2001) Recently I said something and within hours, someone else took what I said and added to it things I didn’t even think of when I spoke. When I realized this happened, it hurt and made me angry because now I was being accused of saying something I didn’t.  

How often have we done the same thing when it comes to God’s words? For example, Jesus said in Matthew 7:1 do not judge, or you too will be judged. (NIV). This verse has been misunderstood most likely since the day Jesus spoke them.  

Some have placed words in Jesus’ mouth saying this verse means no one should say (judge) anything someone else has said or done, opening the door to a theology that says, you cannot make a stand and say people’s actions or words are wrong. After all, Jesus said, judge not.  

The word for judge here in the Greek is krinó, which means to condemn as in a ruling made in a court of law. God is the only one who will take this role, and we need to be sure we don’t try to take control over someone else’s final condemnation.  

If I was hurt and angry when someone put words in my mouth, how must God feel when we do the very same thing with his words in the Bible?  

When in doubt, go back to the original speaker of the words and find out what was really said.