The Bible is God’s word. That means that it has no mistakes and it’s all useful and true. However, there are some Bibles (often called Study Bibles) that come with study notes in them. Those notes might be in the actual book that you call your Bible, but they are not Scripture. Those are Man’s words, not God’s words. The people who make study notes for Bibles are usually very careful about not making mistakes, but they are just human, and humans make mistakes. It’s not that study notes are bad, but we need to be careful that we recognize that though they may be in a Bible, they are not the Bible. We need to be careful not to add to God’s words.
Bible Verses:
- Proverbs 30:5-6 – God’s words are pure; do not add to them.
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – Scripture is God-breathed and useful.
- Revelation 22:18-19 – Consequences of adding to Scripture.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21 – Test everything; hold onto the good.
- Acts 17:11 – Bereans verify teachings with Scripture.
Family Time Questions:
- What does it mean that every word of God is pure?
- Why is it important to distinguish between Scripture and study notes?
- How can we responsibly use study notes when reading the Bible?
- What should we do if we find something in the study notes that seems incorrect?
Prayer:
“Dear God, thank You for giving us the Bible. Help us to find Your Truth in Scripture and not mistake the words of Man with the words of God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
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