All, Everyone, and Anything in the Bible

Everyone knows that translations from one language to another can be misleading, and sometimes important ideas and concepts get lost in translation. When it comes to the Bible, that is true as well. As hard as translators work, the readers can still misconstrue the meaning of the text. The context becomes extremely valuable in such cases. All too often, general references common to English can become the enemies of sound biblical interpretations.

Simple words like any, all, every, everything, none, no one, always, never and etc. are very problematic in the Bible.

We use such words rhetorically in speech, as exaggerations, as generalizations, and most often not in a literal way. General and absolute words like these, when taken at their face value, when reading the Bible narrowly, literally, and dogmatically, excluding sensible possibilities, can make God's words sound absolutely nonsensical. Allow me to illustrate...

On a road trip with my family, I make a stop. I walk into a gas station with my wife and say to her, “I am so thirsty!” My wife asks, “What do you want to drink, Dear?” I say, “Anything! Please, get me something good”, as I head for the restroom.