Contradictions

About the Contradictions

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Is it OK to drink alcohol?

No, don't drink alcohol.

At least not if you're a Nazarite.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord: He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. Numbers 6:1-3

Or the miraculous mother of a Nazarite (Like Samson's mom).

And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman [Samson's mother], and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son [Samson]. Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink ... For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and ... the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb. Judges 13:3-4

Or a priest or prophet.

But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. Isaiah 28:7

Or when going to church.

Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations. Leviticus 10:9

Some of God's favorite people abstained from alcohol. Like Jonadab (who helped Jehu with his God-directed serial mass murders).

Jonadab [aka Jehonadab] ... commanded his sons not to drink wine ... unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment. Jeremiah 35:14

Daniel.

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank. Daniel 1:8

And John the Baptist.

For he [John the Baptist] shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. Luke 1:15

And the Bible warns us all about drinking alcohol in these passages:

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Proverbs 20:1

Be not among winebibbers.... For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty. Proverbs 23:20-21

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Proverbs 23:29-30

Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Proverbs 23:31-32

Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! Isaiah 5:11

Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink. Isaiah 5:22

Woe ... to the drunkards ... that are overcome with wine! Isaiah 28:1

Woe to them ... that drink wine in bowls. Amos 6:1-6

Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken. Habakkuk 2:15

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness. Romans 13:13

It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Romans 14:21

Drunkenness ... and such like ... they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:21

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess. Ephesians 5:18

Yes, it's OK to drink alcohol.

Wine is a gift from God.

God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine. Genesis 27:28

Drink of the wine which I have mingled. Proverbs 9:5

It cheers God, men, and maids alike.

Wine, which cheereth God and man. Judges 9:13

Wine that maketh glad the heart of man. Psalms 104:15

How great is his [God's] goodness ... corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine for the maids. Zechariah 9:17

God commands us to drink wine with a merry heart, to give strong drink to the dying, and wine to those who are sad.

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart. Ecclesiastes 9:7

Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. Proverbs 31:6-9

The Bible tell us to drink abundantly with our foreskins uncovered.

I have drunk my wine.... O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly. Song of Solomon 5:1

Drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered. Habakkuk 2:16

And if you're a daughter of Edom, rejoice and be glad -- and get drunk and naked.

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom ... Thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. Lamentations 4:21

One of Jesus's first public acts was to provide wine for a wedding party.

And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. ... His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. ... Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine ... the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. John 2:3-10

Jesus drank wine with his friends on earth and planned to drink again in his Father's kingdom.

I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. Matthew 26:29

And the author of 1 Timothy recommended that we drink wine for our stomach's sake.

Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake. 1 Timothy 5:23

And for the Catholics, 2 Maccabees has this wise advice:

It is hurtful to drink always wine, or always water, but pleasant to use sometimes the one, and sometimes the other. 2 Maccabees 15:40

It is wrong to drink alcohol

James and Dave's Bible Page

Sarina Wesleyan Methodist Church

Jesus is the Light of the World

It's OK to drink alcohol

Biblical Studies Foundation: The Bible and Alcohol

Alcohol and the Bible by Daniel Whitfield

Wine in the Bible by Dr. Bacchus