Sayings and Phrases in the Bible

Sayings & Phrases from the Bible

How much have we been influenced by the Bible?

You would be amazed just how much. When you look into the matter sincerely you will discover that this is a very good thing. Here are found some references to common sayings found in the English language that possibly originate from Scripture.

The Possibilities are:

The phrase or saying existed and was used at the time of original authorship. At this stage this is more likely where it occurs in both the NIV and KJV since they were translated and published over 360 years apart each having originated from texts sourced from different geographical localities among the early Church. We should also keep in mind that the translators of the NIV made reference to the KJV. An example of this may be the phrase “can the leopard change its spots?”.

The phrase or saying was used at the time of English translation. This is more likely were it occurs in the NIV only though it is still a possibility that the phrase or saying existed as such at the time of original authorship but was not translated as such in the KJV and then later done so in the NIV. An example of this may be the phrase “cut the ground from under” or to “undercut” someone.

The phrase though not an expression at the time of original authorship has been used as a saying/phrase in modern times because of the Scripture passage’s recent influence on the expression of modern English. Examples of this may be the phases “no rest for the wicked” or “standing at the crossroads”.

Occurrence in the KJV or NIV ^{note 1}

KJV refers to the King James Version, an English translation of the Scriptures first published approx 400 years ago in A.D.1611. Whereas NIV refers to the New International Version (original), an English translation first published in A.D. 1973.

Our hope is that this page will inspire you to look deeper into Scripture to see what else it has to do with our lives.

If you would like to contribute to this page then please contact us.

Saying or Phrase	KJV or NIV	References
A drop in a bucket	Both	Isaiah 40:15
A little bird told me	Both	Ecclesiastes 10:20
A man after my own heart	Both	1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22
All in all	Both	1 Corinthians 15:28, (1 Corinthians 12:6, Ephesians 1:23 of KJV)
Apple of my eye	Both	Deuteronomy 32:10, Psalm 17:8, Proverbs, 7:2, Zechariah 2:8, (Lamentations 2:18 KJV)
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust	Both	Genesis 3:19
Blind leading the blind	Both	Matthew 15:14, Luke 6:39
Busybody	Both	2 Thessalonians 3:11
By and by	KJV	Matthew 13:21, Mark 6:25, Luke 17:7 & 21:9
Can the leopard change it's spots ?	Both	Jeremiah 13:23
Cannot tell their right hand from their left	Both	Jonah 4:11
Cast / throw the first stone	Both	John 8:7
Come what may	Both	Job 13:13 (though more clearly inferred from the NIV)
Count the cost	Both	Luke 14:28
Cut the ground from under (undercut ?)	NIV	2 Corinthians 11:12
Divide and conquer	Both	Matthew 12:25
Do as I say not as I do	Both	Matthew 23:3
Eat drink and be merry	Both	Ecclesiastes 8:15, Isaiah 22:13, Luke 12:19, 1 Corinthians 15:32
Eye for an eye	Both	Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, Deuteronomy 19:21, Matthew 5:38. If you do one thing in life; read Matthew Chapter 5.
Fleet-footed	NIV	2 Samuel 2:18
Fight the good fight	Both	1 Timothy 1:18, 1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 4:7
Go the extra mile	Both	Matthew 5:41
God as my witness	Both	Romans 1:9, (2 Corinthians 1:23 NIV), 1 Thessalonians 2:5
Great pomp	Both	Acts 25:23
Head on a platter	NIV	Matthew 14:8-11, Mark 6:25-28, KJV similar
Held a grudge	NIV	Genesis 27:41
How the mighty have fallen	Both	2 Samuel 1:19
Honour to whom honour is due	Both	Romans 13:7
Keep the faith	Both	2 Timothy 4:7
Knocking knees (from fear)	Both	Daniel 5:6
Lash of the tongue	NIV	Job 5:21 though the KJV implies similar
Like mother like daughter	Both	Ezekiel 16:44
Live by the sword, die by the sword	Both	Matthew 26:52
Long live the King / God save the King	Both	1 Samuel 10:24, 2 Samuel 16:16, 2 Kings 11:12, 2 Chronicles 23:11
Long winded	NIV	Job 16:3
Make your ears tingle	Both	1 Samuel 3:11, 2 Kings 21:12, Jeremiah 19:3
Mark my words	NIV	1 kings 22:28, 2 Chronicles 18:27, Galatians 5:2
My brother's keeper	Both	Genesis 4:9 - See Note 2
No rest for the wicked	Both	Isaiah 48:22 & 57:21
Not one iota	KJV	Matthew 5:18
Nothing but skin and bones	NIV	Job 19:20
Old wives tales	Both	1 Timothy 4:7
Practice what you preach	NIV	Matthew 23:3 though clear inference with the KJV
Prepare to meet your maker	Both	Amos 4:12 Since God is the Creator of all things
Pride goes before a fall	Both	Proverbs 16:18
Rear guard	NIV	Numbers 10:25
Ring leader	Both	Acts 24:5
Rise and shine	Both	Isaiah 60:1
Safe and sound	Both	Luke 15:27
Saw the writing on the wall	Both	Daniel Chapter 5.
Scapegoat	Both	Leviticus 16:8-26
Scum of the earth	NIV	1 Corinthians 4:13, KJV similar. Note also Lamentations 3:45
Set my teeth on edge	Both	Jeremiah 31:29 & 30 and Ezekiel 18:2
Seek and ye shall find	Both	Matthew 7:7, Luke 11:9
Sheep to the slaughter	Both	Acts 8:32, Romans 8:36
Skin of my teeth	Both	Job 19:20
Sour grapes	Both	Jeremiah 31:29 - 30, Ezekiel 18:2
Sow to the wind and reap the whirlwind	Both	Hosea 8:7
Straight and Narrow	KJV	Matthew 7:14, similar in NIV
Standing at the crossroads	NIV	Jeremiah 6:16
Standing in the gap	Both	Psalm 106:23, Ezekiel 22:30 “Breach” and “gap” mean the same
Stranger in a strange land	KJV	Exodus 2:22 NIV uses “alien” instead of “stranger”
Stumbling block	Both	Leviticus 19:14, Ezekial 14:4, Romans 14:13 & many others
Take me for a fool	Both	2 Corinthians 11:16
The eleventh hour	Both	Matthew 20:9
The light of day	NIV	Job 3:16
The tables have turned	NIV	Esther 9:1
The truth will set you free	Both	John 8:32
There is a time & place for everything	Both	Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is nothing new under the sun	Both	Ecclesiastes 1:9 "under the sun" frequently in this book
Thorn in my side / Thorn in the flesh	Both	(Numbers 33:55 NIV), Judges 2:3, 2 Corinthians 12:7
To face your accusers	Both	Acts 25:16
Took him at his word	NIV	John 4:50
Took him to task	NIV	Gen 31:36
Turn the other cheek	Both	Matthew 5:39, Luke 6:29
Twinkling of an eye	Both	1 Corinthians 15:52
United we stand, divided we fall	Both	Matthew 12:25
Waters gone by	NIV	Job 11:16 similar in KJV
Where O' death is your victory/sting	Both	1 Corinthians 15:55, Hosea 13:14 (Can you truly say this ?)
With you in spirit	Both	1 Corinthians 5:3-4, Colossians 2:5
Wit's end	Both	Psalm 107:27
Words failed them	NIV	Job 32:15
You and yours	NIV	Genesis 20:7

Other interesting words we have today

Babble	Both	Tower of Babel See Genesis Chapter 11
Each to his own / To each his own	Both	Many Old Testament occurrences in the NIV but also in relation to the context that many people are using it today (out of its original application) it may have been derived from Romans 12:3-8 and / or Romans 14:4 and / or 1 Corinthians 7:7
Israel	Both	First Occurance in Genesis 32:28 This is my wife's favourite and one of the best examples of why we all should look to what the Bible says about human history and our future
Michmash/Mishmash	Both	Name of a location detailed in the books of 1 Samuel and Isaiah, and also a name of a company of men returning from exile in Babylon in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah
Miserable	Both	Genesis 50:11
Seeing is believing	Both	John 20:25-29
Tearing out my hair	Both	Ezra 9:3
While there is life there is hope	Both	Ecclesiastes 9:4
You don't know the halve of it	Both	1 Kings 10:7
Your/My mindset	NIV	Romans 8:5

Note 1. We have not co-related these to original Hebrew and Greek texts.

Note 2. We are our brother’s keeper by the way – read Matthew Chapter 5 near the beginning of the New Testament then a little further on in Mark 12:28-31 and the Apostles John’s 1st letter found near the end of your Bible. How have you treated your brother whom the Bible clearly indicates as all men? Not so well? then please click here to find out why you need Jesus.