One contradiction in the Bible is that Stephen--the first Christian martyr--is put to death by the Sanhedrin even though John’s gospel declares that the Sanhedrin may not carry out the death penalty.

In other words, during Passover around 30 A.D., Jesus is put to death by Romans since Jewish leaders lacked the authority to put Jesus (or anyone) to death, yet around 32 A.D. Stephen is
put to death by these same Jewish leaders.

It is not likely that Sanhedrin members killed Stephen illegally since this body of Jewish leaders was preoccupied with upholding the law.

Here is what John 18:31 says about a need for Romans to put Jesus to death: Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.”

Here is what Acts 7:54-58 says about Stephen:

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven...“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open....” All rushed at him, dragged him out of the city, and began to stone him.

If we view God as the Bible’s author, we have to wrestle with this contradiction and many others. Contradictions in the Bible are less serious if we say the Bible collects books by different writers with different beliefs and different purposes.

New Testament writers had no idea they were writing holy scripture that would be collected in one book. They had no reason to worry about their statements conflicting with what is in other documents.

They were not interested in literal truth. They were more interested in converting pagans, in bolstering the faith of those already converted, and in establishing theologically correct answers to questions being asked.





Bible contradiction Stephen (Christian martyr) killed but John 18:31 "Jews can't give death penalty"