A common misinterpretation applies this verse exclusively to the modern Bible, using it to condemn all translations, paraphrases, or doctrinal developments as 'adding to' or 'subtracting from' Scripture, ignoring its original context as a warning to Israel about tampering with the Mosaic Law; others misuse it to reject New Testament fulfillments or interpretations of the Law by Jesus and the apostles, overlooking how the Bible itself builds progressively while affirming the enduring principle of scriptural fidelity.
Deuteronomy 4:2
King James Version (1769)
2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
Deuteronomy 4:2 underscores the sacred integrity of God's commandments given through Moses, prohibiting any addition or subtraction to ensure the Israelites faithfully obey the divine instructions without alteration, thereby maintaining their covenant relationship with the Lord and avoiding the peril of self-devised religion that leads astray.