The inerrancy of the Bible

Inerrancy refers to the concept that the Scriptures, in their original manuscripts, are entirely truthful and reliable in all their statements, whether theological, moral, historical or scientific.

According to this theory, which we defend, the Gospels are free from error. However, it is crucial to clarify that this assertion applies strictly to the original texts, since translations can introduce variations.

This theory of inerrancy stems from God’s divine inspiration of the biblical authors, and consequently this revelation cannot contain error.

The text of 2 Timothy 3.16-17 seems clear:

The apostle Paul emphasises here that the Bible (Scripture) is inspired by God (theopneustos). This implies a complete absence of error in its pages.

We also have the testimony of the apostle John.

The apostle Peter adds:

These various texts attest to the divine revelation of the biblical writings and, consequently, to their inerrancy. The argument is that if God is perfect and infallible, then the Scriptures he inspired must be so as well (Psalms 19.7-9).

1. The nature of God: If God is perfect and without error, then the word he inspires must also be without error.

2. Biblical testimony: The Bible itself asserts its own freedom from error in passages such as 2 Timothy 3.16-17 and Psalms 19.7-9.

3. A history of faithful transmission: Biblical manuscripts have been transmitted with great precision over the centuries, supporting the idea that the original text was without error.

1. Textual variants: Ancient biblical manuscripts contain textual variations, raising questions about the inerrancy of the copies we have today.

2. Differing interpretations: Differences in the interpretation of biblical passages show that even devout Christians do not always agree on the meaning of the texts.

3. Historical and cultural context: Some argue that the biblical authors wrote in specific historical and cultural contexts that could contain human errors or limited perspectives.

The notion of inerrancy is essential to our approach to biblical writings. Indeed, admitting the possibility of errors in biblical texts would open the way to an arbitrary selection of information, allowing us to retain only what agrees with our preconceptions and reject the rest on the grounds of error.

The quotation attributed to the Greek mathematician Archimedes, “Give me a place to stand, and I will move the Earth”, highlights the effectiveness of levers in moving very heavy loads. It also shows that a flaw in a system can become a point of leverage for destabilising the whole system. Accepting one small error in biblical texts can cast doubt on the entire Bible.

We observe that any error in our biblical texts can be compared to leaven that would transform the entire text. It would introduce an element of doubt capable of contaminating the whole Word of God.

Is it not somewhat simplistic to claim that the Bible contains no errors, thereby avoiding any opposing debate on the grounds of inerrancy?

If inerrancy is an established fact, how can we explain the presence of apparently contradictory statements in biblical texts, as well as discrepancies between some information provided by different Gospel authors and secular history?

Some religious websites have invested many hours of work in searching for alleged contradictions in the Bible. The website www.islamland.com lists 101, of which 61 concern the Gospels. In the chapter entitled Contradictions, we examine these claims point by point to show that logical and rational explanations exist. These explanations show that there is no contradiction, but often a mistaken interpretation of biblical information.

Inerrancy does not serve as an excuse or a shield; it can be demonstrated and proved. Indeed, if the Bible is the truth, it is theoretically impossible to find fault with it. Over the years, it has faced various attacks aimed at undermining its authority, yet it remains unshaken and its text has not changed. This testifies to the exceptional quality of its writings.

We examine biblical, historical and secular information to explain inerrancy naturally where conflicts arise. Imprecisions in the Gospels often cause misunderstandings, but a thorough study can resolve them.

This site offers analyses demonstrating the inerrancy of these writings.

We have clearly stated that biblical inerrancy applies exclusively to the original documents, which are no longer available today. Translations, however, involve a degree of uncertainty, which can lead to inaccuracies in the translated text. Moreover, a translation made from another translation generally tends to reduce the reliability of the text.

However, given the many copies from different sources that we possess, it is clear that the differences are extremely small, implying a high degree of reliability in the translations.

Furthermore, the various translators, aware that they were rendering a sacred text in their own language, took particular care and exercised great caution to avoid any error.

It is essential to recognise that this truly remarkable book has been the subject of constant research over the centuries to improve the quality of its various translations.

New translations continue to be published today. Although it is difficult to identify the best, combining several translations when studying a text allows for the fullest understanding. Technological advances have contributed greatly in this area, particularly tools such as “Bible Logos”, which proves exceptional for analysing these texts.

We wish to emphasise that no translation of such an ancient text has ever received so much attention and research. The result is particularly impressive. We are referring to major translations such as Crampon and Segond, together with their respective revisions.

From our perspective, the principle of inerrancy could apply to the combination of these various translations.