I Peter 1:22-25Sometimes contradictions are the result of a copyist error.II Samuel 8:3; I Chronicles 18:3 – Hadadezer vs. HadarezerII Kings 8:26; II Chronicles 22:2 – Ahaziah’s age. See II Kings 8:17. The correct age must be 22.I Samuel 17; II Samuel 21:19; I Chronicles 20:5 – Who killed Goliath? I Chronicles 20:5 is probably the correct reading, rather than II Samuel 21:19.Those errors do not destroy our faith!The Dead Sea Scrolls – date back to the time of Christ or before!Thousands of manuscriptsOver 5,000 Greek New Testament manuscripts.Critics inflate the number of errors in manuscripts by counting the same error in each manuscript. In reality, the plurality of manuscripts helps us detect and root out these errors!Many alleged contradictions are not actual contradictions.What about the order of Creation?Genesis 1:24-27 vs. Genesis 2:7-22Genesis 1 is chronological. Genesis 2 just adds more detail.How many times did the rooster crow?Mark 14:30, 68, 72 vs Matthew, Luke, and JohnNot a contradiction – Mark just added more detail.How did Judas die?Matthew 27:5 vs Acts 1:18-19Acts 1 just adds more detail after Judas’ death.Does God tempt people or not?Genesis 22:1 vs James 1:13In Genesis 22, God was testing Abraham, not tempting him to sin. In James 1, it says God does not tempt people to sin.Points to rememberOnly the original books of the Bible were inspired, but the thousands of uninspired copies that we have to compare today give us a reliable Biblical text.None of the alleged contradictions involve any critical change in doctrine.Vague attacks are easy. Ask for specifics.Study honestly: are 2 passages talking about the same thing at the same time and in the same sense?
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