Timothy Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U. S. Army

God inspired the writing of the Bible through the working of God the Holy Spirit. The authors of the various books did not forfeit their own unique individual personalities and styles, but were motivated (or "carried along" as the cited passage puts it) by the Holy Spirit working in their minds to record the exact words that God intended for them to write. That is why Scripture is described as "God-breathed".

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Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pet. 1:21)

The Greek phrase pheromenoi hypo pneumatos hagiou -- [ἀλλ’] ὑπὸ πνεύματος ἁγίου φερόμενοι ἐλάλησαν -- (“carried along by the Holy Spirit”) is vivid. It’s used elsewhere for a ship borne along by the wind (Acts 27:15). See also Acts 27:17. 

Acts 27:15
(The Storm at Sea)
15 And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.

Acts 27:17 (ESV)
17 After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship. Then, fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and thus they were driven along.

In other words, the human authors were the vessels; the Spirit was the driving force ensuring they reached God’s intended destination.

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Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

Read 2nd Peter 1:21 as it confirms how the scriptures were written: For prophecy was at no time brought by man's will, but men spoke from God as the holy spirit moved them.

Over a period of 1,610 years​—spanning from 1513 B.C.E. to 98 C.E.​—some 40 different men wrote the Bible. Some were prophets "borne along by the holy spirit." (Read 2 Peter 1:20, 21.) 

Bible prophets and writers were "borne along by the holy spirit" in that God communicated with, motivated, and guided them by means of his active force. That being the case, they wrote, not their own ideas, but God's thoughts. Sometimes, the inspired prophets and writers did not even know the meaning of what they foretold or were writing. (Dan. 12:8, 9) 

A primary operation of God's Spirit involves His ability to inform, illuminate, and reveal things. Therefore, David could pray: "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your spirit is good; may it lead me in the land of uprightness." (Ps 143:10) 

Much earlier, Joseph had given the interpretation of Pharaoh's prophetic dreams, which God's Holy Spirit revealed. The Egyptian ruler recognised the operation of God's spirit in him. (Ge 41:16, 25-39) 

This illuminating power of the spirit is particularly notable in prophecy. Prophecy, as the apostle shows, did not spring from human interpretation of circumstances and events; it was not the result of some innate ability of the prophets to explain the meaning and significance of these or to forecast the shape of coming events. Rather, such men were "borne along by holy spirit"​—conveyed, moved, and guided by God's active force. (2 Pe 1:20, 21; 2 Sa 23:2; Zec 7:12; Lu 1:67; 2:25-35; Ac 1:16; 28:25; see PROPHECY; PROPHET.) So, too, all the inspired Scriptures were "inspired of God," which translates the Greek the·oʹpneu·stos, meaning, literally, "God-breathed." (2 Ti 3:16) 

The spirit operated in various manners in communicating with such men and guiding them, in some cases causing them to see visions or dreams (Eze 37:1; Joe 2:28, 29; Re 4:1, 2; 17:3; 21:10), but in all cases operating on their minds and hearts to motivate and guide them according to God's purpose.​—Da 7:1; Ac 16:9, 10; Re 1:10, 11.

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