Get ready for an exciting journey into “10 Surprising Bible Passages You’ll Find Fascinating.” The Bible is a bit like a giant storybook filled with valuable lessons, and some parts might catch you by surprise! But don’t fret, we’ll explain it all in an easy way. You know, there’s a special message in the Bible that says all these stories are really important and can teach us something. So, let’s dive into these verses together, like an adventure, and discover what they can teach us. It doesn’t matter if you’re a kid or a grown-up; you’ll uncover incredible things in the Bible!
10 Shocking Bible Verses You Won’t Believe
1. Leviticus 20:13
“If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.”
Some folks use Leviticus 20:13 to say that being in a same-sex relationship is bad, but let’s look at the big picture. Leviticus is part of the first five books in the Hebrew Bible, written a super long time ago. Back then, they thought being gay was really wrong and you could get in big trouble for it.
But hold on a minute! The Bible is kinda like a puzzle that can have different pictures depending on how you put the pieces together. Some smart people say we shouldn’t use Leviticus 20:13 to judge same-sex relationships because it doesn’t match what Jesus talked about. Jesus was all about love and accepting others, and he never said being gay was a no-no.
Nowadays, things are changing. More and more people in Christian communities are saying, “Come on in, LGBTQ+ friends!” Some churches even perform same-sex marriages. It’s like the Bible is a living book that needs to make sense in our time.
So, when it comes to Leviticus 20:13 and same-sex love, everyone has their own way of looking at it. The Bible is like a book with lots of different chapters, and each person decides what they believe.
2. Genesis 19:5
“They called to Lot, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.'”
You know, there’s a part in the Bible, Genesis 19:5, that some folks talk about when they’re discussing things like boys liking boys or girls liking girls. It’s like a puzzle because some people think this part says, “Nope, don’t do that,” while others say it doesn’t.
The ones who think it’s a big “no” to boys liking boys say the problem in a place called Sodom was because of that. They say the guys in Sodom wanted to do something wrong with some special guests, who were actually angels in disguise. They also point to other parts in the Bible, like Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:26-27, that say something similar.
But, you know what? There are other folks who say Genesis 19:5 isn’t about boys liking boys at all. They say the people in Sodom were not very nice to strangers, and they were pretty rough and mean. So, they think the problem in Sodom was about being mean to strangers, not about who you like.
They also say that the Bible doesn’t always say it’s wrong for boys to like boys or girls to like girls. They even tell stories in the Bible about boys really liking each other, like the story of David and Jonathan. So, it’s like a big question, and people have different ideas.
In the end, whether Genesis 19:5 says “no” to boys liking boys is something people argue about. They’ve got good reasons for what they think on both sides.
3. Numbers 31:17-18
“Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.”
You won’t believe this, but there’s a part in the Bible, Numbers 31:17-18, that some people use to explain why they did bad things to women and kids. It talks about what happened after a big fight and tells the Israelites to do something really, really tough. They were told to hurt boys and women who had a special kind of friend and keep the girls for themselves.
This part is super upsetting, and it makes us ask important questions about what’s right and wrong. Remember, the Bible is a very old book, and it was written in a time very different from ours. Some things in it don’t make sense today, like Numbers 31:17-18. It’s not something we should follow.
It’s good to know that people have different ideas about what the Bible means. Not all Christians think this part should be taken seriously. Some say it’s like a story, not a rule for hurting anyone. Others think it only made sense in the past.
No matter how you see it, Numbers 31:17-18 is something that really upsets many people. It talks about hurting women and kids, and it’s been used to explain why some very bad things happened in history.
4. 1 Timothy 2:12
“I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.”
1 Timothy 2:12 is one of those shocking Bible verses you won’t believe. Some people use it to say that women can’t teach or lead in the church. But you know what? This verse has different meanings, and lots of Christians think it doesn’t apply to today’s churches.
This verse might be all about the time it was written. Back in the first century, people thought women were not as important as men and shouldn’t be leaders. But you know what’s interesting? Some early church ladies were actually leaders.
Another way to look at this verse is that it was advice for Timothy, who was a young pastor in a place called Ephesus. Maybe Timothy wanted to let women have important roles in the church, but Paul’s advice stopped him from doing that.
And remember, this verse isn’t the only one in the New Testament. There are other parts that talk about how everyone is equal in Jesus. Like in Galatians 3:28, it says, “No matter if you’re from one place or another, a worker or not, or even a boy or a girl, in Jesus, you’re all the same.” So, it’s not just one verse that matters.
5. Deuteronomy 22:28-29:
“If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her.”
You won’t believe this shocking Bible verse in Deuteronomy 22:28-29. It talks about something really terrible – rape. It says that if someone does something like that, they have to marry a girl who wasn’t engaged and give her dad some money.
People have different ideas about what this verse really means. Some people who’ve been hurt like this don’t think it’s a fair punishment. Others say it’s more like talking about when two people agree to do something together, not really about marriage.
No matter what, one thing is clear: rape is a terrible thing, and we should never ever ignore it. If you or someone you know has been hurt like this, it’s important to talk to a grown-up you trust or call a crisis hotline for help.
6. Ephesians 6:5
“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.”
Ephesians 6:5 talks about how slaves should be treated, and it can seem a bit weird to us today. Back in the old days, lots of people had slaves, and the Bible talks about it. But here’s the thing: the Bible also says that we’re all equal in the eyes of God, so that’s kind of confusing.
The Bible actually says that in the Old Testament, slaves should be treated fairly and kindly. It even had rules about how long someone could be a slave. Then, in the New Testament, it says that God made everyone the same. That’s the opposite of saying some people are better than others and can be treated like property, which is what slavery was all about.
Now, the tricky part is how to understand Ephesians 6:5 in light of these other Bible teachings on slavery. Some people say we should remember that the Bible was written a long time ago, and it was just reflecting the way things were back then. So, we shouldn’t take its lessons about slavery and apply them to how we live today.
Others think that the Bible wasn’t actually supporting slavery but was giving advice to people who were slaves on how to deal with their tough situation. So, they see it as more like a survival guide.
So, it’s kind of like trying to figure out how an old story fits into the world today. It’s not always easy, and people have different ideas about it. But it’s definitely a thought-provoking topic, and that’s something to ponder when you come across shocking Bible verses you won’t believe.
7. Psalm 137:9
“Blessed is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.”
Psalm 137:9 is a puzzling verse. Let’s remember it’s like a sad song, a way to express feelings when you’re really sad about losing something. The person who wrote this Psalm was deeply upset about Jerusalem being taken away and the Jewish people being sent far away by the Babylonians. It’s like they were crying when they wrote this because it’s quite unusual and doesn’t sound ordinary at all.
The writer of the Psalm really wanted bad things to happen to the Babylonians, and it’s understandable considering the bad things the Babylonians did. But it’s important to know that the writer isn’t saying that God is okay with hurting children. God promises to make everything right.
Some experts think the writer might have been using exaggeration in this verse. They weren’t saying that people should go out and hurt Babylonian babies. Instead, they were just really, really angry at the Babylonians and how they acted.
Some people think this verse might be a warning that the Babylonians will pay for their bad actions. A long time ago, a prophet named Isaiah said that Babylon would fall, and it eventually did. So, this idea makes sense.
8. Hosea 13:16
“The people of Samaria must bear their guilt because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open.”
Incredibly harsh poetry. It talks about a severe punishment for people from Samaria. It’s important to know that the Bible isn’t like a history book. It’s a bunch of holy writings that help us learn about God and people.
This verse is from Hosea, a book where a prophet named Hosea gave warnings about people doing bad things. Hosea told the folks from Samaria that if they kept worshipping idols instead of God, they’d face some serious consequences.
You have to remember that the Bible doesn’t always mean exactly what it says. It uses pictures and symbols. This verse might be like a picture of how wrongdoing can really mess up your spirit. And that’s why it’s one of those “shocking Bible verses you won’t believe.”
9. 1 Corinthians 7:8-9
“Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”
Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control their sweet urges every night, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion and freeze to death.
I know, I know, it sounds funny. But in all seriousness, Paul is giving practical advice to the Corinthians, who were facing persecution and uncertainty. He is saying that if they are struggling with sexual temptation, it is better to marry than to sin.
But Paul is also saying that celibacy is a good thing, and that it allows us to focus more on serving God. If we can control our sweet urges every night, then we are free to dedicate ourselves to the work of the ministry.
Of course, not everyone is called to celibacy. But for those who are, it is a gift from God. It allows us to experience a deeper intimacy with Him and to be more effective in our service to others.
So, if you are burning with passion and freezing to death, then by all means, find yourself a woman to keep you warm. But if you can control your sweet urges every night, then consider the gift of celibacy. It is a powerful tool that can help you to grow closer to God and to live a more fulfilling life.
10.. Matthew 10:34-35
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.'”
Yep, this verse makes Jesus seem like a bit of a puzzling figure. That’s kind of surprising because most of the time, he talks about love and peace in the Bible. But you need to know, he doesn’t mean it literally. He’s not telling people to be mean or violent. What he’s saying is that his ideas might cause arguments.
Now, there are a couple of ways to understand this verse. One way is to think that Jesus is telling his followers that his ideas might cause arguments within families. His ideas are so different that it might make people choose between what they believed before and what he’s saying. Another way to see it is that he’s telling his followers that his ideas might split the world into those who believe in him and those who don’t.
No matter how you see it, one thing is clear: Jesus is saying that his ideas will make people talk and argue. But he also wants his followers to know that it’s worth it because he believes his message is the truth.
Conclusion
In examining these “10 Shocking Bible Verses You Won’t Believe,” it is crucial to remember the words of 2 Timothy 3:16, which states that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” The Bible is a complex and multifaceted collection of texts, reflecting a wide range of historical, cultural, and theological contexts. While some verses may appear shocking or challenging when viewed through a modern lens, it’s important to consider the broader narrative and interpretive traditions that shape our understanding of these passages.
To truly grasp the message and significance of these verses, I encourage you to engage with the Word of God with an open heart and a willingness to explore its deeper meanings. Dive into the broader context, seek guidance from religious scholars and theologians, and engage in thoughtful discussions with others who share your faith.
Studying the Bible is not merely an intellectual pursuit; it is a spiritual journey that can lead to profound insights, personal growth, and a deeper understanding of the profound teachings it offers. By engaging with the Bible in this way, you can uncover the wisdom and moral lessons hidden within these verses and appreciate the spiritual and historical significance of these ancient texts.