--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Letting the Bible speak for itself, that…" description: "\"Letting the Bible speak for itself, that is, letting it speak in its own terms, includes letting the Bible speak from within its own worldview rather t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/vern-poythress-40759_bible_letting-the-bible-speak-for-itself-that_157048.jpg" --- # Letting the Bible speak for itself, that is, letting it… ![“Letting the Bible speak for itself, that is, letting it speak in its own terms, includes letting the Bible speak from within its own worldview rather than merely our own.” quote by Vern Poythress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/vern-poythress-40759_bible_letting-the-bible-speak-for-itself-that_157048.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/vern-poythress-40759_bible_letting-the-bible-speak-for-itself-that_157048.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/vern-poythress-40759_bible_letting-the-bible-speak-for-itself-that_157048.jpg) > “Letting the Bible speak for itself, that is, letting it speak in its own terms, includes letting the Bible speak from within its own worldview rather than merely our own.” [Vern Poythress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-poythress/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding the Bible requires interpreting it within its own cultural and theological framework, not imposing modern perspectives. **In simple terms:** Read the Bible on its own terms. Key Takeaway Respect its original worldview. Themes theology interpretation context Mood thoughtful reflective Type scholarly interpretive When to use this quote - Bible study - seminary coursework - interfaith dialogue - academic research Key Concepts Hermeneutics worldview exegesis Questions to Reflect On - How does your own worldview shape your reading? - Can you separate personal bias from text? A Different Perspective Modern lenses can distort meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Worldview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worldview/) ## Related quotes > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [If I had a worldview, and I don't know if I do,but if I did, it's one that's intensely humanistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/if-i-had-a-worldview-and-i-don-t-know-if-i-do-but-if-i-did-it-s-one-2/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [“It’s a war of visions and dreams, none of which is substantiated, in the end only the ones best published and adhered to by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/it-s-a-war-of-visions-and-dreams-none-of-which-is-substantiated-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [We live in a world that is dominated by science. And that's not a bad thing - not at all. But one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-critchley/we-live-in-a-world-that-is-dominated-by-science-and-that-s-not-a-bad/) [Simon Critchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-critchley/) > [The most serious problem facing humankind is climate change. All of these people breathing and burning our atmosphere has led to an extraordinarily dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nye/the-most-serious-problem-facing-humankind-is-climate-change-all-of/) [Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/) > [I doubt there's any government in the world that guides itself primarily by strategy or conceptual documents or worldview. Anybody who has the reins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/i-doubt-there-s-any-government-in-the-world-that-guides-itself/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [ If I had a worldview, and I don’t know if I do, but if I did, it’s one that’s intensely humanistic. \[That worldview\] is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/if-i-had-a-worldview-and-i-don-t-know-if-i-do-but-if-i-did-it-s-one/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [Sniper is a movie whose politics are so ludicrous and idiotic that under normal circumstances it would be beneath criticism. The only thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/sniper-is-a-movie-whose-politics-are-so-ludicrous-and-idiotic-that/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [“There is light in the shadow just as there is shadow in the light and although many disclaim these shadows as everything unpleasant in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kensi-brianne-smith/there-is-light-in-the-shadow-just-as-there-is-shadow-in-the-light-and/) Kensi Brianne Smith > [I wish we had a more open discourse. It's just a shame that with our 24-hour news media and the Internet, people have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-james/i-wish-we-had-a-more-open-discourse-it-s-just-a-shame-that-with-our/) [Jim James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-james/) > [“The Myth of Sisyphus makes us wonder if we too are like the ones who are so distracted making friends with important people, staying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-morrison/the-myth-of-sisyphus-makes-us-wonder-if-we-too-are-like-the-ones-who/) [Jon Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-morrison/) > [We talk a lot about how abortion is a medical procedure, but actually if you look at what the other side is doing, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-northup/we-talk-a-lot-about-how-abortion-is-a-medical-procedure-but-actually/) [Nancy Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-northup/) > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [People have presuppositions... By 'presuppositions' we mean the basic way that an individual looks at life- his worldview. The grid through which he sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-have-presuppositions-by-presuppositions-we-mean-the-basic-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Vern Poythress > [God has given us the fascination and mystery of irrational numbers, as one aspect of a rich world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/god-has-given-us-the-fascination-and-mystery-of-irrational-numbers-as/) [Vern Poythress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-poythress/) > [I see the beauty of God's archetypal infinity reflected in the towers of infinities in set theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/i-see-the-beauty-of-god-s-archetypal-infinity-reflected-in-the-towers/) [Vern Poythress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-poythress/) > [The desire to have meaning and messages in a neutral way, independent of religious commitments, corrupts scholarly work on the Bible, because it suppresses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/the-desire-to-have-meaning-and-messages-in-a-neutral-way-independent/) [Vern Poythress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-poythress/) > [The Bible is all God's speech, as well as all mediated through human writers who wrote the individual books. It's a mistake to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/the-bible-is-all-god-s-speech-as-well-as-all-mediated-through-human/) [Vern Poythress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-poythress/) > [Communion with God as we hear his voice is rich. We receive his meanings; we submit to his authority; we grow by his power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/communion-with-god-as-we-hear-his-voice-is-rich-we-receive-his/) [Vern Poythress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-poythress/) > [Sometimes differences arise partly from incomplete information. We are finite. And we should admit that there are cases of uncertainty. But often the differences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/sometimes-differences-arise-partly-from-incomplete-information-we-are/) [Vern Poythress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-poythress/) > [God promises the Holy Spirit to us who believe in Christ, and the Spirit guides us in understanding. But within this life our understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/god-promises-the-holy-spirit-to-us-who-believe-in-christ-and-the/) [Vern Poythress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-poythress/) > [Christ is Lord of all. This truth implies that he is lord of language, lord of grammar, lord of history, and lord or interpretive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/christ-is-lord-of-all-this-truth-implies-that-he-is-lord-of-language/) [Vern Poythress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-poythress/) > [Communion with God does not imply turning off your mind but turning it on - to be renewed in our minds. We're to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/communion-with-god-does-not-imply-turning-off-your-mind-but-turning/) [Vern Poythress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-poythress/) [Explore all 10 Vern Poythress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-poythress/) ## 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": "Letting the Bible speak for itself, that is, letting it speak in its own terms, includes letting the Bible speak from within its own worldview rather than merely our own.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vern Poythress" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/letting-the-bible-speak-for-itself-that-is-letting-it-speak-in-its/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/letting-the-bible-speak-for-itself-that-is-letting-it-speak-in-its/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/vern-poythress-40759_bible_letting-the-bible-speak-for-itself-that_157048.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/vern-poythress-40759_bible_letting-the-bible-speak-for-itself-that_157048.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/vern-poythress-40759_bible_letting-the-bible-speak-for-itself-that_157048.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Letting the Bible speak for itself, that is, letting it speak in its own terms, includes letting the Bible…” — Vern Poythress", "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": "Vern Poythress", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vern-poythress/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Letting the Bible speak for itself,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/letting-the-bible-speak-for-itself-that-is-letting-it-speak-in-its/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vern-poythress/letting-the-bible-speak-for-itself-that-is-letting-it-speak-in-its/#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 } } ] } ```