Is My Bible the Inspired Word of God?

Evangelical Christians vigorously defend the Bible as the inspired Word of God, yet we limit that term just to the autographs--those original writings of the Scriptures that no longer exist. What does this say for the reliability of your Bible? Can you honestly and truthfully claim that your Bible translation is the inspired Word of God?

Ed Goodrick believes that we need to adjust our thinking about inspiration: a change that argues that the Bible that you actually hold in your hand is also rightly described as the inspired Word of God. His enlightening discussion of the nature of God's revelation, the accurate copying of these original writings, the careful comparison of the manuscripts (textual criticism), and their translation into contemporary languages will give you a renewed confidence in the trustworthiness of your Bible.

Goodrick also explores the issues that surround interpreting the Bible, for if it is misused by present-day readers, it does little good practically to assert its divine origin.

Ray Lubeck has sought to bring this very important work back into print for a new generation of believers who now need, more than ever in this increasingly postmodern culture, to learn that the Bible is worthy of your trust, commitment, study, and confidence. Though Goodrick's arguments are timeless, his wording and sources have now been completely updated, giving the second edition of Is My Bible the Inspired Word of God? an easy-to-read style for today.


The late Edward W. Goodrick was on the faculty at Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Oregon, for over thirty years and coedited, with John Kohlenberger, various biblical language study tools, including The NIV Exhaustive Concordance and Do It Yourself Hebrew and Greek.

Ray Lubeck is a professor at Multnomah Bible College and an adjunct professor at Western Seminary. He is the author of Read the Bible for a Change: Understanding and Responding to God's Word (2005) and has contributed to the Starting Point Study Bible (2002) and Preaching to a Shifting Culture (2004).