--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't improve on how the Bible…" description: "\"I can't improve on how the Bible expresses itself, so I don't even try.\" — Larry Norman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/larry-norman-20087_bible_i-can-t-improve-on-how-the-bible-express_1986531.jpg" --- # I can't improve on how the Bible expresses itself, so I… ![“I can't improve on how the Bible expresses itself, so I don't even try.” quote by Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/larry-norman-20087_bible_i-can-t-improve-on-how-the-bible-express_1986531.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/larry-norman-20087_bible_i-can-t-improve-on-how-the-bible-express_1986531.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/larry-norman-20087_bible_i-can-t-improve-on-how-the-bible-express_1986531.jpg) > “I can't improve on how the Bible expresses itself, so I don't even try.” [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Bible's expression is seen as perfect, discouraging personal reinterpretation. **In simple terms:** The Bible is perfect, so no need to change it. Key Takeaway Respect sacred texts while engaging thoughtfully. Themes faith literature humility Mood contemplative respectful Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - worship - study groups - personal reflection Key Concepts theology interpretation Questions to Reflect On - Do you find value in personal interpretation? - How can tradition coexist with personal growth? A Different Perspective May stifle personal insight or modern relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Expresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expresses/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [I cannot conceive of music that expresses absolutely nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-bartok/i-cannot-conceive-of-music-that-expresses-absolutely-nothing/) [Bela Bartok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-bartok/) > [I think that Sappho expresses the orphaned part of ourselves. The orphaned part of ourselves that reaches out to passion for completion. That reaches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/i-think-that-sappho-expresses-the-orphaned-part-of-ourselves-the/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [I like music that expresses what I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-einaudi/i-like-music-that-expresses-what-i-think/) [Ludovico Einaudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-einaudi/) > [It is not what he had, or even what he does which expresses the worth of a man, but what he is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/it-is-not-what-he-had-or-even-what-he-does-which-expresses-the-worth/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Proactive giving is what you do when you've found your passion. It expresses your values, interests and concerns. It engages not just your dollars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/proactive-giving-is-what-you-do-when-you-ve-found-your-passion-it/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [First, how to memorialize the heroes of 9/11; second, something that expresses our resolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pataki/first-how-to-memorialize-the-heroes-of-9-11-second-something-that/) [George Pataki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pataki/) > [The artist expresses only what he has within himself, not what he sees with his eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexej-von-jawlensky/the-artist-expresses-only-what-he-has-within-himself-not-what-he-sees/) Alexej von Jawlensky > [The parent is the strongest statement that the child hears regarding what it means to be alive and real. More than what we say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-berrien-berends/the-parent-is-the-strongest-statement-that-the-child-hears-regarding/) [Polly Berrien Berends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-berrien-berends/) > [Today's message to Baghdad is very clear: the UN Security Council resolution expresses the unity and determination of the entire international community to assume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-solana/today-s-message-to-baghdad-is-very-clear-the-un-security-council/) [Javier Solana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-solana/) > [Art expresses man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinichi-suzuki/art-expresses-man/) [Shinichi Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinichi-suzuki/) > [It really expresses a man in pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hoppus/it-really-expresses-a-man-in-pain/) [Mark Hoppus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hoppus/) > [Political art expresses the cliches you agree with, unlike propaganda, which expresses the cliches you don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-holland/political-art-expresses-the-cliches-you-agree-with-unlike-propaganda/) [Brad Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-holland/) > [Music is an art that expresses the inexpressible. It rises far above what words can mean or the intelligence define. Its domain is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-munch/music-is-an-art-that-expresses-the-inexpressible-it-rises-far-above/) Charles Munch > [Music expresses longing and love and joy better than any piece of dialogue you can ever write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-norman/music-expresses-longing-and-love-and-joy-better-than-any-piece-of/) [Marsha Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-norman/) > [Action expresses priorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/action-expresses-priorities/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More by Larry Norman > [“I'm only visiting this planet”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/i-m-only-visiting-this-planet/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [Christians don't seem to be as aware of, or as sensitive to, the dire state of humanity as they are about the pleasant growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/christians-don-t-seem-to-be-as-aware-of-or-as-sensitive-to-the-dire/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [We need worship for our spirit, fellowship for our soul and committed subservience for our body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/we-need-worship-for-our-spirit-fellowship-for-our-soul-and-committed/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [I want to encourage other people to try to discover who they are, not to try to fit into some superficial prototype of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/i-want-to-encourage-other-people-to-try-to-discover-who-they-are-not/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [Gospel songs to me are about the mansion in the sky, and washed in the blood of Christ's crimson blood, songs that are filled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/gospel-songs-to-me-are-about-the-mansion-in-the-sky-and-washed-in-the/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [I'm fishing for men with a certain kind of bait, and the bait that I am offering is not a candy; it's a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/i-m-fishing-for-men-with-a-certain-kind-of-bait-and-the-bait-that-i/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [I know I stand visibly onstage, but my function is still unseen, because I rarely see the immediate results of what I am saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/i-know-i-stand-visibly-onstage-but-my-function-is-still-unseen/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [I don't live my life as a Christian with trepidation, feeling that perhaps I've failed to give the best gospel possible on each occasion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/i-don-t-live-my-life-as-a-christian-with-trepidation-feeling-that/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [I'm only here on Earth to serve God. I never had a career. I don't care about commercialism. I have a ministry and I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/i-m-only-here-on-earth-to-serve-god-i-never-had-a-career-i-don-t-care/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [I never sent promotional copies to Christian radio stations in my life. It's not what I'm interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/i-never-sent-promotional-copies-to-christian-radio-stations-in-my/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [Art is more engaging that propaganda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/art-is-more-engaging-that-propaganda/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [I never felt part of the Christian industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/i-never-felt-part-of-the-christian-industry/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [Apparently God makes us all different. Some of us are happy to respond to His individual touch on our lives by remaining individuals, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/apparently-god-makes-us-all-different-some-of-us-are-happy-to-respond/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [My music was too religious for the rock and roll stores and too rock and roll for the religious stores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/my-music-was-too-religious-for-the-rock-and-roll-stores-and-too-rock/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) > [All music written by a Christian should be as integrated as everything else done by a Christian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/all-music-written-by-a-christian-should-be-as-integrated-as/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) [Explore all 31 Larry Norman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can't improve on how the Bible expresses itself, so I don't even try.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Larry Norman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/i-can-t-improve-on-how-the-bible-expresses-itself-so-i-don-t-even-try/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/i-can-t-improve-on-how-the-bible-expresses-itself-so-i-don-t-even-try/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/larry-norman-20087_bible_i-can-t-improve-on-how-the-bible-express_1986531.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/larry-norman-20087_bible_i-can-t-improve-on-how-the-bible-express_1986531.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/larry-norman-20087_bible_i-can-t-improve-on-how-the-bible-express_1986531.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can't improve on how the Bible expresses itself, so I don't even try.” — Larry Norman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Larry Norman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can't improve on how the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/i-can-t-improve-on-how-the-bible-expresses-itself-so-i-don-t-even-try/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/i-can-t-improve-on-how-the-bible-expresses-itself-so-i-don-t-even-try/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```