2 Timothy 3:16 — What Scripture is Inspired?

Does 2 Timothy 3:16 mean absolutely every writing in the world is inspired of God?

2 Timothy 3:16

pasa graphee theopneustos kai wphelimos pros

ALL SCRIPTURE GOD BREATHED AND BENEFICIAL TOWARD

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didaskalian pros elegmon pros epanorthwsin

TEACHING, TOWARD REPROVING, TOWARD STRAIGHTENING UP UPON,

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pros paideian teen en dikaiosunee

TOWARD DISCIPLINE THE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS,

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Westcott & Hort Interlinear

As is most often the case, the Greek in this verse does not have the linking verb “is” in the text. One should understand that the Koine Greek syntax is not the same as in English, but when translated into English, to accommodate the English syntax, the connecting verb should be supplied, but it may not fully apparent where it should be supplied. Nevertheless,  It should be obvious that in 2 Timothy 3:16, in the English the verb belongs there somewhere, and most translators put it after the word “scripture”, making the verse read, as in the New American Standard:

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.

Some, however, put the verb later, as in the World English:

Every writing inspired by God is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction which is in righteousness.

This would show that the writings or scriptures involved are limited to those that are inspired by God. This is due to the fact that some have faulted the rendering “all scripture is inspired” because it would actually state that every writing in the whole world is inspired of God. Others point out that the word “kai” (meaning “and”) would seem to call for the verb to be before “theopneustos” (an adjective usually rendered as "inspired by God". Literally, "God-breathed").

Regardless of where one puts a verb in the sentence, “all scripture” should be understood to mean what is referred to in the Bible as “the Scripture(s)”. (Matthew 24:42; 22:29; Luke 24:27,32,45; John 4:39; 7:42; 10:35; 17:12; 20:9; Acts 8:32; 17:2,11; 18:28; Romans 11:2; 15:4; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Galatians 3:22) In many cases in the New Testament this term refers to what Christians today refer to as the Old Testament, although at times the writings of NT testament writers appear to be included. However, the word “scriptures” simply means “writings,” and yes, there were a lot of writings — scriptures — floating around in the first century amongst the Jews, which are not included in “the Scriptures”, some of which are referred to in the Bible. There was, however, a general consensus among the Jews at that time that “the Scriptures” are what we today have as the Old Testament.

If Paul was saying that absolutely everything that is written is inspired of God, then the Buddhist writings, the Hindu writings, the writings of Satanists, and absolutely everything that has been written by anyone at any time and at any place should be considered to be inspired of God; thus we should believe in the immortality of the soul, and that the soul is not immortal; we should believe that only Jehovah is Most High, and that Jehovah is not the only Most High; we should believe that the dead are not conscious, and the dead are conscious, we should believe that God is a trinity, and that God is only one person. We should believe in reincarnation, and we should believe that reincarnation is not true. We should believe in the transmigrations of the human soul, and we should believe that the transmigration of the soul is false teaching, and so on.

The expression “Law and the Prophets” was used to speak of all of the Hebrew Scriptures. Before Christ came, there is evidence of the expression  “Law and Prophets” was in general use for all of the books of the Bible in the Old Testament as we have it except perhaps Ruth and Esther. Although the expression “canon” was not used in those days, the evidence shows that there was an accepted canon sometime in the late Perisian period. Although the expression “Law and the Prophets” technically divides the collection of books into two groups, the expression was often used to designate the entire collection. Some references refer to “the Law, Prophets, and the Psalms,” as did Jesus in Luke 24:44, which would technically make three divisions of the Old Testament writings. And yet we should realize that even the “historical” writings contain prophecy, and they are also certainly relative to the “Law Covenant.” However, at times all of the writings of the Old Testament were referred as “the Law,” or “the Law and Prophets.”

The expression “the Law” is generally used in three different ways in the New Testament. It is often used when speaking of the Book of the Law, which is now five books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy). It is also used to refer to the entire collection of the Hebrew Scriptures. Therefore, Jesus quoted the Psalms as being part of the Law of Jews. (John 10:34; 15:25) Jesus refers to the Psalms several times; here are some: Matthew 5:5; 22:44; 23:39; Mark 12:36; Luke 19:38; 24:44; John 10:34. 

Thus we believe we should realize that “all scripture” used in 2 Timothy 3:16, is not referring to absolutely all writings, but to the writings that were general referred as the Scripture(s). Thus, when we speak of the “Old Testament” today, although the term means “old covenant,” we are not speaking just of the Law Covenant itself, nor even just the “book of the Law,” but of all the books of the what we call the Old Testament collection, which today we might call scripture canon..

Nevertheless, the expression “the Law” or “law” in the Bible often refers to the Law Covenant itself; one should be careful to not confuse such scriptures with what constitutes “Law and the Prophets” as far as writings are concerned.

One more point concerning 2 Timothy 3:16. Many try to claim that not all the Bible is inspired because Paul wrote “But to the rest I — not the Lord [Jehovah] — say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her.” (1 Corinthians 7:12) Does this mean that the words that Paul wrote here are not inspired by God? Absolutely not! Indeed, Paul was certainly inspired by God to write, “I — not the Lord [Jehovah] — say,” thus designating that the following was not a command from Jehovah, but rather that it his own suggestion. And yet, we believe that the entire sentence is also inspired by God; although it is not a command from God, this does not mean that the writing of it is not inspired by God.