What Are Some of the Errors in the Bible?

For centuries Bible scholars have written volumes documenting the errors, omissions and contradictions found in the Bible after the "plain and precious" parts were removed [1 Nephi 13:26-40]; yet today some are still unaware that errors have crept into the modern biblical texts. These errors may have been introduced inadvertently because of imperfect sight, inattentiveness and copyists, human frailties, or they may have been introduced intentionally where contradictions, variations, inconsistencies, or alleged errors were detected during copying, translation, or revision. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, there are still many "fundamentalists" today that insist that "the Bible" [presumably some unspecified Protestant version] is inerrant and infallible.

I will attempt to name some but not all of the errors in the Bible here in this article.

• Jeremiah's false prophecy concerning Zedekiah - Jer 34:4-5; 52:10-11
• The three varying accounts of Paul's vision - Acts 9:3-8; 22:6-11; 26:13-18
• Contradictions regarding marriage, women's rold, and drinking wine - [To be Avoided - Lev 10:8-9; Prov 20:1; 23:29-35; Jer 35-13-14; Hos 3:1; 4:11; Rom 14:21; Eph 5:18; 1 Tim 3:3; Titus 1:7 Allowed Gen 14:18; 27:28; Deut 14:26; Ps 104:15; Prov 9:5; 31:6; Isa 25:6; Luke 5:39; John 2:1-11; 1 Tim 3:8; 5:23
• God's need to repent - [NO: Num 23:19; 1 Sam 15:29; Ps 110:4; Jer 4:28; Ezek 24:14; Zech 8:14 YES: Gen 6:6-7; Ex 32:14; Deut 32:36; Jud 2:18; 1 Sam 15:11, 35; 2 Sam 24:16; 1 Chron 21:15; Ps 90:13; 106:45; 135:14; Jer 18:8; 26:3, 13, 19; 42:10; Joel 2:13; Amos 7:3, 6; Jonah 3:10]

Hebrew and Greek manuscripts in our possession today contain these same errors and offer little help in explaining the above contradictions. Other errors and contradictions may be added to the above list. Following sampling of some of the more obvious problem scriptures gives an idea of the abundance of errors found in our modern King James Bibles:

1. Number of Israelites killed by a plague - Num 25:1, 9; 1 Cor 10:8
2. Sisera's death - Judges 4:21-22; 5:25-27
3. Jepthah's burnt offering - Judges 11:30-40; see Ex 20:13
4. Evil spirits from the Lord - 1 Sam 16:14-16, 23; 19:9
5. Saul's death, a suicide or murder? - 1 Sam 31:4-5; 2 Sam 1:10; 21:12
6. Number slain of David - 2 Sam 10:18; 1 Chron 19:18
7. God or Satan provoked David - 2 Sam 24:1; 1 Chron 21:1
8. Dead arose - 2 Kings 19:35; Isa 37:36
9. God creates evil - Isa 45:7
10. Lord makes us err and hardens our hearts - Isa 63:16-17
11. Differences in the genealogies of Christ - Matt 1:6-16 Luke 3:23-38
12. The Lord leads us into temptation - Matt 6:13; James 1:13
13. Mean or men with an unclean spirit - Mat 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-18; Luke 8:26-39
14. The sign of Jonas [2 or 3 nights] - Matt 12:40; 28:1; Mark 15:42; 16:1-2
15. Christ baptized followers - John 3:22; 4:2
16. Blind man or men healed at Jericho - Matt 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43
17. Mother or apostles request - Matt 20:20-28; Mark 10:35-45
18. Death of Judas - Matt 27:5; Acts 1:18
19. Masturbation - Matt 27:9-10; Zech 11:13
20. Crucifixion inscriptions - Matt 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19
21. Christ's last words - Luke 23:46; John 19:30
22. Angels at the tomb - Matt 28:2; Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4; John 20:12
23. Mistranslations of Hebrew words: Book - [Gen 5:1; Ex 17:14; ect.] - Scroll or tablet / Brass - [Gen 4:22; Ex 25:3 ect. ] - possibly copper / Oak [Isa 1:29; Ezek 27:6; ect.] - possibly elm / Whale [Gen 1:21; Job 7:12; ect.] - large fish
24. Mistranslations of Greek words: <Virtue [Mark 5:30; Luke 6:19; 8:46] - Should be power / Parable [John 10:6 - should be allegory / Easter [Acts 12:4] - should be Passover / Charity [1 Cor 13:1-4, 8 ; ect.] - Should be Love

To there can be added errors of grammar, punctuation, and numerous misquotations of Scripture, but these flaws are admittedly more trivial. What is important is that we realize that our modern Bible translations do contain some errors and therefore cannot be read without discernment. The fact that we find most of the above contradictions and errors in all available manuscripts leads us to one of two conclusions: either the originals , as written by inspired writers, contained the same errors, or the copying errors were made in the very earliest manuscripts and continued to be propagated in subsequent copies of copies. Neither of these conclusions is acceptable to those who hold the Bible to be inerrant and infallible. When confronted with these problems, some avoid the issue, stating that these differences are compelling evidence of the historicity of the events and the lac of conclusion on the part of the writers. Although this statement is certainly true, it nevertheless fails to explain the contradictions in these various accounts and demonstrates that either the writers, scribes or translators have introduced errors at some point.

The inconsistencies and errors listed above do not shake the faith of Latter-day Saints for several reasons: first modern scriptures and Joseph Smith's inspired revision of the Bible restore many plain and precious portions of the gospel that were lost [see 1 Nephi 13:24:26]; second, we have the additional witness of modern prophets and apostles to help us; third, we have an assurance that the Holy Ghost will guide us in understanding not only the scriptures but "all truth" [John 14:26; 16:13; Moroni 10:4-5; D&C 121:26]. Many other Christians today have no such assurance because they rely solely on their interpretations of the Bible for all truth. They have also chosen to ignore all of God's word revealed in these later days and have denied the need for a restoration of God's priesthood power through with the gift of the Holy Ghost is given [4th and 5th Articles of Faith]. As Paul taught, no man knoweth the things of God except the Holy Ghost reveal it unto him [1 Cor 2:10-13. Though member of various Catholic and Protestant denominations may gain and understanding of many Gospel truths by the inspiration of the Spirit, they will not be guided to "all truth" without receipt of the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on the hands from those authorized to bestow it.