“the handwriting on the wall”
You've Been Quoting Daniel All Week
"The writing on the wall" comes from a king's party in Babylon. In Daniel 5 it wasn't bad luck. It was God's verdict on a proud heart.
Daniel 5:1-31 · October 1, 2026 · 4 min read
Sayings from Scripture
Where Words Come From
Everyday sayings that come straight from Scripture
“going the extra mile”
The Extra Mile Started With a Roman Soldier
"Going the extra mile" comes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, where the first mile was forced on you and the second one was a choice.
Matthew 5:38-42 · September 24, 2026 · 4 min read
“scapegoat”
The Original Scapegoat Wasn't Innocent. It Was Loaded.
William Tyndale coined the word "scapegoat" while translating Leviticus 16, and the goat in that chapter points straight to the cross.
Leviticus 16:1-34 · September 17, 2026 · 4 min read
“a drop in the bucket”
A Drop in the Bucket? Isaiah Was Talking About Empires
"A drop in the bucket" comes from Isaiah 40, where the world's mightiest nations are tiny next to God, and the God who measures empires still carries his lambs.
Isaiah 40:12-31 · September 10, 2026 · 4 min read
“by the skin of your teeth”
Teeth Don't Have Skin. Job Knew That Too.
"By the skin of your teeth" first showed up in English in the 1560 Geneva Bible's translation of Job, a man who had almost nothing left except a Redeemer.
Job 19:1-29 · September 3, 2026 · 4 min read
“salt of the earth”
"Salt of the Earth" Isn't a Compliment. It's a Job Description.
We call good, down-to-earth people "the salt of the earth," but Jesus was handing his followers an assignment: keep the world from rotting.
Matthew 5:13-16 · August 27, 2026 · 4 min read
“a house divided against itself cannot stand”
Lincoln Said It. Jesus Said It First.
Abraham Lincoln made "a house divided" famous in 1858, but he was quoting Jesus, who used it to show exactly whose side he was on.
Mark 3:20-30 · August 20, 2026 · 4 min read
“a good Samaritan”
The Bible Never Calls Him "Good"
We call helpful strangers "good Samaritans" and even name laws after them, but Jesus told the story to a man trying to justify himself.
Luke 10:25-37 · August 13, 2026 · 4 min read
“a law unto themselves”
"A Law Unto Themselves" Used to Mean the Opposite
Today "a law unto themselves" describes people who ignore the rules, but Paul used it in Romans 2 to show that God's law is written on every human heart.
Romans 2:12-16 · August 6, 2026 · 4 min read
“a fly in the ointment”
The Fly in the Ointment Was Already Dead
"A fly in the ointment" grew out of Ecclesiastes 10:1, where a few dead flies ruin expensive perfume, the way a little foolishness can ruin a good name.
Ecclesiastes 10:1 · July 30, 2026 · 4 min read