I've seen this topic posed several times in snake-related discussion groups and society newsletters. The question is usually "does the Bible state that snakes are evil?" I'm going to put together a listing here of passages in the Bible that mention serpents. Whether you take the verses figuratively or literally shouldn't affect the primary question here.
To keep in mind while going through this:
- No verse stands alone. The chapter and verse structure was not part of the original writings. You have to keep everything in context with other verses. I've attempted to keep the verses mentioning snakes in context by including surrounding verses and other relevant passages.
- The words that have been translated as adder, viper, asp, etc., are not specific translations. Rather, the English terms are general translations, and do not directly apply as species descriptions. For example, the Greek word "ophis" may refer to snakes in general, or may in certain verses specifically apply to a venomous snake.
- I'm using the standard KJV here - other versions occasionally substitute other words for snakes (i.e. basilisk for asp). I'm not going to include the terms "dragon" or "leviathan" here, as while they may be symbolic reptiles, they aren't really snakes.
OK - to begin, here is a list of the Hebrew and Greek words for snakes used in the Bible.
The following are verses that mention serpents:
1. The serpent in the Garden of Eden
2. Turning rods into serpents
3. The bronze serpent
4. The serpent (and venom) as symbol for deceit
5. Paul's snakebite
6. Treading on snakes, picking up serpents
7. Serpent in prophesy
8. Serpents and the use of irony
9. Miscellaneous
So does the Bible say that snakes are evil?
