Common sayings from the Bible
We use Biblical references in our daily language, frequently without realizing it.
Here is a (partial) list of common sayings that come from the Bible
** page under construction **
Old Testament
Direct quotations
Apple of his eye (Ps 17:8)
A little birdie told me (Ec 10:20)
At my wit’s end (Ps 107:27)
Be a man (1 Kg 2:2)
Broken heart (Ps 34:18)
Brother's keeper (Gen 4:9)
By the skin of your teeth (Job 19:20)
Can a leopard change his spots? (Jer 13:23)
A drop in a bucket (Isa 40;15)
Eat, drink & be merry (Ecc 8:15, Lk 12:19)
Ends of the earth (Zec 9:10)
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth (Ex 21:24)
The fat of the land (Gen 45:18)
Fire and brimstone (Ps 11:6; Rev 21:8)
For everything there is a season (Ecc 3:1)
Forbidden fruit (Gen 2: >>
Four corners of the earth (Isa 40:15)
Gird your loins
A good old age (Gen 15:15)
How the mighty have fallen (2 Sam 1:25)
Land of milk and honey
Like a lamb led to slaughter (Isa 53:7; Jer 11:19)
A man after my own heart (1 Sam 13:14)
Man does not live on bread alone (Dt 8:3)
Nothing but skin and bones (Job 19:20)
Nothing new under the sun (Ecc 1:9)
Put your house in order (2 Kg 20:1)
Scapegoat (Lv 16:8)
See eye to eye (Isa 57:21)
Sour grapes (Ez 18:2)
The skin of my teeth (Job 19:20)
Sweat of your brow
Wit's end (Ps 107:27)
Writing on the wall (Dan 5: <<)
Inspired by OT
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust (Gen 3:19
A little birdie told me (Ecc 10:20)
Bite the dust (Ps 72:9)
- he will lick the dust
Feet of clay (Dan 2:31-33)
Fly in the ointment (Ecc 10:1)
No rest for the wicked (Isa 57:21)
Put words in the mouth (2 Sam 14:3)
Pride comes before the fall (Prov 16:18)
Rise and shine (Isa 60:1:
- Arise! Shine!
Spare the rod, spoil the child (Prov 13:24
- Whosoever spares the rod hater their childen
Sayings of Jesus
The blind leading the blind (Mt 15:14)
Cast the first stone (Jn 8:7)
Cast pearls before swine (Mt 7:6)
The eleventh hour (Mt 20:6)
To fall by the wayside (Mt 13:4, Mk 4:4; using past tense "fell" )
Flesh and blood (Mt 16:17)
A house divided against itself cannot stand (
Many are called, but few are chosen (Mt. 22:14)
Millstone tied around your neck (Mt 18:6; Mk 9:42; Lk 17:12)
Physician, heal thyself! (Lk 4:23; similar to older Greek and Hebrew sayings)
The salt of the earth (Mt 5:13)
Signs of the times (Mt 16:3)
The truth will set you free (Jn 8:32)
What God has joined, let no man asunder (Mt 19:6)
Inspired by Jesus
Cross to bear (Mt 16:24)
Give up the ghost (Jn 19:30)
Go the extra mile (Mt 5:41)
- Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles.
Kiss of death (Mt 26:48)
Move a mountain/ move mountains (Mt. 17:20-21, Mk 11:24; also 1 Cor 13:2)
O ye of little faith (Lk 12:28)
Red skies at night, red skies in morning (Mt 16:2-3)
The straight and narrow (Mt 7:14)
Wolf in a sheep's clothing (Mt 7:15)
Other New Testament sayings
Better to give than receive (Acts 20:35)
St. Paul
Fall from grace (Gal 5:4)
Fight the good fight (1 Tim 6:12)
A labor of love (1 Thess 1:3) <
A law unto themselves (Rom 2:14)
The letter of the law (2 Cor 3:6)
Money is the root of all evil / (1 Tim 6:10)
The powers that be (Rom 13:1)
Reap what you sow (Gal 6:7)
Twinkling of an eye (1 Cor 15:52)
Others
Armageddon (Rev 16:16)
Baptism by fire
- may be inspired by John the Baptist's reference to "Baptism by the Holy Spirit and fire" (Mt 3:11)
- but it has an opposite meaning in today's sense
Head on a platter (Herodius' daughter to Herod, Mk 6:25-28; Mt 14:8-11)
Wash my hands (Pilate in Mt 27:24)