Is it possible that the Bible was supposed to be misinterpreted?

It is absolutely one of the saddest aspects of my faith that so many people use it to cause damage, dissension, and abuse.

But as long as there are people who misunderstand the Gospel to mean "convert people" instead of "love people," there will be people who worship the Bible instead of the God it points to. And that causes damage.

Suppose the apostles in the first century wrote all their papers in modern English. By what incentive would you say copyists would have for propagating longevity of those papers? Furthermore, tell me how any Jew in those days would have predicted how today's modernists would perceive the cultures of those days, and how they should adjust their words to fit every future culture. The task would be impossible, I hope you realize. With God inspiring the words to last in perpetuity, which is now undeniable and inevitable, what then must be true for all the future generations? All should have so much in common "humanity-wise" that all should be able to relate spiritually to how people related spiritually then to God. From there the human connection ought to be familiar enough to further connect with those people of antiquity. The way I see it, we do, on all counts, Jew or not.

Now, in fairness to your inquiry, yes, God's word is powerful enough to ALSO provide for more than one message per verse per individual, but never departing from the central message. Otherwise it would be universally acceptable to hold the same US Constitution and one party declare states have rights, and another party equally right that states have no rights. God is Yea or Nay on every question. The person expecting God to be both Yea and Nay on everything is deceived, as few people are that way either.

Do you have some stories to tell about your parents, yourself, and friends you grew up with? Would you be offended if I said all your tales were lies because they were not recorded as they happened, and witnessed with three signatures per account? Instead, the truth is I'd probably have enjoyed listening to your grandmother telling off on you, even though she couldn't prove any of it. Or maybe she could...then..... at least among those that grew up hearing it all. "Yep, Granny's right, that's the way it happened," with everyone else nodding yea. So which would you easier believe? A history book written by one man in a month or two with no body around to dispute him, or one made up by many from stories folks accepted as true, collected over a 1600 year period from 40 authors that seem to have known each other, not one author contradicting another, yet never met? What makes what people believe so wrong just because the beliefs were held orally before being written down? Maybe you know some things. Have you written them down? If not, then what you know and want told can be called a fable or myth, especially after you die and nobody remembers your testimony, or you.

So now, how many ways can what I wrote be interpreted? I vote only one way, literally. How might you misinterpret that without appearing foolish? The languages of the Bible are not mystical. The true meaning of every verse is available because the words have been properly translated, and the themes of passages usually can be taken literally, especially if something of the cultures is known. If any passage was misinterpreted, then the original text would have to be changed to fit the subject. Didn't happen. No interpretation is needed....just comprehension of simple text.

I think you're absolutely right.

To be quite honest, I've never read the Bible, but I do know that it can be interpreted too many ways to count. Not to mention how many times it's been changed purposely and accidentally in translation. I think it's meant to be a base that we can build our beliefs on, if that makes sense?

I highly doubt that the parts we take literally were meant to be taken literally at all. I think a lot of the Bible is a metaphor - which adds to the amount of different interpretations there could be.

It's kind of complicated, but I just think if we all take what we can take from it, learn what we can learn from it, and agree to accept the fact that people WILL interpret it differently than us, then the world would be so much of a better place than it is now.

Well i can say with out god's intervention it is Impossible for a person to understand the bible it is like a puzzle that's why it's out of order....once you learn how to read it and understand it it clears things up.....but without the baptism of the Holy spirit a person looks at it literally and can never see the message because our minds are not developed enough..perfect example Japanese is read from right to left unless you know this you would read it left to right and never understand it....just like anything if you don't learn how to do something properly you will stunt your understanding then in turn get fustrated and give up....which Is what people do you can't read the bible from start to finish and expect to understand it you won't...here's how you can start find all tthe scriptures that are similar no matter what book there in and study them and you have to seek God for understanding of the word..that comes through the baptism. ..without it it's just sinless words...

The stories in The Bible are "fables" and "myths" about people and God and other supernatural beings and strange events and such, and they were originally Hebrew word-of-mouth stories passed down through the generations to teach people how they should behave and why they should behave that way.

All the stories illustrate the follies and foibles of giving in to our "animal" instincts, such as Greed, Lust, Jealousy, Pride, etc., and they do so by showing us heroes and villains and Gods and Devils and virgins and orphans and rich people and poor people and rulers of nations and religious leaders and on and on and on and on...

They pound into the heads of anybody who bothers to read them that if you decide to pursue the dark side of human nature (and we all have our dark animal instincts because we are (after all) just very smart animals who bleed and mate and pooh and suffer and die) then you will find your life spinning out of control and bad things will happen to you.

The Bible is kind of like a giant Lesson Plan combined with Stern Warnings about how we should behave good or else suffer the consequences...our suffering is our own making...you have been notified and duly warned...

Yes! I think God made the Bible difficult to understand and Jesus spoke in parables for the purpose of creating a need in us to rely not on our own understanding but to look into our hearts and seek the power of the Holy spirit to guide us to an individual understanding and a personal relationship with Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (New International Version)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.

it is a book of stepping stones to progress in knowledge of whats in there.

first comes the law exodus 20 leviticus 11 and leviticus 23 are the basics

if you try to keep the law while seeking after Yah then your mind gradually opens up(2 corinthians 3:15-17) to see/understand more details of His plans for humanity concerning matthew 19:17

the Father calls those who He decides its time for Messiah to work with(john 10:29) so it is written in a manner that is hard to understand on purpose (verse 6 )because the more you know,the more you become responsible for what you know and He does not wish to lose 1 potential son because of them not being ready to handle the truth just yet (jack nicholson's famous line ? in 1 of tom cruise's movies)

see also isaiah 28:9-11 / 2 peter 2:20-21

i honestly don't think the Bible is purposely meant to confuse people. To me the Bible is for everyone who believes in Jesus Christ. If any other Religion were to sat down and read the Bible of course they would be confused. Because everyone was raised differently. Not everyone believes in Jesus, and not everyone believes in the Bible. It depends on the person. Its faith based. If i were to talk to a Buddhist or a Muslim and try to get them to understand the Bible wouldn't you think it would be difficult. They would haft to have faith in Jesus, and the bible to believe that their is a God in heaven. I am Christian i believe in Jesus Christ, i believe that God has a purpose for everyone on this earth. I honestly don't intend to get in an argument with anyone, because i believe what i believe and they can believe whatever.

God "wrote" the Bible using man as his "pen", but it was not faulty.

The Holy Spirit convicts of sin and proves the scriptures. God speaks to all people in a language they can understand.

God knew and said to beware of false religion.

The Bible is meant for all people. The truth is the truth and it is the same truth for all people.

Only one God has sent fire from heaven. Choose this day whom you will serve.

You do not understand the Bible, but you want to believe it means what you understand.

God Created us and Knows exactly what we need and woulkd need and will need. Every tribe, tongue, and Nation. What works for me in Tennessee works for my brother in Africa and Spain and Mexico and Haiti and so on. One Spirit , one Baptism, One Faith......................its really simple, you know who make it difficult? Our flesh does because we want to do what we want ,when we want, and how we want........................Think on that for a while. We are to be conformed into Christs image,into God the fathers image just as our children are conformed to our image. Its a beautiful thing when you see God,as portrayed and described in the Bible,as I see God. There is a unity there that is ever so strong,Bound together by Jesus Christ , sealed by the Holy Spirit. Differences and pain and all that you mentioned only come about because there is no real brokeness in front of God or a true humble spirit that is willing to be taught........................God IS LOVE...................there is not one hurtful thing that God would do unless it would cause us to draw neare to Him. A Father spanks his child for playing with matches because he doesnt want him to get hurt or burn down the house and hurt others!!!!!!! Thats Love,not that I want to inflict pain,but that I don't want him to have to suffer for way more down the road.!!

If we all followed the biblical principals,it would surely be a taste of heaven on Earth and it is when you belong to the True Church of God.We are waiting for you to enetr in,there is no pain or suffering that Love does not heal and cure and comfort.

With people breaking from the original church, you get their own versions of the Word. God gave us free will to do as we please and sadly many have stepped away from the real Word and made their own. That's why it's important to know the history of the Bible and know what translation today is the Truth.