Authority of the Bible per the Bible

Divine authority

All Scripture is God-breathed

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

(2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The Holy Spirit moved human authors to speak from God

"For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

(2 Peter 1:21)

Its enduring nature

(Jesus validates the authority of the Old Testament (and the coming New Testament), stating that scripture cannot be broken)

"Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?"

(John 10:34-36)

The Word of God endures forever

"The grass withers and the flowers fall,

but the word of our God endures forever."

(Isaiah 40:8)

Its living power

The Word of God is living, active, and sharper than any double-edged sword, capable of judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

(Hebrews 4:12)

Moral purpose of Scriptures

Provides everything we need for a godly life

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

(2 Peter 1:3)

All Scripture is useful for teaching, correcting, and training for righteousness