The concept of papal infallibility is a doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church which holds that the Pope, when speaking ex cathedra (from the chair) on matters of faith and morals, is preserved from the possibility of error by the Holy Spirit. This doctrine was formally defined in 1870 during the First Vatican Council in the document “Pastor Aeternus.”

The Bible itself does not explicitly address the concept of papal infallibility. The Christian scriptures emphasize the importance of faithfulness to God’s word, the guidance of the Holy Spirit for all believers, and the responsibility of church leaders to shepherd their flock in truth and love.

For example, in John 16:13, Jesus speaks of the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding believers into all truth: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”

Similarly, 1 Peter 5:2-3 advises elders of the church to be shepherds of God’s flock, serving as examples to the flock, and not lording their authority over those in their care: “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”

While the Bible encourages believers to respect and follow their leaders (Hebrews 13:17), it also emphasizes the importance of testing all teachings against the word of God (Acts 17:11), where the Bereans are commended for examining the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true.

In summary, the concept of papal infallibility as understood in the Catholic tradition is not directly addressed in the Bible. The scriptures encourage believers to seek guidance from the Holy Spirit, to test teachings against God’s word, and for leaders to shepherd their flock with humility and care.