Confusing new testament bible verses

The New Testament can be a complex and sometimes confusing book, even for seasoned Bible readers. Here are some verses that may be considered confusing or open to interpretation:

  1. Matthew 5:22 - "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment." (Is anger always a sin, or is it only a sin if it's unjustified?)

  2. Matthew 5:38-42 - "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other also." (Is Jesus advocating for pacifism, or is He saying that we should only turn the other cheek in certain situations?)

  3. Matthew 7:1-2 - "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Is Jesus saying that we should never judge others, or is He saying that we should judge others with the same standard that we use to judge ourselves?)

  4. Matthew 10:34-36 - "Do not suppose 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—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household." (Is Jesus saying that His message will always cause conflict, or is He saying that His message will cause conflict in certain situations?)

  5. Mark 2:18-22 - "John’s disciples came and asked him, 'How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?' Jesus answered, 'How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is still with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.'" (Is Jesus saying that His disciples don't need to fast because they're already experiencing the joy of the kingdom, or is He saying that they're not yet ready to fast because they're still in a time of celebration?)

  6. Luke 12:13-15 - "Someone in the crowd said to him, 'Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.' Jesus replied, 'Man, who appointed me the judge or the arbiter of this world? Rather, let your wishes be for what God wants, not what you want.'" (Is Jesus saying that we should never try to resolve disputes or settle inheritance issues, or is He saying that we should prioritize God's will over our own desires?)

  7. John 6:44 - "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the end of the age." (Is Jesus saying that salvation is only possible through a direct, supernatural call from God, or is He saying that God's drawing is a general, universal call that all people can respond to?)

  8. Romans 9:14-24 - "What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, that the righteousness that is by faith is theirs; but that Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works." (Is Paul saying that Israel's failure to attain righteousness was due to their lack of faith, or is He saying that their pursuit of righteousness was flawed because it was based on works rather than faith?)

  9. 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 - "Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty toward his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife." (Is Paul saying that marriage is the only acceptable context for sexual relations, or is He saying that marriage is the best context for sexual relations, but that sexual relations can be acceptable outside of marriage in certain circumstances?)

  10. 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 - "I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." (Is Paul saying that the resurrection will be a physical, bodily transformation, or is He saying that the resurrection will be a spiritual transformation that will take place in the future?)

These are just a few examples of verses that may be considered confusing or open to interpretation. It's always a good idea to read the surrounding context and consider different perspectives before forming an opinion on a particular verse.