Two of the most common errors to watch out for when attempting to interpret the Bible correctly is to either add to what the verse/passage is actually saying or to omit certain elements. This twists the Scriptures so that the original intention is lost. We find both these errors exhibited in the following passage from Genesis (3: 1-5)

'Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, Did God really say, you must not eat from the tree in the garden? The woman said to the serpent, We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, you must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die. You will not surely die, the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'

Previously God had said, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will surely die.' (Genesis 2: 16-17)

Omission - There are two types of death, spiritual and physical. The former is the separation of the soul from God, the latter the soul from the body. When God said, 'You will surely die' he was referring to both. When Satan said to Eve, 'You will not surely die' he chose to exclude the fact of spiritual death and just refer to death in the physical. At the moment she ate of the apple, she didn't drop dead. But spiritually she was now dead.

Addition - In her discussion with Satan, Eve says that God had said, in reference to the fruit, '...and you must not touch it.' In Genesis 2: 16-17 we read that God never said that. Eve added it.

People omit and subtract for various reasons. Sometimes it can be deliberate, as it enforces their own views or opinions. Other times it can be done without intention, but nevertheless it still means that the Bible is not being interpreted correctly. This can lead to a distorted theology developing.

One of the most misquoted verses is 1 Tim 6: 10, 'For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.' The Bible does not say that money is the root of all evil as so many Christians quote. It says the love of money. That one word omitted from the verse changes it totally and can have a serious influence on the way we view finance.