Why does the Bible say “You are gods”?
Who are the “gods” in the “divine council” in Psalm 82? Latter-day Saints (Mormons) claim that we are “gods in embryo,” and frequently use Psalm 82 to support that belief. But does the phrase “You are gods” really mean that we have divine potential?
Psalm 82:6 says, “I said, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you'”.
In this video, I explain the two major Evangelical Christian interpretations of this text, and why neither of these fit with the LDS understanding of Psalm 82. Regardless of if these “gods” are human rulers or heavenly beings—neither support the notion that humans can progress to become gods.
When we interpret the Bible, it’s important to bring the entirety of it to help us understand difficult texts. John 10 is a clear interpretation (by Jesus) of Psalm 82 and should inform how we read that text.