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Trump bungles Bible reference at Liberty University

By Blake Hounshell

Updated:

Donald Trump, speaking to a religious crowd at Virginia’s Liberty University on Monday, turned to Scripture.

“We’re going to protect Christianity. I can say that. I don’t have to be politically correct,” he said. “Two Corinthians, 3:17, that’s the whole ballgame … is that the one you like?”

The verse, “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,” seems to have been Trump’s attempt to ingratiate himself to the audience of religious students.

But the crowd tittered, and several of the students audibly corrected him, pointing out that Christians say “Second Corinthians,” not “Two Corinthians.”

Rival campaigns noticed the error immediately.

Cruz’s rapid-response director:

Rubio’s faith outreach director:

Trump later made his usual comparison between the Bible and “The Art of the Deal,” his best-selling business book.

“‘The Art of the Deal’ is second to the Bible,” Trump said magnanimously. As for other books, “The Bible blows them away. There’s nothing like it, the Bible.”