Seven Sayings that Didn't Actually Originate from the Bible
The following seven quotes are sometimes mistaken as being from the Bible when they aren't.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush is a common phrase that did not originate from the Bible. The current form of the phrase actually wasn't even used until the 19th century. The earliest example of this phrase that anybody can find is in a newspaper in 1833.
Beggars can't be choosers.
Beggars can't be choosers is another saying that does not originate from the Bible. The first form of beggars can't be choosers didn't come until 1546 when John Heywood compiled a book or proverbs.
Charity begins at home.
An English physician by the name of Sir Thomas Browne coined the phrased Charity begins at home. In his book Religio Medici Sir Thomas Brown said, "But how shall we expect charity towards others, when we are uncharitable to ourselves? Charity begins at home, is the voice of the world; yet is every man his greatest enemy, and, as it were, his own executioner.
Cleanliness is next to godliness.
This phrase has godliness in it so surely it came from the Bible right? Nope, cleanliness is next to godliness actually came from a sermon by John Wesley. The idea probably came before John Wesley but the wording we are familiar with was created by John Wesley.
Everything that glitters is not gold.
It's hard to determine who created this quote but it never appears in the Bible. Many authors have used this quote over the year including Cervantes, Chaucer and Shakespeare.
God helps those who help themselves.
Not only is this quote never used in the Bible but also might not even be correct, depending on how you choose to use it. The quote was actually created by Ben Franklin and it appeared in Poor Richard's Almanac in 1757.
Honesty is the best policy.
That Benjamin Franklin was just coming up with phrases left and right. Not only did he coin the phrased "God helps those who help themselves" but he also coined the phrase "Honesty is the best policy."
Published by Lee Andrew Henderson - Featured Contributor in Sports
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39 Comments
Post a CommentAlso, "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord".
Here are a few which are not in the bible as well,
"The family that prays together stays together"
"Ascension of Mary (the mother of Jesus)to heaven-also called the Madonna"
"Yeshua banning men from having more than one wife(plural Marriages)"
" Shabbath being changed to Sunday from Saturday and need not observe it"
There are so many more
This gives me an idea for a game. Thanks!
I didn't think that these were from the Bible, but thought most of them were from Ben Franklin. On many, I stand corrected.
Very intresting.
very well articulated!!! And informative!!!
The original phrase is "All that glisters is not gold". Not "glitters", but I guess thats the result of misheard appropriation of proper English. I'm sure the US readers "could care less" (sic) !
Catchy title - however, I beg to differ from you. Although these saying are not verbatim in the Bible - it's just another way of saying what's already in the Bible.
Nice.
Interesting article!