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John 21:22-23

22 Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me." 23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?"


How many times have you thought you heard someone say something but it wasn't what you thought you heard?
If we don't pay attention sometimes we could miss understand someone.
But then we can do the same thing with the bible and even the things Jesus has said in the bible.
Today's devotional verse is one example. By Jesus saying this about John, others thought Jesus said that John wouldn't die. But that's not what he said as John points out. After all he should know because he is the one Jesus was speaking about.

Here's another example of people taking God's word in a wrong way.

  • John 16:24 "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.


    • People will take this verse and say that Jesus said we could have anything we want, all we have to do is ask.
    If you read this in the context of what Jesus was talking about, Jesus was talking to His disciples right before He was about to die on the cross. As the disciples were listening to Jesus they became sad because Jesus was leaving.
    Here are Jesus' words right before He said the previous words.

  • John 16:22 "Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.


    • And we know the only way to have joy as a Christian, is not with worldly things but heavenly things.

  • John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."


    • So the joy you will receive asking in Jesus' name as a Christian, is the joy of knowing that the Lord is with you even when you feel alone.

    So be careful and don't misinterpret the bible. One good way to do this is to read at least 10 verses before the one you are reading and 10 verses after it. That way you are reading it in the context of what is being taught. Not what you think it may say.

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