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350 Bible Passages vs. Sola Scriptura

350 Bible Passages vs. Sola Scriptura

Last updated on: April 11, 2026 at 3:51 pm by Dave Armstrong

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350 Bible Passages vs. Sola Scriptura 2026-04-11T15:51:16-04:00 Dave Armstrong

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Photo credit: originally planned book (my own cover design) that was modified as 1oo Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura (Catholic Answers Press: May 2012; slightly revised, reformatted, and published by Bridge Builders Press in August 2025)

[all Bible passages from RSV]

*****

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Definition of Sola Scriptura

2 Authoritative Oral & Written Tradition (Parodosis) in the Bible [33]

3 Oral Torah [6]

4 Jewish Talmudic Traditions Cited by Jesus [16]

5 Extra-Biblical Jewish Literature Cited by the Bible [26]

6 Perspicuity or Clearness of Scripture / Definitive Interpretation of Scripture from Ecclesiastical Leaders [13]

7 Authoritative & Infallible Church / No Denominations or Divisions [34]

8 Orally Proclaimed Non-Scriptural “Word of God” / “Word of the LORD” [67]

9 Inspired Old Testament Prophetic Authority [15]

10 Inspired New Testament Prophetic Authority [29]

11 Apostolic Succession [11]

12 Extrabiblical Authoritative Teaching Not Recorded in the Bible [10]

13 Inspired Guidance by the Holy Spirit / God the Father / Jesus [27]

14 Direct Supernatural Guidance from Dreams or Visions [56]

15 The LORD Speaking Directly to Human Beings [6]

16 Papacy and Papal Infallible Authority [links only]

*****

1 Definition of Sola Scriptura

Let’s start with a definition of sola Scriptura, from Protestants. Terms must always be defined. The late Dr. Norman L. Geisler was a very prominent evangelical Protestant apologist, who published many books. His definition is as follows:

By sola Scriptura orthodox Protestants mean that Scripture alone is the primary and absolute source of authority, the final court of appeal, for all doctrine and practice (faith and morals). . . . What Protestants mean by sola Scriptura is that the Bible alone is the infallible written authority for faith and morals. . . . Scripture is the sufficient and final written authority of God. As to sufficiency, the Bible — nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else — is all that is necessary for faith and practice . . . This is not to say that Protestants obtain no help from the Fathers and early councils . . . this is not to say that there is no usefulness to Christian tradition, but only that it is of secondary importance. (Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences, co-author Ralph E. Mackenzie, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1995, 178)

Reformed Protestant writer Keith A. Mathison concurs, while emphasizing the role of the Church a little more strongly:

Scripture alone is inspired and inherently infallible. Scripture alone is the supreme normative standard. But Scripture does not exist in a vacuum. It was and is given to the Church within the doctrinal context of the apostolic gospel. Scripture alone is the only final standard, but it is a final standard that must be utilized, interpreted, and preached by the Church within its Christian context. . . .

It is important to notice that sola scriptura, properly understood, is not a claim that Scripture is the only authority altogether. . . . There are other real authorities which are subordinate and derivative in nature. Scripture, however, is the only inspired and inherently infallible norm, and therefore Scripture is the only final authoritative norm. (The Shape of Sola Scriptura, Moscow, Idaho: Canon Press, 2001, 259-260)

For more along these lines, see my articles, Sola Scriptura in the Protestant Confessions & Creeds [6-12-24], Sola Scriptura as Defined by Historic Protestantism [12-15-21], and Definition of Sola Scriptura (Get it Right!) [2-15-13].

2 Authoritative Oral & Written Tradition (Parodosis) in the Bible [33]

Proverbs 22:28 Remove not the ancient landmark which your fathers have set.

Proverbs 23:10 Do not remove an ancient landmark . . .

Matthew 12:25 . . . Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand

Matthew 15:3-9 He answered them, “And why do you transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? [4] For God commanded, `Honor your father and your mother,’ and, `He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die.’ [5] But you say, ‘If any one tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is given to God, he need not honor his father.’ [6] So, for the sake of your tradition, you have made void the word of God. [7] You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: [8] ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; [9] in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’” (cf. Mk 7:8-9, 13) [Jesus was rebuking this particular Pharisaical tradition as a corruption of the ten commandments. His point isn’t “anti-tradition” per se; rather, it’s “pro-God’s tradition” over against false “precepts of men”]

Matthew 23:3 . . . practice and observe whatever they [the Pharisees] tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.” [here is legitimate, binding traditional authority, and even from the Pharisees]

Acts 15:5 . . . some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees . . . [Christians, following Paul’s self-description, are described as Pharisees]

Acts 15:7 . . . by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.

Acts 15:27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.

Acts 23:6 . . . “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees . . .” [Paul twice describes himself as a Pharisee at his trial. The Pharisees accepted oral tradition, given to Moses on Mt. Sinai]

Acts 26:4-5 “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. [5] They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee.” [St. Paul didn’t think that Christianity and Judaism were two separate religions]

Romans 6:17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,

Romans 16:17 . . . take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught; avoid them.

1 Corinthians 11:2 I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you.

2 Corinthians 10:9-11 I would not seem to be frightening you with letters. [10] For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” [11] Let such people understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present.

Ephesians 1:13 . . . you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, . . .

Ephesians 4:21 assuming that you have heard about him [Christ] and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus.

Philippians 4:9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you. [The Philippians and the other churches Paul wrote to were bound to “do” not only what they learned from Paul’s letters, but also what they heard him orally teach]

Colossians 1:5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel

Colossians 1:23 . . . not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard, . . .

Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. [there are false “human” traditions which oppose the true tradition “according to Christ”]

1 Thessalonians 2:13 . . . when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. [in 1 Thessalonians “Scripture” or “Scriptures” never appear. “Word,” “word of the Lord,” or “word of God” appear five times (1:6, 8, 2:13 [twice], 4:15), but in each instance it is clearly in the sense of oral proclamation, not Scripture]

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, 5 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet him, we beg you, brethren, [2] not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter purporting to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. . . . [5] Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you this?

2 Thessalonians 2:15 . . . stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth, or by letter.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.

2 Timothy 1:13-14 Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me . . . [14] guard the truth which has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

2 Timothy 2:7 Think over what I say, . . .

2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, [4] and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.

Hebrews 2:1, 3 Therefore we must pay the closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. . . . [3] . . . It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him,

1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all.

1 John 2:24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father.

1 John 3:11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,

2 John 1:6 And this is love, that we follow his commandments; this is the commandment, as you have heard from the beginning, that you follow love.

Revelation 3:3 Remember then what you received and heard; keep that, and repent. . . .

3 Oral Torah [6]

Exodus 23:19 . . . “You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.” (cf. 34:26; Dt 14:21) [this is all we have in the OT regarding the common traditional Jewish prohibition of mixing meat and dairy products (which I first heard of when I visited Israel in 2014). Mishnah Chullin is the written version of the oral Torah that expands this far more broadly than the original very specific application]

1 Samuel 9:11-14 As they went up the hill to the city, they met young maidens coming out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?” [12] They answered, “He is; behold, he is just ahead of you. Make haste; he has come just now to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place. [13] As soon as you enter the city, you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat till he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those eat who are invited. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately.” [14] So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place. [In the written Torah, sacrifices were not permitted anywhere but in the tabernacle (Lev 17:1-5, 8-9; 26:30; Josh 22:29). But, strikingly, the prophet Samuel continued to sacrifice at the “high places”. Assuming the rightness of his sacrifices (the immediate context doesn’t indicate otherwise), we must posit an additional oral law that he was aware of. On a related note, the Torah never mentions Jerusalem as the central place of worship, or the temple was to be built there, or any permanent (stationary) place of worship and animal sacrifice. The Jerusalem temple first appears in 1 Kings 6:1, 7: “Solomon. . . began to build the house of the LORD. . . . neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the temple, while it was being built.”]

Jeremiah 17:21-22, 27 Thus says the LORD: Take heed for the sake of your lives, and do not bear a burden on the sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. [22] And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the sabbath or do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers. . . . [27] But if you do not listen to me, to keep the sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter by the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be quenched. [nothing in the Pentateuch prohibits carrying things out of one’s house on the Sabbath; it only prohibits work in general (Ex. 20:9-11). Amos 8:5 forbade business on the Sabbath, and Nehemiah 10:30-32 states that this is a commandment of God. Yet Jeremiah informs us that Jerusalem was destroyed in part due to this violation. They “did not listen” and didn’t “hear and receive instruction” (Jer 17:23), so Jerusalem was destroyed for sins not even condemned in the written Law, only the oral Torah, that the mainstream pharisaical tradition believed was also given to Moses on Mt. Sinai]

Acts 7:38 This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living oracles to give to us.

Acts 15:19-20 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, [20] but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood. (cf. 15:28-29; 21:25) [The written Torah does not forbid either of these types of food; it’s the oral Torah that prohibited eating food sacrificed to idols (Mishnah Avodah Zorah 2:3) and things strangled (Mishnah Chullin 1:2). Jesus rebukes the communities of Pergamum and Thyatira for violating these rules (Rev 2:14 and 20)]

Romans 3:2 . . . the Jews are entrusted with the oracles of God. [possibly refers to the oral Torah along with the written]

4 Jewish Talmudic Traditions Cited by Jesus [16]

Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ [22] But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, `You fool!’ shall be liable to the hell of fire. [Talmud: Bava Mezia 58b: “He who publicly shames his neighbour is as though he shed blood”]

Matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ [28] But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” [Jesus drew from the oral Torah, specifically from Leviticus Rabba (23:12): “Not only is he who sins with his body considered an adulterer, but he who sins with his eye is also considered one.” The Sermon on the Mount was primarily a condemnation of the heretical doctrines of the Saduccees, and an endorsement of the doctrines of the Pharisees]

Matthew 5:29-30 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. [30] And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. [Jesus drew from the oral Torah later written in Niddah 13b: “R. Eleazar stated: Who are referred to in the Scriptural text, Your hands are full of blood? Those that commit masturbation with their hands. It was taught at the school of R. Ishmael, Thou shalt not commit adultery implies, Thou shalt not practise masturbation either with hand or with foot.”]

Matthew 5:39 . . . I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also [in the Talmud, a person struck in this way is urged to forgive even if the offender doesn’t ask forgiveness (Tosefta Baba Kanima 9:29). People are commanded to cheerfully submit to suffering (Yoma 23a)]

Matthew 5:44 . . . I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [this idea is found in the Talmud: Yoma 23a, Gitin 36b, and Shabat 88b]

Matthew 6:7 And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. [Talmud: Berachot 55a: “If one draws out his prayer and expects therefore its fulfilment, he will in the end suffer vexation of heart, . . .”; calculating and babbling were forbidden by the oral Torah (Babylonian Talmud, Berekhot 32b)]

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? [Talmud: Sotah 48b: “Rabbi Eliezer the Great declares: Whoever has a piece of bread in his basket and says, ‘What shall I eat tomorrow?’ belongs only to them who are little in faith*.*“]

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes;” [Talmud: Bava Batra 12b: “Rabbi Johanan said: Since the Temple was destroyed, prophecy has been taken from prophets and given to fools and children.”]

Matthew 12:10-12 And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?” so that they might accuse him. [11] He said to them, “What man of you, if he has one sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? [12] Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath.” [The rabbis in the Talmud (oral Torah) cited Hosea 6:6, that helping people was of greater importance than observing the rituals and customs (Sukkah 49b, Deuteronomy Rabbah on 16:18, etc.), just as Jesus did]

Matthew 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. [Jesus alludes to Enoch 19 :6-7: “But you (Angels) from the beginning were made spiritual, possessing a life which is eternal, and not subject to death for ever. Therefore I made not wives for you, (The Angels) because, being spiritual, your dwelling is in heaven.”]

Matthew 23:2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; [The phrase (and idea) of Moses’ seat cannot be found anywhere in the OT. It is found in the (originally oral) Mishna, where a sort of “teaching succession” from Moses on down is taught. Jesus referenced the Pharisees’ oral traditions and interpretations of the written Torah]

Matthew 25:45 Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ [Tosefta Sh’vuot, ch. 3: “One who betrays his fellow, it is as if he has betrayed God”]

Mark 2:27 And he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath;” [this phrase appears in the Talmud (Mekilta 103b, and Yoma 85b: “Rabbi Jonathan ben Joseph said: For it is holy unto you; I.e., it [the Sabbath] is committed to your hands, not you to its hands”), and was believed by many rabbis in Jesus’s day: particularly in the School of Hillel]

Luke 18:1, 7-8 And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. . . . [7] And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? [8] I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. . . . [the oral Torah — eventually written down — stated, “If a man realizes that he has prayed and not been answered, he should pray again” (Babylonian Talmud, Berekhot 32b)]

John 7:38 He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, `Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.'” [Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers states: “The exact words ‘Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water,’ are not found in any part of the Canonical Scriptures of the Old Testament.” Likewise, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: “no such expression . . . is to be found literally in the Old Testament.” Yet Jesus calls it “the scripture.” ]

Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. [cites Enoch 24:3: “Among these there was a tree of an unceasing smell; nor of those which were in Eden was there one of all the fragrant trees which smelt like this. Its leaf, its flower, and its bark never withered, and its fruit was beautiful. . . The fruit of the tree shall be given to the elect.”]

5 Extra-Biblical Jewish Literature Cited by the Bible [26]

Numbers 21:14 Wherefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, . . .

2 Samuel 1:18 . . . behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar . . .

1 Kings 14:19 Now the rest of the acts of Jerobo’am, how he warred and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. [this work is mentioned more than 30 times in 1 and 2 Kings]

1 Chronicles 29:29 Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the Chronicles of Samuel the seer, and in the Chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of Gad the seer,

2 Chronicles 9:29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahi’jah the Shi’lonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jerobo’am the son of Nebat?

2 Chronicles 12:15 Now the acts of Rehobo’am, from first to last, are they not written in the chronicles of Shemai’ah the prophet and of Iddo the seer? . . .

2 Chronicles 13:22 The rest of the acts of Abi’jah, his ways and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

2 Chronicles 33:19 . . . they are written in the Chronicles of the Seers.

Matthew 2:23 And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” [this can’t be found in the Old Testament, yet it was passed down “by the prophets” orally, rather than through Scripture]

Acts 10:4 And he stared at him in terror, and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. [Enoch 13:6: “Beseeching me to write for them a memorial of supplication, that they might obtain forgiveness; and that I might make the memorial of their prayer ascend up before the God of heaven . . .”]

Romans 3:20 For no human being will be justified in his sight by works of the law, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. [Enoch 80:8: “. . . inform all your children, that no flesh shall be justified before the Lord . . .”]

1 Corinthians 10:4 and all drank the same supernatural drink. For they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ. [The OT says nothing about such miraculous movement, in the related passages about Moses striking the rock to produce water (Ex 17:1-7; Num 20:2-13). But rabbinic tradition does]

2 Corinthians 11:14 . . . Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. [alludes to Life of Adam and Eve, aka The Apocalypse of Moses]

2 Corinthians 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven . . . [alludes to Life of Adam and Eve, aka The Apocalypse of Moses]

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, . . . [Enoch 39:1: “In those days shall the elect and holy race descend from the upper heavens.”]

2 Timothy 3:8: “As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses . . . ” [These two men cannot be found in the related Old Testament passage (Exodus 7:8 ff.), or anywhere else in the Old Testament.]

Hebrews 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, . . . [cites Ascension of Isaiah]

1 Peter 3:19 in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, [at least two ancient Jewish texts refer to fallen angels in a similar way; e.g., 1 Enoch 18:13-16: “. . . the spot was desolate. And there I beheld seven stars, like great blazing mountains, and like spirits entreating me. Then the angel said, This place, until the consummation of heaven and earth, will be the prison of the stars, and the host of heaven. The stars which roll over fire are those which transgressed the commandment of God before their time arrived; for they came not in their proper season. Therefore was He offended with them, and bound them, until the period of the consummation of their crimes . . .”; or 2 Enoch 7:1-2: “And those men took me and led me up on to the second heaven, and showed me darkness, greater than earthly darkness, and there I saw prisoners hanging, watched, awaiting the great and boundless judgment, and these angels were dark-looking, more than earthly darkness, and incessantly making weeping through all hours. And I said to the men who were with me: Wherefore are these incessantly tortured? They answered me: These are God’s apostates, who obeyed not God’s commands, but took counsel with their own will, and turned away with their prince, who also is fastened on the fifth heaven.” 1 Enoch dates from c. 300-100 BC; 2 Enoch probably from the first century]

2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of nether gloom to be kept until the judgment; [alludes to chapters in the Book of Enoch, where the sins of 200 angels that cohabited with women are graphically discussed]

2 Peter 3:13 But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. [alludes to the Book of Enoch]

Jude 6 And the angels that did not keep their own position but left their proper dwelling have been kept by him in eternal chains in the nether gloom until the judgment of the great day; [alludes to the Book of Enoch]

Jude 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, disputed about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” [not found in the OT, but Origen (De Principiis, Bk III, ch. 2, sec, 1) traced it to the presently incomplete 1st century work, The Assumption of Moses]

Jude 10-13 But these men revile whatever they do not understand, and by those things that they know by instinct as irrational animals do, they are destroyed.
[11] Woe to them! For they walk in the way of Cain, and abandon themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error, and perish in Korah’s rebellion. [12] These are blemishes on your love feasts, as they boldly carouse together, looking after themselves; waterless clouds, carried along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; [13] wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars for whom the nether gloom of darkness has been reserved for ever. [Verse 10 hearkens back to Enoch 104:7-9]

Jude 14-15 It was of these also that Enoch in the seventh generation from Adam prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with his holy myriads, [15] to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness which they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. [direct citation of 1 Enoch 2:1: “Behold, he comes with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon them, and destroy the wicked, and reprove all the carnal for everything which the sinful and ungodly have done, and committed against him.” Note how Jude — writing inspired, God-breathed Scripture (2 Tim 3:16) — assumes that this is legitimate prophecy]

Revelation 6:9-10 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne; [10] they cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?” [cites Enoch 9:9-12: “Thus has the whole earth been filled with blood and with iniquity. And now behold the souls of those who are dead, cry out. And complain even to the gate of heaven. Their groaning ascends; nor can they escape from the unrighteousness which is committed on earth.”]

Revelation 19:15 From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. [Enoch 61:2-3: “The Lord of spirits sat upon the throne of his glory. And the spirit of righteousness was poured out over him. The word of his mouth shall destroy all the sinners and all the ungodly, who shall perish at his presence.”]

[and for Protestants who reject the Deuterocanon as Scripture, I have collected and written out probably more than 200 citations or close allusions in the NT: from the Gospels, Acts Through Ephesians, and Philippians through Revelation]

6 Perspicuity or Clearness of Scripture / Definitive Interpretation of Scripture from Ecclesiastical Leaders [13]

Exodus 18:19-20 Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You [Moses] shall represent the people before God, and bring their cases to God; [20] and you shall teach them the statutes and the decisions, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.

Leviticus 10:8, 11 And the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying, “. . . [11] and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by Moses.”

Deuteronomy 33:8, 10 And of Levi he said, . . . [10] They shall teach Jacob thy ordinances, and Israel thy law; . . .

2 Chronicles 17:8-9 and with them the Levites, Shemai’ah, Nethani’ah, Zebadi’ah, As’ahel, Shemi’ramoth, Jehon’athan, Adoni’jah, Tobi’jah, and Tobadoni’jah; and with these Levites, the priests Eli’shama and Jeho’ram. [9] And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the LORD with them; they went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

2 Chronicles 35:3 . . . the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the LORD,

Ezra 7:6, 10 this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses which the LORD the God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him. . . . [10] For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach his statutes and ordinances in Israel. . . .

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 7-9, 12 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel. [2] And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, . . . [3] And he read from it . . . [7] Also Jesh’ua, Bani, Sherebi’ah, Jamin, Akkub, Shab’bethai, Hodi’ah, Ma-asei’ah, Keli’ta, Azari’ah, Jo’zabad, Hanan, Pelai’ah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, . . . [8] And they read from the book, from the law of God, clearly; and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. [9] . . . and the Levites who taught the people . . . [12] . . . they had understood the words that were declared to them.

Mark 4:34 he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he [the risen Christ] interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke 24:45 Then he [the risen Christ] opened their minds to understand the scriptures,

Acts 8:26-27, 30-35 But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert road. [27] And he rose and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of the Can’dace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship . . . [30] So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” [31] And he said, “How can I, unless some one guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. [32] Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this: “As a sheep led to the slaughter or a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. [33] In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken up from the earth.” [34] And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about some one else?” [35] Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus.

2 Peter 1:20 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,

2 Peter 3:15-17 . . . So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, [16] speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. [17] You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability.

7 Authoritative & Infallible Church / No Denominations or Divisions [34]

Deuteronomy 24:8 “Take heed, in an attack of leprosy, to be very careful to do according to all that the Levitical priests shall direct you; as I commanded them, so you shall be careful to do.”

Deuteronomy 27:14 And the Levites shall declare to all the men of Israel with a loud voice: [the Levites were teaching priests (2 Chr 15:3) in the old covenant and also in charge of the tabernacle and the temple and sacred items like the ark of the covenant]

Ezra 7:25-26 “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and those who do not know them, you shall teach. [26] Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed upon him, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment.

Malachi 2:4-7 So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may hold, says the LORD of hosts. [5] My covenant with him was a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him, that he might fear; and he feared me, he stood in awe of my name. [6] True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. [7] For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

Matthew 16:18-19 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. [19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 18:17-18 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. [18] Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Luke 10:16 He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.

John 17:20-23 I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, [21] that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. [22] The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, [23] I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me.

John 20:23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.

Acts 4:32 Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, . . .

Acts 15:28-29 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: [29] that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.[This infallible and arguably inspired binding declaration (see Acts 16:4) — confirmed by the Holy Spirit — in the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:7-11) was essentially based on a “vision” (10:17) that God gave St. Peter (10:11-16), and helped him understand by sending to him the Gentile centurion, Cornelius (10:25 ff.), to whom He had communicated by an angel (10:22, 30-32). Virtually none of this process was directly related to Scripture or the written Mosaic Law.]

For much more about the Jerusalem Council, see: Jerusalem Council & Ecclesial Infallibility: 50 Proofs [12-12-25]

Acts 16:4 . . . they delivered to them for observance the decisions which had been reached by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem. [Paul was proclaiming the conciliar decision in Jerusalem as binding upon Christians hundreds of miles away in Asia Minor (Turkey)]

Acts 20:28 Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son.

Acts 23:1-5 And Paul, looking intently at the council, said, “Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience up to this day.” [2] And the high priest Anani’as commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. [3] Then Paul said to him, “God shall strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” [4] Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” [5] And Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, `You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’” [Paul believes he is still under the authority of the Jewish high priest: who was even a Sadducee. According to The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Ananias was “lawless and violent . . . haughty, unscrupulous, filling his sacred office for purely selfish and political ends” (vol. 1, p. 129). But Paul nonetheless showed him respect; even regarding him as his own “ruler”.]

Romans 2:8 but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury.

Romans 8:7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, indeed it cannot;

1 Corinthians 1:10-13 I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. [11] For it has been reported to me by Chlo’e’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. [12] What I mean is that each one of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apol’los,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” [13] Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (cf. 3:3-4; 11:16-19)

1 Corinthians 5:3-5 For though absent in body I am present in spirit, and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment [4] in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, [5] you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 10:17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

1 Corinthians 12:25 that there may be no discord in the body, . . .

2 Corinthians 2:9-10 this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. [10] Any one whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,

Galatians 5:7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?

Ephesians 4:4-5 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, [5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Philippians 1:27 . . . stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

Philippians 2:2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

2 Thessalonians 3:14 If any one refuses to obey what we say in this letter, note that man, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.

1 Timothy 3:15 . . . the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. [see my analysis of this passage, showing how it proves the infallibility of the Church]

1 Timothy 6:3-4 If any one teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching which accords with godliness, [4] he is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing; . . .

Titus 1:13 . . . Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

Titus 2:15 Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Titus 3:1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient,

Titus 3:9-11 But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. [10] As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, [11] knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they are keeping watch over your souls, as men who will have to give account.

1 Peter 5:1-5 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed. [2] Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, [3] not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock. [4] And when the chief Shepherd is manifested you will obtain the unfading crown of glory. [5] Likewise you that are younger be subject to the elders. . . .

8 Orally Proclaimed Non-Scriptural “Word of God” / “Word of the LORD” [67]

1 Samuel 3:1 And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

1 Samuel 9:27 . . . Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”

1 Kings 12:22 But the word of God came to Shemai’ah the man of God:

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.

Luke 3:2-3 . . . the word of God came to John the son of Zechari’ah in the wilderness; [3] and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching . . .

Luke 11:28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

Acts 6:2 And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.”

Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased . . .

Acts 8:25 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel . . .

Acts 11:1 Now the apostles and the brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

Acts 12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

Acts 13:46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. . . .”

Acts 13:49 And the word of the Lord spread throughout all the region.

Acts 15:35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Hebrews 1:7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God; consider the outcome of their life, and imitate their faith.

1 Peter 1:25 “but the word of the Lord abides for ever.” That word is the good news which was preached to you. 17

[other instances of a non-biblical “word of God”: Lk 8:11; Acts 6:48; 18:11; Rom 9:6; 1 Cor 14:36; Eph 6:17; Phil 1:14; Col 1:25; 1 Tim 4:5; 2 Tim 2:9; Titus 2:5; Heb 6:5; 13:7; 1 Jn 2:14; Rev 1:9; 20:4; “word of the Lord”: Acts 19:20; 1 Thess 4:15; “Thy word”: 2 Sam 7:28; 1 Ki 8:26; 18:36; 2 Chr 6:17. Many NT references to “word of God” refer to the OT or even sometimes, to what would become recognized as the NT. But the majority of these instances (as in the OT) clearly refer to oral proclamation, or a more or less private (teacher-to-pupil) passing-on of sacred apostolic tradition (e.g., Lk 5:1; Acts 13:5, 7, 44; 15:36; 16:32; 17:13; 19:10; Phil 1:14; 1 Thess 1:8); “hear the word of God”: Lk 8:21; 11:28; “heard the word”: Acts 4:4; 10:44; 19:10; Eph 1:13. “The Word of the LORD” appears 243 times in the Protestant Old Testament (RSV); mostly coming through men. These instances are overwhelmingly oral: usually God speaking to prophets and other notable people: Joshua (Josh 8:27), Jehu (1 Ki 16:1), Shemai’ah (2 Chr 11:2), Isaiah (Is 38:4), Hosea (Hos 1:1), Joel (Joel 1:1), Jonah (Jon 1:1), Micah (Mic 1:1), Zephaniah (Zeph 1:1), Haggai (Hag 1:1), Zechariah (Zech 1:1), and Malachi (Mal 1:1). The prophet Ezekiel wrote down the phrase, “the word of the LORD came to me” 49 times. “Word of God” only appears three times in the OT, in RSV]

9 Inspired Old Testament Prophetic Authority [15]

Genesis 15:1 . . . the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision . . .

Numbers 3:16 So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.

Deuteronomy 8:20-22 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ [21] And if you say in your heart, `How may we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’ — [22] when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you need not be afraid of him.

1 Samuel 3:21 . . . the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

2 Samuel 7:4 But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan,

2 Samuel 24:11 . . . the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer . . .

1 Kings 6:11 Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon,

1 Kings 14:18 . . . the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet.

1 Kings 18:1 . . . the word of the LORD came to Elijah, . . .

2 Kings 20:19 Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good.” . . .

2 Chronicles 36:21 to fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah . . .

Nehemiah 9:30 Many years thou didst bear with them, and didst warn them by thy Spirit through thy prophets . . .

Zechariah 7:12 . . . the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. . . .

2 Peter 1:21 . . . no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (cf. 1:19: ” the prophetic word”)

2 Peter 3:2 . . . you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets . . .

Inspired Prophets: An Analogy to Infallible Popes [3-27-26]

10 Inspired New Testament Prophetic Authority [29]

Luke 1:67 And his [John the Baptist’s] father Zechari’ah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, . . .

Luke 2:36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, . . .

John 11:49-52 But one of them, Ca’iaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all; [50] you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” [51] He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, [52] and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

Acts 2:17-18 ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; [18] yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.

Acts 11:27-28 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world; and this took place in the days of Claudius

Acts 13:1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyre’ne, Man’a-en a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Acts 15:32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words and strengthened them.

Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

Acts 21:9 And he [Philip] had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.

Acts 21:10-11 While we were staying for some days, a prophet named Ag’abus came down from Judea. [11] And coming to us he took Paul’s girdle and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, `So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this girdle and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”

1 Corinthians 11:4-5 Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, [5] but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled dishonors her head — it is the same as if her head were shaven.

1 Corinthians 12:7, 10 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. . . . [10] . . . to another prophecy . . .

1 Thessalonians 5:19-20 Do not quench the Spirit, [20] do not despise prophesying,

2 Peter 1:19 And we have the prophetic word made more sure. . . .

[Jesus called John the Baptist “more than a prophet” (Lk 7:26) and stated, “among those born of women none is greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Lk 7:28). St. Paul includes “prophets” — whom “God has appointed in the church” — as one of the Church offices (1 Cor 12:28-29; 14:29, 32, 37-38; Eph 4:11), and refers to “prophesy[ing]” (1 Cor 14:1, 3-5, 24, 31, 39) and “prophecy” (1 Cor 14:6, 22) and prophetic “revelation” (1 Cor 14:30) and noted the “prophetic utterances” that accompanied the ordination of Timothy (1 Tim 1:18; 4:14).]

11 Apostolic Succession [11]

Acts 1:20-26 For it is written in the book of Psalms, `Let his habitation become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it’; and `His office let another take.’
[21] So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, [22] beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us — one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” [23] And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsab’bas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthi’as. [24] And they prayed and said, “Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two thou hast chosen [25] to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.” [26] And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthi’as; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.

Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, . . .

Acts 15:6, 22-23 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. . . . [22] it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, . . . [23] . . . the apostles and the elders, . . . [apostles and elders were working together at the Jerusalem Council. Once all the apostles died out (c. 100), the elders — essentially functioning like bishops here — would succeed them and carry on their work]

Ephesians 2:19-21 . . . you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, [20] built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, [21] in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord;

1 Timothy 1:2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith . . .

1 Timothy 6:20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you.

2 Timothy 1:14 guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

2 Timothy 2:2 And what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Titus 1:4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith . . .

Jude 3 . . . contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Revelation 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

12 Extrabiblical Authoritative Teaching Not Recorded in the Bible [10]

Matthew 13:3 And he told them many things in parables, . . .

Matthew 28:20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; . . .

Mark 4:2 And he taught them many things in parables, . . .

Mark 4:33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it;

Mark 6:34 . . . he began to teach them many things.

Luke 11:53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard, and to provoke him to speak of many things,

John 16:12 I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

John 20:30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

John 21:25 But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Acts 1:3 . . . he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God.

13 Inspired Guidance by the Holy Spirit / God the Father / Jesus [27]

Numbers 11:29 But Moses said to him, “. . . Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!”

2 Chronicles 24:20 Then the Spirit of God took possession of Zechari’ah the son of Jehoi’ada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, . . .”

Ezekiel 3:24 But the Spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet; and he spoke with me . . .

Ezekiel 11:5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and he said to me, . . .

Matthew 10:18-20 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. [19] When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; [20] for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Mark 13:11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say; but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

Luke 2:25-27 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. [26] And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. [27] And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple . . .

Luke 12:11-12 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say; [12] for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.

Luke 21:14-15 Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer; [15] for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.

John 8:47 He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.

John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, [17] even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.

John 14:26 . . . the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 15:26 . . . the Counselor . . ., whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth . . .

John 16:13-15 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. [14] He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. [15] All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Acts 8:29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.”

Acts 10:19-20 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. [20] Rise and go down, and accompany them without hesitation; for I have sent them.”

Acts 11:12 And the Spirit told me to go with them . . .

Acts 13:2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” . . .

Acts 16:6-7 And they went through the region of Phry’gia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. [7] And when they had come opposite My’sia, they attempted to go into Bithyn’ia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them;

Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

1 Corinthians 2:10, 12-14, 16 God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. . . . [12] Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. [13] And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit. [14] The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. . . .[16] “For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

Ephesians 3:2-5 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, [3] how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. [4] When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, [5] which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

2 Timothy 1:14 guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

2 Timothy 2:7 . . . the Lord will grant you understanding in everything.

1 Peter 1:12 . . . those who preached the good news to you through the Holy Spirit . . .

14 Direct Supernatural Guidance from Dreams or Visions [56]

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

Genesis 20:3 But God came to Abim’elech in a dream by night, . . .

Genesis 28:12-16 And he [Jacob] dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! [13] And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants; [14] and your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and by you and your descendants shall all the families of the earth bless themselves. [15] Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done that of which I have spoken to you.” [16] Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place; and I did not know it.”

Genesis 31:11-13 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘ere I am!’ [12] And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that leap upon the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. [13] I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go forth from this land, and return to the land of your birth.’”

Genesis 31:24 . . . God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night, and said to him, . . .

Genesis 41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.”

Genesis 46:2 And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here am I.”

Numbers 12:6 And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream.

1 Samuel 3:1, 4 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. . . . [4] Then the LORD called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!”

1 Samuel 28:6 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.

2 Samuel 7:17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. (cf. 1 Chr 17:15)

1 Kings 3:5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.”

2 Chronicles 32:32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezeki’ah, and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

Psalm 89:19 Of old thou didst speak in a vision to thy faithful one, and say: “I have set the crown upon one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people.”

Isaiah 1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzzi’ah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezeki’ah, kings of Judah.

Isaiah 29:10-11 For the LORD has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets, and covered your heads, the seers.
[11] And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. . . .

Jeremiah 23:28 Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. . . .

Jeremiah 24:1 . . . the LORD showed me this vision . . .

Jeremiah 38:21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is the vision which the LORD has shown to me:

Ezekiel 1:1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

Ezekiel 8:3-4 . . . the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, . . . [4] And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I saw in the plain.

Ezekiel 11:24 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chalde’a, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me.

Ezekiel 12:23 Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: I will put an end to this proverb, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.’ But say to them, ‘The days are at hand, and the fulfilment of every vision.’ [the prophets also often describe false visions from false prophets — e.g., Ezek 13:7, 9, 16, 23 –, but the counterfeit is no disproof of the genuine . . .]

Ezekiel 40:1-2 . . . the hand of the LORD was upon me, [2] and brought me in the visions of God into the land of Israel, and set me down upon a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city opposite me.

Ezekiel 43:3 And the vision I saw was like the vision which I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and like the vision which I had seen by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

Daniel 1:17 . . . Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

Daniel 2:19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Daniel 2:28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnez’zar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:

Daniel 2:45 [Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar] “just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

Daniel 7:1 In the first year of Belshaz’zar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, and told the sum of the matter. [what follows is one of the most well-known messianic prophecies]

Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshaz’zar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, . . . [many more mentions of visions occur in Daniel, chapters 4, 7-10]

Hosea 12:10 I spoke to the prophets; it was I who multiplied visions, and through the prophets gave parables.

Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. [cited in Acts 2:17; Peter applied it to the events on the Day of Pentecost, including miraculous speaking in other languages]

Nahum 1:1 An oracle concerning Nin’eveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh. [The word “oracle” appears 30 times in the OT, and three times in the NT]

Habakkuk 2:2 And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain upon tablets, . . .”

Matthew 1:20 But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit;

Matthew 2:12-13 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. [13] Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”

Matthew 2:19-20 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, [20] “Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”

Matthew 27:19 Besides, while he [Pontius Pilate] was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream.”

Luke 1:21-22 And the people were waiting for Zechari’ah, and they wondered at his delay in the temple. [22] And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb.

Acts 9:10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Anani’as. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Anani’as.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

Acts 10:3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius.”

Acts 10:17, 19 . . . Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision which he had seen might mean, . . . [19] . . . while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.”

Acts 11:5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, something descending, like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came down to me.” (cf. 12:9)

Acts 16:9-10 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedo’nia was standing beseeching him and saying, “Come over to Macedo’nia and help us.” [10] And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedo’nia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Acts 18:9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in avision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent;”

Acts 26:19 “Wherefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,”

2 Corinthians 12:1-4 . . . I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. [2] I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. [3] And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows — [4] and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.

Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and lo, in heaven an open door! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up hither, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

Revelation 7:1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, . . . [the phrase “I saw” occurs 39 times in the book of Revelation, and “I heard” 25 times; also 14 times in Ezekiel]

Revelation 9:17 And this was how I saw the horses in my vision: . . .

Revelation 10:1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, . . .

Revelation 12:1 And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;

Revelation 13:1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, . . .

Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

15 The LORD Speaking Directly to Human Beings [6]

Exodus 3:4 . . . God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here am I.”

Exodus 20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying, . . .

Exodus 33:11 Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. . . .

Deuteronomy 5:4 The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire,

Deuteronomy 34:10 And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,

Hosea 12:4 He strove with the angel and prevailed, he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with him —

[“the LORD spoke” in this sense appears another twenty times in the OT, and “the LORD said”, 330 times; also, the many biblically sanctioned communications from angels and various theophanies and encounters with the Angel of the Lord, and in, particularly, Isaiah, Daniel, Revelation, and the appearance of Jesus to the unconverted Paul, fall under this general category, too.]

16 Papacy and Papal Infallible Authority

See my articles:

St. Peter the First Pope: 120 Bible Proofs [10-22-25]

St. Peter & the Papal Office: 130 One-Sentence Proofs [10-31-25]

Infallible Individuals: Scriptural Examples & Analogies [2009]

Treviño Misrepresents My “Peter the Rock” Argument (Why I Cited Protestant Scholars Who Believe that Jesus Thought Peter Himself was the “Rock”) [9-13-24]

Primacy of St. Peter Verified by Protestant Scholars [1994]

*****

Summary: Comprehensive master collection of 350 Bible passages that disprove the late-arriving, novel doctrine of the Bible as the only infallible & sufficient rule of faith for Christians.

Bible and Tradition

Church (Ecclesiology)

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