Many believe certain phrases and stories are from the Bible due to their cultural prevalence and frequent mentions in sermons, literature, or conversation. However, not everything commonly attributed to the Bible is actually found within its texts. Here are 17 things you might think are in the Bible but aren’t.
“God helps those who help themselves.”
In a Barna study from 2017, 52 percent of practicing Christians strongly agreed that the Bible teaches that God helps those who help themselves. This popular saying implies that God only aids those who make an effort first, but it’s not found in the Bible. It actually originates from Algernon Sidney, an English politician, and was popularized by Benjamin Franklin.
“Spare the rod, spoil the child.”
Often used to justify strict parenting, this phrase is not directly from the Bible. It’s a misinterpretation of Proverbs 13:24, which talks about discipline but does not use this specific phrase.
“Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
This saying, often quoted to promote hygiene, is not biblical. It was first recorded in a sermon by John Wesley in the 18th century, emphasizing spiritual purity over physical. However, parents can continue using it if it helps get their kids to bathe and clean their rooms.
“Money is the root of all evil.”
The correct biblical quote from 1 Timothy 6:10 is “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,” which has a significantly different meaning. The quote continues, “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” So, it’s not money itself that is evil; many people do great things with their money, but chasing money at any cost is evil.
“This too shall pass.”
While this phrase offers comfort during tough times, it isn’t found in the Bible. Made famous in 1852 in “Solomon’s Seal” by Edward Fitzgerald, the saying is believed to be based on a Persian adage passed down throughout time about the temporary nature of the human experience.
“God works in mysterious ways.”
Though most of us love a good mystery novel or show, we don’t always love a mystery when it comes to our personal situations, which is when people love to let us know that God works in mysterious ways. Encapsulating the unknowable nature of God’s plans that the Bible teaches, the phrase is actually derived from a 19th-century hymn by William Cowper.
“Charity begins at home.”
You should prioritize the needs of your friends and family, who are the cornerstones of our lives, which sounds biblical. However, its earliest known expression was by Sir Thomas Browne in his book Religio Medici in the 17th century. He uses the phrase twice, in “Charity begins at home, is the voice of the World…” and “That a man should lay down his life for his Friend, seems strange to vulgar affections, and such as confine themselves within that Worldly principle, Charity begins at home.” But does either truly support the notion?
“The lion shall lie down with the lamb.”
The actual biblical prophecy from Isaiah 11:6 states, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them,” which does not mention a lion. This phrase is part of a description of the Messianic days that will follow the restoration of Israel after its destruction in a series of wars.
“Hate the sin, love the sinner.”
People often use this as reasoning for the church to accept the LGBTQ+ community; however, the original quote is “Hate the sin and not the sinner is a precept which, though easy enough to understand, is rarely practiced, and that is why the poison of hatred spreads in the world” and came from Mahatma Gandhi. Jude 1:22–23 contains a similar idea, saying, “Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear–hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”
“The seven deadly sins.”
Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth are all commonly known as the seven deadly sins or cardinal sins. While the Bible discusses sins that can lead to spiritual death, it does not specifically list a set of seven deadly sins. Early Christian scholars and theologians developed this categorization; according to Roman Catholic theology, these sins are behaviors that encourage further sin.
“Three wise men.”
The Bible mentions wise men (or Magi) visiting Jesus after His birth, but it does not specify that there were three. Bible Info believes, “The tradition that there were three wise men arose from the fact that the Bible mentions three gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, according to Matthew 2:11.” In reality, it could have been two generous Magis or ten who went in on gifts together.
“An apple in the Garden of Eden.”
The fruit of the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden is never identified as an apple in the Bible. This common misconception may stem from artistic depictions and translations of Western society. Jewish Action mentions other theories, stating, “The Talmud (Berachot 40a; Sanhedrin 70a-b) offers three suggestions, and the Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 15:7) repeats these three and then supplies a fourth.” These suggestions are wheat, figs, grapes, or etrog.
“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”
It may sound like a biblical proverb because of the mention of hell; however, it actually comes from the 1697 tragedy The Mourning Bride by the English playwright William Congreve. No matter the origin, it is still wise to keep this in the back of your mind.
“Be in the world, but not of the world.”
An interpretation of Jesus’s prayer in John 17:11, 14–15, people believe this is a call to all Christians that while they live here on Earth, they should not concern themselves with earthly things. It teaches against materialism and getting caught up in this temporary world’s drama and small stresses.
“Pride comes before the fall.”
Proverbs 16:18 states, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall,” subtly different from the common rendition. However, the idiom teaches people not to be too confident or boastful of their abilities, or they may fail or lose everything they have.
“This is my cross to bear.”
While Jesus talks about bearing one’s cross in the Gospels, and He died on a cross, this specific phrase is not a direct quote in the Bible. It has become a modern expression to denote personal burdens that one must face long-term and alone.
“A fool and his money are soon parted.”
This saying, implying that foolish people do not keep their money for long, sounds proverbial but is not found in the Bible. The expression we use today was first found in Dr. John Bridges’s A Defence of the Government Established in the Church of England for Ecclesiastical Matters in 1587.
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