heart is overturned within me; for I have grievously rebelled. On the outside the sword bereaves; in the house it is as death.
Lam 1:21 They hear that I sigh; there is no comforter to me. All my enemies have heard my evil; they rejoice that You have done it. You will bring the day that You have called, and they shall be like me.
Lam 1:22 Let all their evil come before You; and do to them as You have done to me for all my transgressions. For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.

‘‘If we but study the conditions in all sincerity, we will have to acknowledge that our unbelief and our sins are the cause of our lack of spiritual power, and that this condition is one that places us guilty before God and grieving God’s Holy Spirit.’’

Murray, A. (2002). Living a prayerful life. Grand Rapids, MI: Bethany House.

October 7, 1976 | by John Piper | Topic: Inspiration and Inerrancy of the Bible

Article One of Bethel’s “Affirmation of Faith” reads: “The Bible is. . . without error in the original manuscripts.” There is a wide diversity of opinions about the meaning of “error” in such an affirmation. This is especially the case when the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) are being considered.

I will suggest two definitions of “error”, the first of which I consider proper for judging the reliability of any literature including the Synoptics, and the second of which I consider improper. According to the first I believe the synoptics are “without error”.

A writer is in error when the basic intention in his statements and admonitions, properly understood in their nearer and wider context, is not true. (In reference to the indicative statements, "true" means that obedience of these admonitions is in harmony with reality, i.e., it accords with the will of God.)
A writer is in error if any of his individual statements is not literally true.

The difference between these two definitions and my own understanding of the truth of the synoptic gospels may be clarified by several illustrations from the texts.

First Illustration

Jesus says in Mark 4:31 that the Kingdom of God “is like a grain of mustard seed which when sown upon the ground is the smallest of all the seeds of the earth. . .”

According to definition #2 above, Jesus erred here because the mustard seed is not the smallest seed on earth. But according to the first definition, he did not err because his basic intention was not in the least botanical. The point is the great contrast between the smallness of the seed and the largeness of the full-grown shrub. Jesus capitalized on the proverbial smallness of the mustard seed to make a perfect, inerrant point about the Kingdom of God.
Second Illustration

If we used definition #2 above, the Gospel writers would have to be accused of error in their chronology of the events of Jesus’ life. Just one illustration: The story of the healing of the paralytic (Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26), the call of Levi (Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32), and the question about fasting (Matthew 9:14-17; Mark 2:18-22; Luke 5:33-39) follow back to back in all three synoptics and so refer to the same events. Again, the stilling of the storm (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25) and the Gesarene demoniac (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39) follow back to back in all three synoptics so that with the verbal parallels one can see that the same sequence of events is being referred to in each Gospel. But Matthew has these last two events before the three cited above, while Mark and Luke have them after these three events. It cannot be both ways.

But the synoptics are not in error here according to the first definition above, because it was not their basic intention to give a rigid chronology of Jesus’ ministry (which Papias said already in the second century, cf. Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, III, 39,14ff). Their intention was rather to give a faithful representation of the essential features of Jesus’ teaching and deeds. In this particular instance, Matthew probably felt he could best do this by including the storm stilling and Gesarene demoniac scenes in his composition of chapters 8 and 9, where he has gathered ten miracle stories. This presentation of Jesus’ miracle working is then bracketed together with the Sermon of the Mount with the identical summary statements in 4:23 and 9:35. Thus we have a literary unit which beautifully and inerrantly sets forth the essential features of our Lord’s ministry.

The Long-Proved Tradition

These two illustrations could be multiplied and other kinds of problems could be discussed (like changes in Jesus’ words from one synoptic to another). But these may suffice at least for an introduction to my understanding of how the synoptics are ?without error?.

I thus gladly align myself with the long-proved tradition: perfectio respectu finis (perfection with respect to purpose). I know no better statement of my own position on this matter than that of the Second Baptist Confession of 1677: ?The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience. . .?

But I think just as important as agreeing with Affirmation 1 in detail is my deep commitment to the spirit of it. From history and from my own experience, I can say that it is almost impossible to exaggerate the importance of the Bible. We humans are incapable of finding out what we need so much to know: how to overcome sin, to escape the wrath of God, to become new creatures, to walk pleasing to the Lord. God must reveal this to us or we perish. This he has done and continues to do by means of a written Word, the Bible. When a man has understood the Bible he has understood the revelation of God infallibly, inerrantly and verbally.

By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

Jesus said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me?

— John 21:17

Have you felt the hurt of the Lord to the uncovered quick, the place
where the real sensitiveness of your life is lodged? The devil never
hurts there, neither sin nor human affection hurts there, nothing
goes through to that place but the word of God. “Peter was grieved
because Jesus said unto him the third time. . . .” He was awakening
to the fact that in the real true centre of his personal life he was
devoted to Jesus, and he began to see what the patient questioning
meant. There was not the slightest strand of delusion left in Peter’s
mind, he never could be deluded again. There was no room for
passionate utterance, no room for exhilaration or sentiment. It was a
revelation to him to realize how much he did love the Lord, and with
amazement he said – “Lord, Thou knowest all things.” Peter began to
see how much he did love Jesus; but he did not say – “Look at this or
that to confirm it.” Peter was beginning to discover to himself how
much he did love the Lord, that there was no one in heaven above or
upon earth beneath beside Jesus Christ; but he did not know it until
the probing, hurting questions of the Lord came. The Lord’s questions
always reveal me to myself.

The patient directness and skill of Jesus Christ with Peter! Our Lord
never asks questions until the right time. Rarely, but probably once,
He will get us into a corner where He will hurt us with His
undeviating questions, and we will realize that we do love Him far
more deeply than any profession can ever show.

     If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give him Life for them that sin not unto death.      — 1 John 5:16

If we are not heedful of the way the Spirit of God works in us, we will become spiritual hypocrites. We see where other folks are failing, and we turn our discernment into the gibe of criticism instead of into intercession on their behalf. The revelation is made to us not through the acuteness of our minds, but by the direct penetration of the Spirit of God, and if we are not heedful of the source of the revelation, we will become criticizing centres and forget that God says – “. . . he shall ask, and He shall give him life for them that sin not unto death.” Take care lest you play the hypocrite by spending all your time trying to get others right before you worship God yourself.

One of the subtlest burdens God ever puts on us as saints is this burden of discernment concerning other souls. He reveals things in order that we may take the burden of these souls before Him and form the mind of Christ about them, and as we intercede on His line, God says He will give us “life for them that sin not unto death.” It is not that we bring God into touch with our minds, but that we rouse ourselves until God is able to convey His mind to us about the one for whom we intercede.

Is Jesus Christ seeing of the travail of His soul in us? He cannot unless we are so identified with Himself that we are roused up to get His view about the people for whom we pray. May we learn to intercede so whole-heartedly that Jesus Christ will be abundantly satisfied with us as intercessors.

A man is praised according to his wisdom, but men with warped minds are despised.

Proverb 12:8, New International Version

according despised man men minds praised warped wisdom

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.

13 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
– John 14:12-14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

also anything ask becasue believes Christ do father glorified go greater it Jesus may name namesake say Son than that these truly whatever Who will works

THE ETERNAL GOD IS YOUR REFUGE, AND UNDERNEATH
ARE HIS EVERLASTING ARMS. ( DEUTERONOMY 33:27 )

arms Christ eternal everlasting God power refuge underneath your

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. — John 14:26

all bring Christ father Helper holy name rememberance said send spirit teach things whom you