Does the NT quote from any secular or religious sources? And if so, would this mean that they are somehow inspired?
This is a list (possibly incomplete) of pagan sources cited or alluded to in the N.T. books. The list omits references to other N.T. books. These works are extrabiblical -- outside (extra, Latin) the Bible.
* Epimenides of Knossos (De Oraculis/Peri Chresmon) -- Titus 1:12
* Euripides -- Acts 17:24, Acts 17:25
* Epimenides of Soli -- Acts 17:28a
* Aratus the Cilician (Phaenomena 5, cp. Cleanthes frag. 537) -- Acts17:28b
* Euripides (Bacchae 794) -- Acts 26:14
* Julianus (Or. 8, 246b) -- Acts 26:14
* Heraclitus (frag)? -- 2 Peter 2:22
* Menander (Thais) --1 Corinthians 15:33
* Thucydides (II 97, 4) -- Acts 20:35
* The Assumption of Moses -- Jude 9
* The Book of Enoch -- Jude 14-15
* Unknown -- 1 Corinthians 9:10, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Ephesians 5:14, 1 Timothy 5:18, James 4:5.
In addition, there are scores of allusions to the Old Testament Apocrypha in the N.T., although no direct quotations.
Of course, the fact that they are quoted no more proves they are "inspired" or perfect any more than the fact that we make use of quotations in speech means we agree with everything the speaker ever said. They are cited because they put things well; because they are useful.
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