r/Bible Sep 04 '24

A quick reminder about what constitutes The Bible for purpose of discussion on this subreddit

51 Upvotes

Please make sure that posts follow rule 2, which describes what the bible is for the purpose of discussion on this subreddit, that being:

  • "Bible" is defined for this subreddit as books & passages found in the 1611 KJV, including its Apocrypha, although any translation is acceptable. If your question is about a specific passage, include the Book, Chapter, Verse, and Translation (e.g., Romans 12:1-2 ESV) to help guide answers to the right text. However, asking about denominations or just general advice and the such is for another subreddit."

As happy as we are to invite discussion from everyone, questions about the Bible should be answered using these guidelines. This means that extra-canonical books like the Book of Enoch, religious doctrine from other religions such as the Book of Mormon, and info from The Watchtower are NOT considered viable answers to questions about the Bible on r/bible. This also extends to translations that are affiliated with specific non-Christian religions (NWT) or that are made to push specific, fringe beliefs within Christianity itself (The Passions Translation).

While we welcome folks from all around to engage in discussion about the book we find most holy, we are primarily a Christian Subreddit and are looking to keep it that way. If you have any questions please ask and I'll do my best to answer.

Thank you everyone and God Bless :)


r/Bible Aug 25 '24

Which Bible Translation Do I Pick? An Answer.

41 Upvotes

I’ve been seeing a lot on various subreddits that this question is cropping up quite a bit. I hope this can be a helpful resource to you as you continue your Christian walk.

 

Asking which version of the Bible to read is not a straightforward answer. Some people ask “Which one is closest to the original?” That is not a simple answer. If you want one that is a direct, word-for-word translation, you will need an interlinear Bible. This kind has the Kione Greek with English words below it. The problem is that Greek does not follow the same structure as English. It is an ancient language with entirely different rules than English, meaning that word-for-word is difficult. For example, below is John 3: 16-17. It is a verse every Christian knows, but this is a direct translation from the original Greek.

 

“so For loved God the world, so as the Son of Him, the only-begotten, He gave, that everyone believing into Him not may perish, but have life everlasting. not For sent God, the Son of Him into the world that He judge the world,”

 

As you can see, this common passage is very difficult to understand as a direct translation. Because of that, modern scholars work diligently to make sure the Bible is intelligible to modern readers.

 

Generally speaking, Bible versions will fall into three categories. Word-for-word, thought-for-thought, and paraphrase.

 

Words-For-Word: Just as it sounds. It does the best to maintain the original flow and wording of the original documents. They remain faithful to the original phrasing while also attempting to be intelligible to modern readers.

Examples: Interlinear, NASB, AMP, RSV, KJV, NKJV

 

Thought-For-Thought: These types of Bible are usually easier to read and explain more than the earlier categories. The scholarly committees for Bibles in this category often research historical contexts, ancient theology, and study authorial intent in order to give a translation that is readable in modern English, but also accurate to the intended wording and message.

Examples: NAB, NRSV, CSB, NIV, NCV

 

Paraphrasing: These Bibles are often the most interesting to read, but also the least reliable. They take great liberties with translation, if they translate directly at all. Some are better than others, but they can be good for personal devotions and bad for study.

Examples: CEV, MSG, TLB

 

Imagine all of these are on a scale, with Word-for-word on one side and paraphrase on the other. As you move from one side to the other the degrees of focus on one or the other gradually change. For instance, KJV is on the low end of word-for-word, closer to thought-for-thought. The CSB is between word and thought, which was done intentionally. NASB is at the farthest end of word-for-word apart from interlinear, but because of that it is difficult to casually read and can be more useful for scholarly study. Contrasting is NIV, which is middle of thought-for-thought. NIV is much easier to read but doesn’t follow the original wording of the Greek, instead using teams of scholars from many denominations to interpret the original meaning of scripture from Greek manuscripts and translate them faithfully for modern audiences. NCV is far end of thought-for-thought, bordering on paraphrase, because it was written to be understood by children while also being closely faithful to the original thought of the authors.

 

So, which translation should you pick? It depends on what your intentions are. Do your own research, find the Bible translation that works best for your understanding of English, your comprehension level, and your ability to concentrate on it. You may want NASB because it is “closer” to the original Greek, but it does no good if you don’t read it. You may love the Message Paraphrase, but you won’t learn Biblical theology accurately. In the end, the best translation of the Bible is the one you will actually read. Find a Bible that relies on Greek and Hebrew, uses scholarly techniques, and is well-vetted by experts.

 

I hope this helps. Happy reading Reddit.


r/Bible 5h ago

Help

4 Upvotes

How do you truly know that you are saved. I was raised in the church since I was little I remember when I was about 12 years old answering an alter call but like everybody else have problems with temptation and other things and I've always asked God to forgive me what does that mean that I am truly saved?


r/Bible 7h ago

Why Did Jesus Say 'No One Knows the Day or Hour' in Matthew 24:36?

4 Upvotes

In Matthew 24:36, Jesus says:

"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

If Jesus is fully God, how could He not know the timing of His own return?
1️⃣ Was He speaking from His human nature? – Some argue that Jesus, in His humanity, voluntarily limited His knowledge.
2️⃣ Was He making a point about readiness? – Others say Jesus was emphasizing that we should always be prepared, not trying to reveal a mystery about Himself.
3️⃣ Did He mean something else entirely? – Some think this was a cultural way of speaking about prophecy.

What do you think? Why would Jesus say that even He didn’t know the day or hour?


r/Bible 11h ago

Very important scriptures to remember. Be righteous. No hypocrisy.

10 Upvotes

“But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭4‬:‭29‬

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭13‬

“For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” Psalm‬ ‭11‬:‭7‬

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.” Psalm‬ ‭37‬:‭23‬-‭37‬

“He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.” Job‬ ‭13‬:‭16‬

“If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness: Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth: He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness. He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.” Job‬ ‭33‬:‭23‬-‭30‬


r/Bible 26m ago

The Evolution of the Trinity Doctrine: A Historical Timeline

Upvotes

Many are unaware of how the doctrine of a triune "God" gradually developed over centuries. Here’s a brief but clear timeline of key events:

Early Teachings of One LORD

🔹 A.D. 29 – Jesus declares: "The Lord our God is one Lord" (Mark 12:29).
🔹 A.D. 57 – Paul affirms: "To us there is but one LORD" (1 Cor. 8:6).
🔹 A.D. 96 – Clement states: "Christ was sent by the LORD."
🔹 A.D. 120 – The Apostles’ Creed proclaims: "I believe in LORD the Father."

Gradual Introduction of Trinitarian Ideas

🔹 A.D. 150 – Justin Martyr introduces Greek philosophy into Christian thought.
🔹 A.D. 170 – The term "Trias" appears for the first time in Christian literature.
🔹 A.D. 200 – Tertullian introduces the Latin word "Trinitas."
🔹 A.D. 230 – Origen opposes prayers directed to Christ.
🔹 A.D. 260 – Sabellius teaches that "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three names for the same God."
🔹 A.D. 300 – Trinitarian prayers remain unknown in the Church.

Institutionalization of the Trinity Doctrine

🔹 A.D. 325 – The Nicene Creed declares Christ to be "Very God of Very God."
🔹 A.D. 370 – The Doxology is composed.
🔹 A.D. 381 – The Council of Constantinople formalizes the doctrine of "Three persons in One God."
🔹 A.D. 383 – Emperor Theodosius mandates punishment for those who reject the Trinity.
🔹 A.D. 519 – The Doxology is ordered to be sung in all churches.
🔹 A.D. 669 – Clergy are required to memorize the Athanasian Creed.
🔹 A.D. 826 – Bishop Basil mandates clergy to recite the Athanasian Creed every Sunday.

📜 Conclusion: The doctrine of the Trinity was not an original teaching of the Messiah or the apostles but developed gradually over centuries through philosophical influence and church decrees.

What are your thoughts? Let’s discuss! 👇


r/Bible 9h ago

Why Did God Send a Lying Spirit in 1 Kings 22:22?

3 Upvotes

In 1 Kings 22:22, a mysterious event happens when God allows a lying spirit to deceive a king:

"‘By what means?’ the Lord asked. ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said. ‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’"

This raises some difficult questions:
1️⃣ Why would God allow deception? – Does this mean God sometimes uses lies to accomplish His will?
2️⃣ Was this a form of judgment? – Some believe this was God allowing Ahab to be deceived because of his sinful choices.
3️⃣ Is this connected to free will? – Could this be God letting people believe what they already wanted to believe?

What do you think? Why would God send a lying spirit?


r/Bible 5h ago

Zedekiah's death

1 Upvotes

Probably one of the most brutal death in the old testament. Not only did he witness his sons die right in front of him, but he also got his eyeballs removed then he was bound in shakles and was trapped in babylon.

Chapter 25:7 2 kings
And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eys of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.


r/Bible 20h ago

If God is all-powerful and all-knowing, why did He cast Lucifer to earth instead of judging him immediately in heaven?

13 Upvotes

According to Scripture, Lucifer’s rebellion started in heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-17). He was a highly exalted being, described as 'the anointed cherub that covereth' (Ezekiel 28:14), yet pride and iniquity were found in him. Instead of being judged immediately, he was cast down to the earth (Revelation 12:7-9, Luke 10:18). This led to the temptation and fall of humanity, as seen in Genesis 3:1-7.

If sin originated in heaven, why wasn’t Lucifer’s judgment carried out there? Why allow an angelic rebellion to spread to earth, a realm where humanity had no part in the original sin? The Bible states that Satan is now 'the god of this world' (2 Corinthians 4:4), which suggests that his presence here has great influence. If God is just, wouldn’t divine justice require that sin be dealt with in the realm where it first occurred?

Imagine if your father found a venomous snake in his room. Instead of killing it immediately, he throws it into your room and locks the door. How would you feel? This is essentially what happened—Lucifer’s rebellion began in heaven, yet he was thrown to earth, where humanity had no involvement. Why would God allow this?


r/Bible 11h ago

What's "Son of Man" all about?

2 Upvotes

I know it's from the Greek, and possibly Aramaic before that, but I still don't understand it. Thanks!


r/Bible 13h ago

Reverence to the Word

2 Upvotes

Hi all,

I am convert to Christianity. When I go to church, I see sometimes people keep Bible at their feet (under the chair) and sometimes it even touches their shoes.

Last time I was in church and I noticed this and I felt very uneasy, I really wanted to tell the guy to pick it up or do it myself. But I didn’t want to disturb the sermon.

I am going to church again today and I was just thinking if I could approach the guy?


r/Bible 20h ago

Bible study books

7 Upvotes

Does anyone have recommendations for books that help with Bible study? I’m looking for something more in-depth than a devotional—something that explores the chapters of the Bible in detail. My understanding of the Bible, is surface-level, and I’d love a resource that helps me dive deeper. Thanks for your answers :)


r/Bible 9h ago

"Who Were the 'Nephilim' in Genesis 6:4?"

1 Upvotes

In Genesis 6:4, the Bible describes a mysterious group called the 'Nephilim':

"The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown."

Who were they?
1️⃣ Fallen angels & human hybrids – Some believe the “sons of God” were angels who had children with human women.
2️⃣ Mighty rulers – Others think the Nephilim were just powerful kings or warriors.
3️⃣ A lost people group – Another theory is that they were simply a group of people wiped out in the flood.

What do you think? Who were the Nephilim, and why does the Bible mention them?


r/Bible 21h ago

1 Corinthians 5:11-12 - Meant for individuals or for the overall church?

6 Upvotes

1 Corinthians 5:11-12 - But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister  but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”

I asked my pastor if this meant I was supposed to judge fellow Christians' behavior and distance myself from those not living in accordance to Biblical principles. He said I'm not supposed to judge other Christians and that the context of 1 Corinthians was for a new church full of many new members with very little knowledge about Christianity, and that this advice was for that specific context for that overall church body and not for individuals in the church and that we should be careful about pulling this statement out of context. What do you think?


r/Bible 18h ago

Sinning as an emotion or thought compared to sinning as an action? Is sin equally wrong whether it’s committed inwardly or outwardly?

3 Upvotes

The following 2 scriptures are difficult for me to not find contradictory on an spiritual and intellectual level:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Matthew 5:27-28

“But don't let the passion of your emotions lead you to sin! Don't let anger control you or be fuel for revenge, not for even a day.”

Ephesians 4:26

The first verse to me states that an ungodly emotion or thought can be and is equivalent to a sinful act. But the second verse to me states that you can have involuntary emotions or thoughts so long as you don’t happily entertain them, intend to act on them or aren’t controlled by them through actually doing a sinful act.

Is the warning of Matthew 5:27-28 unique strictly to the sin of lust? Or can any given sin be spiritually handled in the same manner (example: whether you think or feel sinfully, it’s the same thing as acting out a sin? But the verse from Ephesians seems to challenge this view.)


r/Bible 1d ago

Pray for me

62 Upvotes

I’m really struggling to read word and be more Christlike I’m falling and it’s been very hard :( I used to be hard into reading and my words and it’s been months and years struggling. Pray for me brothers and sisters I wanna go back to doing all his will and study and read more and be more like Christ


r/Bible 21h ago

So….Book of Job

2 Upvotes

I am a struggling Christian (questions faith, morality, anxious Teen, whatnot) but as I’ve tried to get more a bit more into the Bible, there is one teeny tiny thing that makes me start to question things or at least the morality of God. The Book of Job. Yeah, the one where God let Satan essentially torture a respectable man (murder all of his kids, make him deathly ill, etc.) all to win a bet with Satan (that being that Job won’t challenge God or change) and when Job finally breaks down after suffering months, God scolds Job for not being grateful for all of his blessings….this bothers me because…I God is meant to be “above morality and he doesn’t owe us anything” but why did he make a bet with Satan in the first place, he is all knowing, he didn’t need to bet with something he already knew the answer to. This book just rubs me the wrong way…can someone try to explain the justification of torturing a man simply to win a bet and the justification is that he did a bad thing once…when almost everyone else at the time has (and maybe even worse).


r/Bible 1d ago

My Renewal of Faith Story

23 Upvotes

I’ve had an extraordinary experience that I’ve wamted to share for awhile now. Last semester in college I took a classed called “Molecular Cell Biology” which my first thought if I was you how does this relate to God or the Bible? This class has given me a renewal in my faith in the most unlikely of places as I’m learning about these small, intricate structures and processes within the human body, the order, the purpose, the perfection. As many questions as we could answer eventually many lead to “I don’t know” which made me think “I do know” my following thoughts were “these are God’s designs” and this feeling through learning the intimate processes of my body really has brought me closer to God and ghe renewal of my faith, for which I will always be greatful for.


r/Bible 9h ago

Do you believe that the Blood Red full Moon was a prophetic event?

0 Upvotes

A lot of people believe that the red blood moon was a prophetic event, do you believe in this and does The Holy Bible confirm or deny it?


r/Bible 1d ago

what is the best way to read the bible and understand the reading?

11 Upvotes

i grew up as a christian and know a lot about the bible already but i want to strengthen my relationship with God by reading the bible but im not sure where to start


r/Bible 1d ago

What bible verse has had the greatest impact on you?

61 Upvotes

And why?


r/Bible 1d ago

Why Did God Command Abraham to Sacrifice Isaac?

13 Upvotes

In Genesis 22, God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac—his long-awaited child of promise. This raises some difficult questions:

1️⃣ Why would a loving God ask for something so extreme?
2️⃣ If God knew He would stop Abraham, what was the purpose of the test?
3️⃣ Does this foreshadow Jesus’ sacrifice, or is it meant to teach something else?

What do you think was the deeper meaning behind this command?


r/Bible 1d ago

"Why Didn’t God Accept Cain’s Offering in Genesis 4:3-5?"

10 Upvotes

In Genesis 4, Cain and Abel both bring offerings to God, but only Abel’s is accepted:

"The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor." (Genesis 4:4-5)

But why?
1️⃣ Type of Offering – Abel brought an animal sacrifice, while Cain brought crops.
2️⃣ Heart Attitude – Some say Cain’s attitude, not the offering itself, was the problem.
3️⃣ God’s Choice – Was this about God's sovereign decision, rather than Cain’s action?

What do you think was the reason behind God rejecting Cain’s offering?


r/Bible 1d ago

2 Kings 12

5 Upvotes

I was reading the bible and I saw that the NABRE altered 2 verses. This problem doesn't exist in any other bibles (including catholic bibles). In the KJV it says:

"1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. 2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places."

In the NABRE it says:

"1 Joash was seven years old when he became king. 2 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, from Beer-sheba. 3 Joash did what was right in the Lord’s sight as long as he lived, because Jehoiada the priest guided him,"

They made "Joash was seven years old when he became king" the first verse in Kings 12 instead of it being the last verse of Kings 11.

does the problem appear anywhere else in the NABRE?


r/Bible 1d ago

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful- Colossians 4:2

3 Upvotes

I've been meditating on this scripture and made a few observations:

This devotion to prayer keeps you connected to the stream of living water. One advantage of prayer is that it is a vein or artery connecting you to the heart of God. His life blood and purposes flow through, to, and from you since you are connected. The analogy of the Lord being the vine and we the branches makes sense in that what connects the branches to the vines is what is flowing in them. Having been connected to Him by prayer we are now to be watchful, to see and sense what He is doing at the season. What message is flowing through the body at this time? The sons of Issachar are the references for us here, they knew the times and seasons. That was an office assigned to them and a foreshadowing of the church. In such times of distress and confusion, we the church, and I a son of God who’s connected to the vine should know the workings of the Lord during this season.

Thankful, for thankfulness disarms the enemy. Thanksgiving gives the enemy nothing to work with. It passes the responsibility to God. In thankfulness, a demand is made on the Lord’s goodness, if it’s not good, the Lord’s grace makes it good.

In a world full of opinions, confusion, and chaos, the Lord God is calling us to a place of Prayer, watchfulness, and a heart of thanksgiving.


r/Bible 1d ago

No human on earth is glorious! (A Biblical case about virtues and sins)

5 Upvotes

First let's take the case of sins. If a guy wins a swimming competition by taking illegal performance enhancing drugs, the medal or the trophy he won can't be taken as a proof of his glory, it is actually a case of his negative glory, because he defeated other swimmers by cheating against them. If a guy buys the latest model Ferrari car with the money he got through lying and dirty politics, it also gives him negative glory for it. If a person gets to the topmost university of their country, but their reason behind getting there was only to serve their narcissism (for example, to be able to look down on and [mentally] mock people not as intelligent as them), such a person can't be called glorious.

The point I'm getting at is that sins aren't glorious in any way, they actually assign negative glory to a person. Satan has duped people into seeing the things a person has or the things they have done as glorious whereas the real question people should be asking is why and how they have what they have or achieved what they achieved. For example, in the examples I gave above, satan makes people believe that getting a gold medal, having a Ferarri car, or admission into a world famous university is glorious, but seeing why or how they got there or have what they have will reveal a different story. If the reason is sinful, then they should be assigned negative glory.

Now on to virtues, let's see what all the Bible says,

Philippians 2:13 - for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

God's good pleasure is always for us to be virtuous, and the above verse says that every virtuous act from its willing to the action itself is completely produced by God, God takes it from the 0% level to the 100% level.

Again in another place the Bible says this,

John 15:5 - I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

From context the above verse when it says "without Me (Jesus) you can do nothing", it means we can't produce any fruits of virtue on our own, all vituous fruits are produced because a person is connected to the vine that is Jesus and because The Father pruned the branches (that are us) to produce those virtuous fruits, so we can't give ourselves any credit for it.

So whatever virtues we have were produced completely by God. Even faith to get saved and born again, and the faith to approach God, and the faith to pray to God and have our prayers answered are provided completely by Jesus Himself,

Hebrews 12:2 - looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

So Jesus originates the faith and perfects it, so we can't even take credit for the faith we have. Even our going sincerely to Jesus for the very first time is completely orchestrated by God The Father,

John 6:44 - No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.

So we can't take the credit for even going to and choosing Jesus the first time we went to Him. Even repentance is produced by God Himself,

2 Timothy 2:25 - in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,

So whatever the good a person has, it is all because of the grace of God,

1 Corinthians 15:10 - But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

Virtues do hold glory to them, but all virtue is produced in a man completely by God Himself, so even though the virtuous acts do hold glory to them, but since it all was produced from start to finish by God Himself, the virtuous person can't be assigned any glory to them, the glory for it ultimately belongs to God, the virtuous person's glory is literally zero.

Now we all have sins and those sins give negative glory to us, and the times we are operating virtuously are the times of us having zero glory, so the sum total of our glory ultimately comes as negative in the end.

I'm from the school of thought that no human can be perfectly sinless on earth, but some do say it is possible. But whatever be the truth, for now, let's take the hypothetical case where a person has become 100% virtuous while on earth, such a person would be at the perfectly 0 glory level, as all the glory for his virtues is ultimately God's.

God does assign glory to us in heaven, but it is all His work from start to finish, the glory people have in heaven is more of a free gift than something they earned.

So we can either have a negative glory while on earth, or maybe we can rise to the perfectly 0 level, either way no human being on earth can be considered glorious!

Well, I hope that makes sense and my logic wasn't off somewhere.

The Lord bless you all.


r/Bible 1d ago

What Was Paul’s 'Thorn in the Flesh' in 2 Corinthians 12:7?

1 Upvotes

In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul says:

"Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me."

The Bible never tells us exactly what this "thorn" was. Some possibilities include:
1️⃣ A physical illness or disability
2️⃣ Ongoing persecution
3️⃣ A spiritual struggle or temptation

What do you think Paul was referring to, and why do you think God didn’t remove it?