Welcome to Authorized Sword Ministries. This is Lesson 2 in our series, Why We Use the King James Bible. Today's lesson is called Given by Inspiration of God.

We're so glad you're here.

In our first lesson we looked at where the King James Bible came from and why we trust it. Today we want to ask a question that comes before all of that. Where did the Bible come from in the first place? Is it a book of good ideas that wise men wrote down? Or is it something more? The Bible gives its own answer, and it's a big one. It says that it came from God.

Our Key Verse

Today's key verse is 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." — 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)

Notice the first two words. "All scripture." Not some of it. Not just the parts we like, or the parts that are easy to believe. All of it is given by inspiration of God.

What Does Inspiration Mean?

Today when we say something is "inspiring," we mean it stirs us up, like a good song or a great speech. But that's not what Paul means here. The words "given by inspiration of God" translate one Greek word, theopneustos. It is made from the word for God and the word for breathe. Greek dictionaries define it as "divinely breathed in," or "inspired by God."

In other words, the Scriptures are God-breathed. They came out of the mouth of God.

Think about how the Bible uses God's breath elsewhere. When God made the first man, He breathed life into him:

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." — Genesis 2:7 (KJV)

And when God made the heavens, He did it by His word and His breath:

"By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." — Psalm 33:6 (KJV)

The same God whose breath gave life to Adam and made the stars breathed out the Scriptures. That's why the Bible is a living book. It is not just ink on paper. It carries the life of the One who spoke it.

Holy Men Spake as They Were Moved

So if God breathed out the Scriptures, how did they get written down? Peter tells us:

"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." — 2 Peter 1:20-21 (KJV)

Peter says the Bible did not start with man's will. Moses, David, Isaiah, Paul, and the others did not sit down one day and decide to write a holy book. Instead, they were "moved by the Holy Ghost." Picture a sailing ship. The wind fills the sails and carries the ship where the wind wants it to go. In the same way, the Holy Ghost carried these men along, so that what they wrote was exactly what God wanted written.

God still used each man. David wrote like a shepherd and a king. Paul wrote like a scholar and a missionary. Luke wrote like a careful doctor. But behind every one of them was the same Author.

King David said it plainly at the end of his life:

"The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue." — 2 Samuel 23:2 (KJV)

And when God called Jeremiah to be a prophet, He said:

"Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth." — Jeremiah 1:9 (KJV)

Notice that God didn't say, "I have put my ideas in thy head." He said, "I have put my words in thy mouth." The early believers understood this. Paul thanked God for the church at Thessalonica because of how they received the preaching:

"For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." — 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (KJV)

That's how we should receive the Bible too. Not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God.

Every Word Matters

Because God gave the words, and not just the general ideas, every word matters. When the devil tempted the Lord Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus answered him with Scripture:

"But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." — Matthew 4:4 (KJV)

Jesus did not say "by most words," or "by the main message." He said "by every word." We need God's words like our bodies need food.

Solomon's book of Proverbs says the same thing, and adds a warning:

"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." — Proverbs 30:5-6 (KJV)

Every word is pure. And because every word is pure, nobody has the right to add to it or take away from it.

Paul even built an argument on one letter. In Galatians, he pointed out that God's promise to Abraham used a singular word, not a plural one:

"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." — Galatians 3:16 (KJV)

The difference between "seed" and "seeds" is a single letter. But Paul said that one letter pointed to Christ. If God cares that much about the words, so should we.

The Bible Is Enough

Go back to our key verse. Paul says Scripture is "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." Let's put that in plain words.

Doctrine means it teaches us what is true. Reproof means it shows us where we are wrong. Correction means it shows us how to get right. And instruction in righteousness means it trains us to keep walking right.

Then Paul gives the reason: "That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." "Throughly" is an old word that means thoroughly, or completely. "Furnished" means equipped, like a house that has everything in it that you need. The Bible makes the believer complete and ready for every good work God calls him to do.

Just one verse before that, Paul reminded Timothy what the Scriptures had already done for him:

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." — 2 Timothy 3:15 (KJV)

The Scriptures can show a person how to be saved, through faith in Christ Jesus. And then they can carry that person all the way through life.

The psalmist said:

"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple." — Psalm 19:7 (KJV)

And:

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." — Psalm 119:105 (KJV)

We don't need a new revelation, a special vision, or the latest self-help book to know God's will. Feelings change, and men's opinions come and go. But God has already given us everything we need for life and godliness in His Word. That's what we mean when we say the Bible is sufficient. It is enough.

Why This Matters

If the Bible is only the words of men, then you can take it or leave it. But if it is God-breathed, then every page is God speaking to you. When you open your Bible, you are not just reading about God. You are hearing from God.

That also raises a question. If God gave every word, will He let those words be lost? We'll answer that in our next lesson, How God Preserved His Word. Here's a hint: the same God who breathed out His words promised to keep them.

A Simple Step for This Week

Here's our challenge for this week. Memorize 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Then, every time you open your Bible this week, stop before you read and pray a short prayer: "Lord, this is Your Word. Speak to me." Read it as God speaking to you, because that's exactly what it is.

A Prayer

Let's pray together.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for breathing out Your Word and giving it to us. Thank You for the holy men who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and for every word that proceedeth out of Your mouth.

Lord, help us to receive the Bible not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God. Teach us, correct us, and furnish us for every good work.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Thank you for spending this time with us.

This is Authorized Sword Ministries. God bless you.

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Study Questions

1. Read 2 Timothy 3:16. How much of Scripture is given by inspiration of God?
2. What does the Greek word behind "given by inspiration of God" mean?
3. How do Genesis 2:7 and Psalm 33:6 help us understand what it means for Scripture to be God-breathed?
4. According to 2 Peter 1:20-21, where did the Scriptures not come from, and where did they come from?
5. What did God say He put in Jeremiah's mouth in Jeremiah 1:9?
6. According to 1 Thessalonians 2:13, how should we receive the word of God?
7. In Matthew 4:4, what did Jesus say man shall live by?
8. What warning does Proverbs 30:6 give about God's words?
9. What four things is Scripture profitable for, and what does "throughly furnished" mean?
10. How will you change the way you open your Bible this week?

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Verified Scripture References (KJV)

All quotations were checked word for word against the King James Version (bible-api.com, translation=kjv) on October 26, 2026.

1. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 — "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
2. Genesis 2:7 — "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
3. Psalm 33:6 — "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth."
4. 2 Peter 1:20-21 — "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
5. 2 Samuel 23:2 — "The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue."
6. Jeremiah 1:9 — "Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth."
7. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 — "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe."
8. Matthew 4:4 — "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
9. Proverbs 30:5-6 — "Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."
10. Galatians 3:16 — "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."
11. 2 Timothy 3:15 — "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
12. Psalm 19:7 — "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple."
13. Psalm 119:105 — "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Sources

All sources were opened and checked on October 26, 2026.

1. The Greek word theopneustos ("given by inspiration of God"), from theos (God) and pneō (to breathe), defined "inspired by God" and "divinely breathed in": Blue Letter Bible, Strong's G2315, theopneustos (Thayer's and Strong's definitions). https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2315/kjv/tr/0-1/
2. "Throughly" as an old word meaning "thoroughly": Merriam-Webster, "throughly" (archaic: "in a thorough manner"). https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throughly