Is all of the Bible inspired or only parts of it?

The testimony of the Bible’s inspiration is found in 2 Timothy 3:16, which clearly states all Scripture is inspired of God. When we are tempted to take out a pair of scissors and cut out those passages that we don’t like or think are not inspired, we place ourselves above Scripture. We put ourselves in a position to judge the Word of God, rather than letting the Bible be our judge.

Some believe there are “degrees of inspiration” in the Bible. They feel some stories are exaggerated, some histories are glorified, and some narratives are symbolic even though they might not be presented that way. Modern skeptics reject the story of Adam and Eve, question the worldwide flood, and doubt that a fish swallowed a man and then later spewed him out on a beach.

Yet Scripture itself provides no variation in its contents. What makes the Bible’s content accurate? How is it that all of its historical narratives are true? The answer is divine inspiration. I accept all of Scripture as divinely inspired; even the parts that are hard for me to understand reveal God’s plan to save people. I am continually awed that even within the shadows of Old Testament stories that seem useless, I suddenly find pictures of Jesus. Through faithful and persistent study, I have found hidden truths of gold.

It’s no limitation on the part of the Bible that I don’t see these inspired teachings; it’s because of my own lack of faith. We need to be more like the blind man to whom Jesus asked, “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51). Like this man who could not see, we need to pray, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight,” and then hear Jesus reply, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” Mark then writes, “And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road” (v. 52).

Key Bible Texts

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16 KJV)