This article will explore some of the most controversial Bible verses and examine their significance and meaning. By reviewing these verses in context and with an open mind, we can gain a deeper understanding of their message and significance and continue to grow in our faith and knowledge of the Bible.
The Bible is a complex and multifaceted text containing a wealth of wisdom, guidance, and insight. However, certain verses and passages have sparked controversy and debate throughout history. These “Most Controversial Bible Verses” challenge us to grapple with difficult theological questions and explore the nuances of faith and belief.
From issues of morality and sexuality to questions of justice and suffering, these verses offer a variety of perspectives on some of the most complex and challenging topics of human existence.
For many believers, studying these verses can be challenging and rewarding, offering opportunities for deeper understanding and reflection on the nature of God and the human condition.
Contents
Most Controversial Bible Verses
1. Leviticus 18:22
“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.”
2. Romans 1:26-27
“For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.”
3. 1 Corinthians 11:3
“But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.”
4. Ephesians 5:22-24
“Wives, submit to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, wives should also submit everything to their husbands.”
5. Exodus 20:13
“You shall not murder.”
6. Deuteronomy 20:16-17
“But in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes, but you shall devote them to destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the Lord your God has commanded.”
7. Matthew 5:38-39
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the evil one. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
8. John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
9. Acts 4:12
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
10. Romans 10:9
“Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
11. Revelation 20:15
“And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
12. Matthew 7:1-2
“Judge not, that you be not judged. With the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
13. Matthew 19:24
“Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
14. James 2:14-17
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
15. 1 Corinthians 15:52
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”
16. Matthew 5:28
“But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
17. Matthew 10:34
“Do not suppose I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.”
18. Colossians 3:18
“Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”
19. Ephesians 6:5
“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect, fear, and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.”
20. 1 Timothy 2:15
“But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.”
21. Romans 14:1
“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.”
22. 1 Corinthians 15:23
“But each in his order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.”
23. Matthew 10:28
“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
24. Mark 9:43
“It is better to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.”
25. Ephesians 5:12
“For it is shameful even to speak of what they do secretly.”
Controversial Verses Related To Homosexuality And Premarital Sex.
Leviticus 20:13
“If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both have done what is detestable. They will be put to death; their blood will be on their heads.”
1 Corinthians 6:9
“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men.”
Romans 1:26-27
“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.”
Hebrews 13:4
“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”
Ephesians 5:3
“But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.”
Examining verses related to women’s submission and leadership in the church.
1 Corinthians 11:3
“But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.”
1 Corinthians 14:34-35
“the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.”
1 Timothy 2:11-15
“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.”
Galatians 3:28
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 16:1-2
“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.”
Controversial passages related to warfare and the use of violence.
Exodus 21:22-25
This passage discusses the punishment for causing harm to a pregnant woman. It states that if the woman and her unborn child are harmed, the punishment should be “life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.”
Deuteronomy 20:16-17
This passage instructs the Israelites to destroy the inhabitants of the land they are conquering. It states, “But in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes.”
Joshua 6:21
This passage describes how the Israelites conquered the city of Jericho and destroyed everything in it, including men, women, and children. It states, “Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.”
1 Samuel 15:3
This passage recounts how God instructed King Saul to destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions. It states, “Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.”
Psalm 137:9
This passage expresses a desire for revenge against the Babylonians who had destroyed Jerusalem. It states, “Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!”
Examining verses related to God’s role in suffering and injustice.
Isaiah 45:7
“I form light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil; I am the Lord, who does all these things.” This verse suggests that God is responsible for both good and evil, including suffering and injustice.
Job 1:21
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” This verse is often cited in discussions of suffering, as Job acknowledges that God has the power to give and take away.
Romans 8:28
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” This verse suggests that even while suffering, God works for the good of those who love Him.
Psalm 137:9
“Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.” This verse has been controversial for its violent imagery and seeming endorsement of infanticide.
Lamentations 3:38
“Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?” This verse suggests that God is the ultimate source of both good and bad things that happen in the world.
Controversial verses related to God’s wrath, judgment, and sovereignty.
Romans 9:13
“As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Exodus 21:24-25
“eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth”
Revelation 20:10
“And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Isaiah 45:7
“I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.”
Romans 1:18
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness.”
Examining verses related to the origins of the universe and human life.
Genesis 1:1
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This verse is often cited as evidence of God’s role in creating the universe.
Genesis 1:26-27
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” This verse describes God’s creation of humanity.
Psalm 139:13-16
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written every one of them, the days that were formed for me when there was none.” This verse suggests that God is intimately involved in creating each human life.
John 1:1-3
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” This verse describes Jesus as the co-creator of the universe.
Colossians 1:16-17 – “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” This verse further emphasizes Jesus’ role in the creation of the universe.
Examining verses related to the role of good works in salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
James 2:14-17
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
Titus 3:5
“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
Galatians 2:16
“know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.”
Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Controversial verses related to the role of Christians in government and politics.
Romans 13:1-7
This passage instructs Christians to submit to governing authorities as God establishes them. However, it has been controversial in how it has been interpreted in different contexts, such as during times of oppressive governments.
Matthew 22:21
“Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.” This verse has been used to support the idea of separation of church and state but also raises questions about the role of Christians in politics.
1 Timothy 2:1-4
This passage instructs Christians to pray for those in authority, but it has been controversial in how it has been interpreted concerning political activism.
John 18:36
“My kingdom is not of this world.” This verse has been used to support the idea of Christians abstaining from political involvement but also raises questions about how Christians should engage with the world around them.
Romans 12:18
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” This verse has been used to support the idea of Christians avoiding political conflict but also raises questions about how Christians should respond to injustice and oppression.
Examining verses related to the return of Jesus and the final judgment.
Matthew 24:36-44
This passage talks about the Second Coming of Christ and the need for believers to be always ready.
2 Peter 3:10-13
This verse describes the end of the world and the final judgment.
Revelation 20:11-15
This passage describes the Great White Throne Judgment, where the dead will be judged according to their deeds.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
This verse talks about the rapture, where believers will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air.
Matthew 25:31-46
This passage describes the separation of the righteous and the wicked on Judgment Day.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “Most Controversial Bible Verses” continues to spark debate and discussion among scholars and believers alike. These verses challenge us to examine our beliefs and grapple with difficult theological questions. While they may be controversial, they also offer opportunities for deeper understanding and reflection on the nature of God and the human condition.
It is essential to approach these verses with an open mind and willingness to seek out their broader context and meaning. Doing so can give us a more nuanced understanding of their significance and message.
