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Contradictions 1 – 15 | Contradictions 16 – 30 | Contradictions 31 – 45 | Contradictions 46 – 60 | Contradictions 61 – 75 | Contradictions 76 – 90 | Contradictions 91 – 105 | Contradictions 106 – 120 | Contradictions 121 – 135 | Contradictions 136 – 150 | Contradictions 151 – 165 | (MORE SOON TO COME…this is a slow work in progress)
61. Who asked for the best seats in heaven? Mark 10:35-37 says James and John, but Matthew 20:20-21 says the mother of James and John.
62. When did Jacob rename Luz to Bethel? Genesis 28:18-19 says before meeting Rachel, but Genesis 33:18 and 35:6-7 says just before Rachel dies.
63. How many of Bethlehem and Netophah’s offspring returned from Babylon? Ezra 2:21-22 says 179, but Nehemiah 7:26 says 188.
64. Where did Jesus cure the blind man? Mark 8:22-25 says in Bethsaida, but John 8:59-9:1-6 says outside the temple.
65. How many of Bezai’s offspring returned from Babylon? Ezra 2:17 says 323, but Nehemiah 7:23 says 324.
66. How many of Bigvai’s offspring returned from Babylon? Ezra 2:14 says 2,056 but Nehemiah 7:19 says 2,067.
67. Who makes people deaf and blind? Exodus 4:11 and John 9:1-3 says God, but Mark 9:17 and 25 says foul spirits.
68. How many blind men were healed near Jericho? Matthew 20:30 says 2, but Mark 10:46 and Luke 18:35 says only 1.
69. Does the blood of animal sacrifices take away sin? Leviticus 4:20, 26, 31, 35, 5:10, 16, 18, 6:7, 17:11, and Numbers 15:27-28, 29:5 says yes, but Hebrews 10:4 and 10:11 says no.
70. Should every man bear his own burden? Galatians 6:5 says no but Galatians 6:2 says yes.
71. Who buried Jesus? Matthew 27:57-60, Mark 15:43-46, and Luke 23:50-53 says Joseph of Arimathaea but John 19:38-42 says Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus and Acts 13:27-29 says the Jews and their rulers.
72. On what day did the temple burn? 2 Kings 25:8-9 says on the seventh day but Jeremiah 52:12-13 says on the tenth day.
73. Did God command the Israelites to make Him burnt offerings? Exodus 8:27, 10:25, 20:24, 29:16-18 says yes but Jeremiah 7:22 says no.
74. Who appeared to Moses in the burning bush? Exodus 3:4 and Mark 12:26 says God but Exodus 3:2 and Acts 7:35 says an angel.
75. What became of Cain? Genesis 4:11-12 says he was a fugitive and a vagabond, but Genesis 4:16-17 says he settled down, married, had a son, and built a city.
Who asked for the best seats in heaven? Mark 10:35-37 says James and John, but Matthew 20:20-21 says the mother of James and John. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. Mark 10:35-37 records that James and John were asking but it doesn‘t mean their mother wasn‘t there asking too. Matthew 20:20-21 includes the mother of James and John, but this doesn‘t mean James and John had nothing to say. Basically this is a case where all three were asking Jesus about it and while Mark records what James and John said Matthew records what their mother also said.
When did Jacob rename Luz to Bethel? Genesis 28:18-19 says before meeting Rachel, but Genesis 33:18 and 35:6-7 says just before Rachel dies. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. Genesis 28 says Jacob CALLED the place Bethel but it was known as Luz before then. Since Jacob was a stranger in the land it would still have been called Luz by those who dwelled there while Jacob and his family may have called it Bethel.
In Genesis 33 and 35 we still see this being played out. So the city was called Bethel by Jacob before, and was now being called not only Bethel again, but ELBETHEL. This may not actually be considered as any official name change of the city, but it can be considered a second name that it would be known by.
How many of Bethlehem and Netophah’s offspring returned from Babylon? Ezra 2:21-22 says 179, but Nehemiah 7:26 says 188. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. The two accounts actually give different lists, most probably written at different times. Ezra 2:2 says that his list is of the people who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
Nehemiah 7:7 says that he is listing the people who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this;
When you read over this you will see that there are 11 people listed in Ezra but 12 in Nehemiah. Of those people not all of them are the same either. So you have two lists with several different groups of people being talked about.
So if there is a different number of people listed between either book it can be attributed to this. If the number of people in Ezra was higher or lower than in Nehemiah it is because some of the people listed in Nehemiah came with different people than the ones listed in Ezra.
Here is an example: There were 400 people who followed Joshua, Sam, and Jason. This is on one list. But another list may say there were 302 people who followed Joshua, Sam, and Robert. If we just look at the numbers then we miss the point that 98 of them could have been with Jason while only 2 were with Robert.
This is why we may see different numbers. It’s because it is from two different lists giving accounts of different groups of travelers.
Where did Jesus cure the blind man? Mark 8:22-25 says in Bethsaida, but John 8:59-9:1-6 says outside the temple. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. These are two different people and two different events. The blind man in Mark 8 is said to have been brought to Jesus. This man was then led OUTSIDE of the city of Bethsaida by Jesus where Jesus spit in his eyes and placed His hands on him. Jesus asked what the man could see and the man said he could see men like trees walking around. Then Jesus did it a second time and healed his eyes completely.
From this we can gather that this man could actually see at one time in his life since he compared people to tree’s. He must have had a memory of what a tree looked like. Now, all of this happened to THIS man outside of the town.
Compare this man to the man in John 8-9 and you will see that this must be a different man and event altogether. THIS blind man is said to have been spotted by Jesus Himself rather than having been brought to Jesus. He is also said to have been blind from birth, thus he can not be the same man who once knew what a tree looked like.
The method of his healing was also different here. Jesus spit on the ground and made CLAY which He then placed on the man’s eyes. At that point Jesus told the man to go wash himself in the pool of Siloam rather than healing him right then and there Himself. So this is obviously a DIFFERENT blind man.
The location of the first blind man was just outside the town Bethsaida and the location of the second blind man was near the temple.
How many of Bezai’s offspring returned from Babylon? Ezra 2:17 says 323, but Nehemiah 7:23 says 324. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. The two accounts actually give different lists, most probably written at different times. Ezra 2:2 says that his list is of the people who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
Nehemiah 7:7 says that he is listing the people who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this;
When you read over this you will see that there are 11 people listed in Ezra but 12 in Nehemiah. Of those people not all of them are the same either. So you have two lists with several different groups of people being talked about.
So if there is a different number of people listed between either book it can be attributed to this. If the number of people in Ezra was higher or lower than in Nehemiah it is because some of the people listed in Nehemiah came with different people than the ones listed in Ezra.
Here is an example: There were 400 people who followed Joshua, Sam, and Jason. This is on one list. But another list may say there were 302 people who followed Joshua, Sam, and Robert. If we just look at the numbers then we miss the point that 98 of them could have been with Jason while only 2 were with Robert.
This is why we may see different numbers. It’s because it is from two different lists giving accounts of different groups of travelers.
How many of Bigvai’s offspring returned from Babylon? Ezra 2:14 says 2,056 but Nehemiah 7:19 says 2,067. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. The two accounts actually give different lists, most probably written at different times. Ezra 2:2 says that his list is of the people who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
Nehemiah 7:7 says that he is listing the people who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this;
When you read over this you will see that there are 11 people listed in Ezra but 12 in Nehemiah. Of those people not all of them are the same either. So you have two lists with several different groups of people being talked about.
So if there is a different number of people listed between either book it can be attributed to this. If the number of people in Ezra was higher or lower than in Nehemiah it is because some of the people listed in Nehemiah came with different people than the ones listed in Ezra.
Here is an example: There were 400 people who followed Joshua, Sam, and Jason. This is on one list. But another list may say there were 302 people who followed Joshua, Sam, and Robert. If we just look at the numbers then we miss the point that 98 of them could have been with Jason while only 2 were with Robert.
This is why we may see different numbers. It’s because it is from two different lists giving accounts of different groups of travelers.
Who makes people deaf and blind? Exodus 4:11 and John 9:1-3 says God, but Mark 9:17 and 25 says foul spirits. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. God is the creator of man. This means He has the authority to create man in whatever way He wants and for whatever purpose. Thus God creates people and will sometimes allow them to be deaf, blind, or mute, and in fact have many other medical problems. This is the result of the fall of man where the effect of sin has brought death into the picture. It was not the desire of God for people though.
God is not the only one who can cause a person to become blind, deaf, or mute. Fowl spirits can as well. Just because both can do so it doesn’t mean this is a contradiction. Some people are made that way by God and some by fowl spirits. In fact, if you hit someone hard enough in the head you may also cause them to become this way.
The point is that God has the ultimate authority over the human body. But He will also allow other things to effect that body.
How many blind men were healed near Jericho? Matthew 20:30 says 2, but Mark 10:46 and Luke 18:35 says only 1. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. While there are some who believe this “contradiction” to simply be a matter of it being more than one event I believe that answer isn’t very strong. The events listed are so similar that it would make little sense for the crowd to tell one person to be quiet and then see Jesus call him, and then do the same thing all over 2 more times. One may think the crowd would learn not to rebuke the blind by then.
No, the answer to this is much more simple. Mark and Luke never say there was only one man. They only record the events around one of the TWO, but never deny that the other one is there. Omission doesn’t mean non-existence. In fact, I may tell you that I went to visit someone in the hospital, but just because I don’t mention the person in the next room to them it doesn’t mean the room was empty.
Does the blood of animal sacrifices take away sin? Leviticus 4:20, 26, 31, 35, 5:10, 16, 18, 6:7, 17:11, and Numbers 15:27-28, 29:5 says yes, but Hebrews 10:4 and 10:11 says no. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. In order to understand this we need to take a closer look at Hebrews 10.
Hebrews 10:1
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
The context of Leviticus and Numbers all revolve around a sacrifice which COULD take away the sins of the past, but those sins which were committed AFTER the sacrifice was offered were NOT covered by that sacrifice. When we look at Hebrews 10:1 we see that the context isn’t about just the sins of someone’s past, but their future sins as well.
Hebrews 10:11-14
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Again, the context here is sins of the past, present, and future. The blood of animals could not do this, though they could take away sins of the past.
Hebrews 7:23-28
23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
We are told here that the reason the blood of animals could not cover the sins of the future was because the priest could not continually offer the same blood of one animal forever. The priest would eventually die and the blood would no longer be offered. No priest could continue forever like this.
That is why the resurrection is so important! It means Jesus is now the high priest who will never die and is ALWAYS before God offering that ONE sacrifice for all sins yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Should every man bear his own burden? Galatians 6:5 says no but Galatians 6:2 says yes. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. At no point in these scriptures are we told NOT to bear our own burden. We ARE told to bear our own burden AND to help others with theirs. So while we all pitch in to help one another it doesn’t mean we abandon our own burden for others to take it on by themselves.
Who buried Jesus? Matthew 27:57-60, Mark 15:43-46, and Luke 23:50-53 says Joseph of Arimathaea but John 19:38-42 says Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus and Acts 13:27-29 says the Jews and their rulers. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. Much like many other “contradictions” people attempt to point out this is simply a case of ignorance. Just because Matthew, Mark, and Luke do not include Nicodemus in these passages it doesn’t mean he wasn’t there. Since he IS mentioned in John we do know he was there though.
It is foolish to assume that just because the other writers did not mention him that they “meant to say” he wasn’t there. This is putting words in the writers mouths that they did not speak.
There are also two different ways you can look at the passage in Acts. Since the verse is broken up into different events then it doesn’t mean the two events include the exact same people. When it says “they crucified Him” it can mean the Jews did this, but when it says “they buried Him” it could mean a different group of people altogether.
The second (and I believe the most accurate) way to look at this is by understanding that Nicodemus was a Jew who also happened to be a ruler of the people. He was not the only Jew and ruler of the Jews who believed Jesus either. So while it doesn’t mention exact names of others it doesn’t mean they were not there.
And so there is no contradiction in these passages. They all agree in harmony.
On what day did the temple burn? 2 Kings 25:8-9 says on the seventh day but Jeremiah 52:12-13 says on the tenth day. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. 2 Kings 25 says Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem on the 7th day. It does not say he actually ENTERED into Jerusalem though. Since Babylon had cast a siege around Jerusalem Nebuzaradan may have arrived to the army of Babylon on the OUTSIDE of Jerusalem on the 7th day. Thus he came UNTO Jerusalem but not INTO it.
Jeremiah uses the words INTO Jerusalem rather than saying he simply came unto it. Unto doesn’t always mean INTO. I can come UNTO your home, but unless you invite me in I have not come INTO your home.
So 2 Kings says he came on the 7th day and then picks the thought up again 3 days later when he came INTO the city and burned the temple. Jeremiah doesn’t bother to include when he got to town so to speak. He only speaks of when he was IN town.
On the 7th he arrived, on the 10th he invaded and began burning things down.
Did God command the Israelites to make Him burnt offerings? Exodus 8:27, 10:25, 20:24, 29:16-18 says yes but Jeremiah 7:22 says no. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. If you want to get very technical about it God never did actually command them and instructed them about burnt sacrificed in THE DAY they left Egypt. That didn’t come until later. So technically Exodus and Jeremiah do not contradict in this.
The technical reason this is not a contradiction should be enough, but there is still more to consider as well. For example, what type of burnt offering did God not command them about? When reading Jeremiah in it’s correct context you will see that according to Jeremiah 7:31 God is saying He did not command them to offer their CHILDREN as burned offerings.
So when put in proper context God isn’t saying He never commanded burnt offerings. He is saying He never commanded THESE kinds of burnt offerings.
Who appeared to Moses in the burning bush? Exodus 3:4 and Mark 12:26 says God but Exodus 3:2 and Acts 7:35 says an angel. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. Actually, if you read the passages you may notice that it says that it was God, and it also says “The Angel Of The Lord.” in the other passages. This is significant because if you understand angels then you know that the word itself simply means “messenger.”
If you study out the subject further then you will find that the Bible says “The angel of the Lord” is actually God Himself and not another type of angel that is commonly thought of. Here, let me go ahead and give you that information to show you why this is not speaking of God and an angel but rather God Himself:
There are different “angels” mentioned in the Bible. The first is known as The angel of the LORD. Not just “an” angel, but THE angel. Daniel 3 and Isaiah 63 bluntly tell us that the angel of the Lord is Jesus, the Son of God.
Psalm 34 tells us that He makes His home with those who fear Him and thus He never leaves or forsakes them. 1 Samuel 29:9, 2 Samuel 14:17, 2 Samuel 14:20, 2 Samuel 19:27, Zechariah 12:8 All give hints that the angel of the Lord is Jesus in that they compare David to Him. David Himself being the king of Israel.
Judges 13 tells us that Jesus gives all glory to the Father. Judges 6 show us that the angel of the Lord is not just 1. He speaks of Himself in the 3rd person. As God the Father speaking of Jesus who is still Himself. Exodus 3 tells us that the name is secret because He simply is who He is. He has no name because there is none to name Him. Genesis 22 again tells us this is God.
So The angel of the Lord is actually God Himself in the form of a messenger (be it a burning bush, a pillar of fire, or Jesus in the flesh).
What became of Cain? Genesis 4:11-12 says he was a fugitive and a vagabond, but Genesis 4:16-17 says he settled down, married, had a son, and built a city. Is this a contradiction in the Bible?
No. The word fugitive means “Someone who is in hiding or running from justice.” A fugitive may not always run. He may find people willing to help him and set up a stronghold. Thus a fugitive can have children and even build a city, all while avoiding (and in some cases TO avoid) those who he fears.
The word vagabond means “wanderer.” Since Cain had to leave the land and people he called home after the death of Abel he became a wanderer until he settled down and built the city. So God was correct in saying he would be both a fugitive and a vagabond. Though God never said how long these things would last.
It is also important to consider that Cain probably never felt “at home” anywhere. So even in his own city he would feel as though he may have to leave at any time. Feeling guilt and paranoid probably meant he was always ready to run. While we are told he built the city we are not told that he stayed there the rest of his life.