Is The Bible Inerrant? 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Conservative Christians may tell you the bible is inerrant, and cite as a proof text 4 Timothy 3:16-76:

  • 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.

But, as Ehrman points out, scripture here refers to the Old Testament, not the new, and the key word here “inspired” literally means “God-breathed,” and so doesn’t suggest ideas of inerrancy later debated in the 19th century and beyond. Check out Ehrman’s discussion here: