Has someone ever encouraged you to ask for something in Jesus’ name because He’s promised to give it to you (according to John 14:14) ? Or perhaps you yourself have wondered what Jesus meant when He said in Matthew 18:20, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” (Isn’t Jesus always with us, according to Matthew 28:20?) Or it may be that you’ve heard a motivational speaker emphasize the importance of vision-casting leadership by quoting Proverbs 29:18 in the King James Version: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

If you have experienced these or similar scenarios, you’ve probably scratched your head and wondered what you were missing. Does the Bible really say those things?

The answer is often yes and no – yes, the Bible [sorta] says those things, but no, it doesn’t mean what you think it means.

I recently finished reading a very helpful book that addresses some of the most misused verses in the Bible, appropriately entitled, The Most Misused Verses in the Bible. Author Eric J Bargerhuff does a masterful job of graciously explaining the importance of placing all Bible verses in their proper context – and he works through this by dedicating one chapter to each of these “misused verses”.

The chapters are short, clear and filled with helpful explanations that don’t require a theology degree to understand. Bargerhuff also humbly offers examples from his own life that give the book a warm and approachable tone.

Two quotes to whet your appetite:

[Referencing the temptation of Jesus in Luke 4] What’s interesting here is that Satan not only knows and uses the Word of God, but this time (unlike in the garden), he chooses to quote it correctly.  In other words, it is not a misquote or an incorrect citation of the verse, but it is a misuse of it.

We have no right to hold God hostage to a promise that we have misunderstood.

If you’ve enjoyed reading Knowable Word, you’ll likely also appreciate reading The Most Misused Verses in the Bible. Check it out!