Friday, April 22, 2011

Common English Phrases Found in the KJB


Note:  The following list came from the recent NPR report on the 400th anniversary of the KJV:

Though it cannot be said that all of these phrases originated in the bible, it is likely that the King James Bible was the first time that many of them appeared in English.

A drop in the bucket (Isaiah 40:15)

A house divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25)

A man after his own heart (Samuel 13:14 or Acts 13:22)

A wolf in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15)

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21; Matthew 5:38)

Apple of your eye (Deuteronomy 32:10, Zechariah 2:8)

At their wits' end (Psalms 107:27)

Baptism of fire (Matthew 3:11)

Bite the dust (adapted from Psalms 72)

Broken heart (Psalms 34:18)

By the skin of your teeth (Job 19:20)

By the sweat of your brow (Genesis 3:19)

Can a leopard change its spots? (Jeremiah 13:23)

Cast the first stone (John 8:7)

Chariots of Fire (2 Kings 6:17)

Cross to bear (Luke 14:27)

Don't cast your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6)

Eat drink and be merry (Ecclesiastes 8:15)

Fall by the wayside (Matthew 13:4)

Fall from grace (Galatians 5:4)

Fat of the land (Genesis 45:18)

Feet of clay (Daniel 2:31-33)

Fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12)

Fire and brimstone (Genesis 19:24-26)

Flesh and blood (Matthew 16:17)

Fly in the ointment (adapted from Ecclesiastes 10:1)

Forbidden fruit (Genesis 2:9)

From strength to strength (Psalms 84:7)

Give up the ghost (Mark 15:37)

Heart's desire (Psalms 21:2)

He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword (Matthew 26:52)

Holier than thou (Isaiah 65:5)

How the mighty are fallen (Samuel 1:19)

In the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52)

It's better to give than receive (Acts 20:35)

Labour of love (Hebrews 6:10)

Lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7)

Land of Nod (Genesis 4:16)

Law unto themselves (Romans 2:14)

Letter of the law (2 Corinthians 3:6)

Living off the fat of the land (Genesis 45:18)

Love of money is the root of all evil (Timothy 6:10)

Manna from heaven (Exodus 16:15)

Many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14)

My cup runneth over (Psalms 23:5)

No rest for the wicked (adapted from Isaiah 57:20)

Nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

O ye of little faith (Luke 12:28)

Out of the mouths of babes (Psalms 8:2, Matthew 21:16)

Peace offering (Leviticus 3:6)

Pride goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18)

Put words in her mouth (2 Samuel 14:3)

Put your house in order (2 Kings 20:1)

Reap what you sow (adapted from Galatians 6:7)

See eye to eye (Isaiah 52:8)

Set your teeth on edge (Jeremiah 31:30)

Sign of the times (Matthew 16:3)

Sour grapes (Jeremiah 31:30)

Sweat of your brow (Genesis 3:19)

Tender mercies (Psalms 25:6)

The blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:14)

The ends of the earth (Zechariah 9:10)

The root of the matter (Job 19:28)

The powers that be (Romans 13:1)

The salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13)

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41)

The Straight and narrow (Matthew 7:13/14)

There's nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

Two edged sword (Proverbs 5:4)

Voice crying in the wilderness (John 1:23)

Wages of sin (Romans 6:23)

Wash your hands of the matter (Matthew 27:24)

White as snow (Daniel 7:9)

Woe is me (Job 10:15)

Writing is on the wall (Daniel 5: 5/6)

Note: Most of these phrases are direct quotations. Others have slight word order changes that make the modern phrase quicker and catchier.

4 comments:

  1. How many are Tyndale's?

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  2. Hugh, good point, probably man of them. JTR

    ReplyDelete
  3. So wonderful to have such richness in our language thanks to the KJB.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I investigated this a bit further. The following items of your list are found first in the following Bibles:

    ==============
    From Tyndale:
    ==============
    A man after his own heart (1 Samuel 13:14 or Acts 13:22)

    A wolf in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15)

    Apple of your eye (Deuteronomy 32:10, Zechariah 2:8)

    By the sweat of your brow (Genesis 3:19)

    Cast the first stone (John 8:7)

    Don't cast your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6)

    Fall by the wayside (Matthew 13:4)

    Fall from grace (Galatians 5:4)

    Fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12)

    Give up the ghost (Mark 15:37)

    Land of Nod (Genesis 4:16)

    Law unto themselves (Romans 2:14)

    Letter of the law (Romans 7:6)

    Living off the fat of the land (Genesis 45:18)

    Many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14)

    Out of the mouths of babes (Psalms 8:2, Matthew 21:16)

    Peace offering (Leviticus 3:6)

    Sign of the times (Matthew 16:3)

    The blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:14)

    The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41)

    Two edged sword (Hebrews 4:12, Revelation 1:16, 2:12, Judges 3:16, Psalm 149:6, Proverbs 4:5)

    Voice crying in the wilderness (Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23)

    =======================
    From Coverdale (1534):
    =======================
    At their wits' end (Psalms 107:27)

    Bite the dust (adapted from Psalms 72)

    By the skin of your teeth (Job 19:20)

    Eat drink and be merry (Ecclesiastes 8:15)

    Feet of clay (Daniel 2:42)

    From strength to strength (Psalms 84:7)

    Heart's desire (Psalms 21:2)

    Holier than thou (Isaiah 65:5)

    Labour of love (Hebrews 6:10)

    O ye of little faith (Luke 12:28)

    Put your house in order (2 Kings 20:1)

    Set your teeth on edge (Jeremiah 31:30)

    Tender mercies (Psalms 25:6)

    =========================
    From Great Bible (1539):
    =========================
    A house divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25)

    Manna from heaven (Exodus 16:15)

    ==========================
    From Geneva Bible (1560):
    ==========================
    Can a leopard change its spots? (Jeremiah 13:23)

    My cup runneth over (Psalms 23:5)

    No rest for the wicked (adapted from Isaiah 57:20)

    The powers that be (Romans 13:1)

    ============================
    From Bishops' Bible (1568):
    ============================
    Love of money is the root of all evil (Timothy 6:10)

    =========================
    From King James Version:
    =========================
    Broken heart (Psalms 34:18)

    How the mighty are fallen (2 Samuel 1:19)

    Lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7)

    The root of the matter (Job 19:28)

    ===============
    From Wycliffe:
    ===============
    A drop in the bucket (Isaiah 40:15)

    Baptism of fire (Matthew 3:11)

    Chariots of Fire (2 Kings 6:17)

    Cross to bear (Luke 14:27)

    Death's doors (Job 38:17)

    Fire and brimstone (Genesis 19:24-26)

    Fly in the ointment (adapted from Ecclesiastes 10:1)

    He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword (Matthew 26:52)

    In the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52)

    It's better to give than receive (Acts 20:35)

    Nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

    Pride goes before a fall (1 Timothy 3:6)

    Put words in her mouth (2 Samuel 14:3)

    Reap what you sow (adapted from Galatians 6:7)

    See eye to eye (Isaiah 52:8)

    The ends of the earth (Zechariah 9:10)

    The salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13)

    The Straight and narrow (Matthew 7:13/14)

    Wages of sin (Romans 6:23)

    Woe is me (Job 10:15)

    Writing is on the wall (Daniel 5:5,6)

    ==========================================
    From Wessex Gospels (Old English, AD 990):
    ==========================================
    An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21; Matthew 5:38)

    Flesh and blood (Matthew 16:17)

    White as snow (Matthew 28:3, Mark 9:3)

    Wash your hands of the matter (Matthew 27:24)

    =======================
    Not in any of the above
    =======================
    Forbidden fruit (Genesis 2:9)

    Sour grapes (Jeremiah 31:30)

    ReplyDelete