Is it Acceptable to Quote Partial Bible Verses?

Is it Acceptable to Quote Partial Bible Verses?

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19

Recently I quoted part of a Bible verse as I had hand-written it on an index card. And, I was severely castigated by a brother for doing so. Let’s take a look ….

MESSAGE RECEIVED AFTER I POSTED ONLY PART OF EPHESIANS 4:25:

“This is NOT the COMPLETE verse!

Ephesians 4:25 Wherefore putting away LYING, speak Every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

ADD to or TAKE away from HIS HOLY WORD will take YOU straight to HELL FOREVERMORE!”

MY REPLY:

Your reply here doesn’t even include, doesn’t use even part of a Bible verse much less a whole verse. So, does that mean you are going to hell? Tell me how is this out of context, false, misleading, or adding to or taking away from Jesus’ Word? – “speak every man truth with his neighbour.” (Ephesians 4:25) Explain please how these divinely inspired words do not stand on their own merit, are not self-evidently recorded, manifested as the very words of God …..

Does this portion of Ephesians 4:25 stand alone? Yes, because nothing was twisted or conveying error by quoting that portion of Ephesians 4:25.

What you fail to realize is the fact that we, man, put, added chapters and bible verses in order to be able to more easily reference, find, navigate the Word of God. So, with that reality in mind, according to your own standard, you are a great hell bound sinner who is taking away from the Word of God if you don’t quote the WHOLE Bible – because it was originally one book with no organization into chapters and verses.

Debbie Lord writes:

“It doesn’t make sense that merely quoting part of a verse would be a sin. By quoting part of a verse, you are not saying that you don’t accept or believe the rest of the verse, and again, those verse divisions were man-made.”

Taking your principle to the logical conclusion ….. If as you say, we HAVE to quote whole Bible verses then why stop there, right? Why not quote the whole chapter or book of the whole Bible, right? If not we are adding to and taking away from God’s Word, right? Wrong.

Is the following portion, found in the middle of this verse, taken out of context when quoted alone?

“one died for all.” 2 Corinthians 5:14

No.

Take a look at Micah 6:8….

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8   

So would someone be in sin if they spoke these words, directly from this Bible verse:

“do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” Micah 6:8

No.

Concerning quoting Scripture, one writer notes:

“Quote the words that make the best sense standing alone.”

Notice how John the Baptist quoted only PART of Matthew 3:3. Is John the Baptist a sinner? You going to condemn him, saying John the Baptist is violating the words of God, adding to or taking away from Scripture, and going to the lake of fire?

Below, let’s take a look at an Old Testament prophecy and how it was quoted in the New Testament (fulfillment) …

Old Testament Prophecy:

Isa 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isa 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
Isa 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

New Testament Fulfillment of that Prophecy:

Mat 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Obviously John the Baptist quoted but a portion of this prophecy.

Another example ….

So, most Christians quote the Bible verse that states “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6) But wait, the whole verse says “Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” So, is a believer in sin if he doesn’t quote the whole verse, word for word? Did he take God’s Word out of context by not quoting this whole verse? No.

This portion of this verse stands all on its own – declaring the counsel of God – without misrepresenting or taking the truth of God out of context. The balance of what the whole of God’s Word states on this topic is in now way marred, twisted or misused by quoting these words of Scripture. That’s the difference. Some pluck a phrase out of its passage to misuse it to justify or proof text their false doctrine. They do violence to the text and the full truth of God expressed from Genesis to revelation. That’s different than simply using a portion of a verse or passage to speak for the truth of God, nailing it verbally for the ears of men to hear.

Another example is Matthew 19:6

“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Matthew 19:6

So, would it be misusing this Scripture to speak these words of Jesus – “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

No.