5 Common Sayings You May Not Know Come from the Bible

1. Forbidden fruit - Genesis 2:16-17

Use of the phrase “forbidden fruit” is one of the more recognizable references to Scripture on this list. Today, most people speak of forbidden fruit as something they know they’re not supposed to have but desire anyway. In pop culture songs, television shows, and other references, “forbidden fruit” often refers to unspoken lust. However, its biblical connection to sin is actually much broader than that.

The “forbidden fruit” of Scripture obviously harkens back to the Garden of Eden, where God told Adam, the first man, “from any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). Most people know what happened next.

When tempted and deceived by the serpent, Adam’s wife Eve ate of the “forbidden fruit,” which she saw was “a delight to the eyes.” She then shared it with her husband Adam (Genesis 3:6). As a result, the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened, sin and death entered the world, and the first couple were cast from the Garden of Eden. Subsequently, the “original sin” of Adam and Eve in their disobedience and consumption of the originally “forbidden fruit” affected all of humanity from then on (see Romans 3:23).  

Today, “forbidden fruit” may be used to casually refer to taboos or hidden desires that tempt and entice us. In the eyes of God, however, the original sin and “forbidden fruit” had much more serious consequences for the whole of creation, something Jesus Christ (the second Adam) would labor to overcome through His death and resurrection. 

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2. The writing is on the wall – Daniel 5:5-6

When someone says, “The writing is on the wall,” it implies that something difficult or unpleasant is about to happen. The signs are there. A negative outcome is expected. Unfortunately, not everyone who sees it will acknowledge or heed the warnings in time to change course. We might, therefore, say “the writing is on the wall” when someone is about to get fired, a political candidate is about to lose an election, or the value of a stock is about to crash. 

But where does this phrase come from?

In Daniel chapter 5, we read that King Belshazzar of Babylon held a great feast for his nobles (Daniel 5:1). Marked for its debauchery and depravity, Belshazzar’s celebration was intended to boost morale and provide a distraction from the growing threat of invasion at the hands of the Medo-Persian empire. During the feast, Belshazzar also decided to serve wine to his nobles, wives, and concubines from the sacred gold and silver vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem by his grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 5:2-4). 

The Bible then tells us that “suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. Then the king’s face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together.” (Daniel 5:5-6) According to renowned commentator Matthew Henry, “God’s written word is enough to put the proudest, boldest sinner in a fright.”

In terror, Belshazzar summoned all the magicians, conjurers, and wise men of Babylon to interpret the writing on the wall. When none could provide an answer, the mostly forgotten Hebrew statesman Daniel, who had previously interpreted dreams for Nebuchadnezzar, was brought before the king.    

Upon arrival, Daniel proclaimed judgment against King Belshazzar for his arrogance, rejection of God, and defilement of the sacred vessels from the temple of the Lord. He then interpreted the writing on the wall, saying, “God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it… you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient… your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians” (Daniel 5:25-28).

The Bible tells us, “that same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two” (Daniel 5:30; emphasis added).

Both literally and spiritually, the writing was on the wall for King Belshazzar. His time and end had come. And as prophesied, Babylon came under God’s judgment, falling to the Persian Empire that very night (Isaiah 13; 47; Jeremiah 50; 51; Habakkuk 2:5-19).

Once again, Matthew Henry likens the biblical “writing on the wall” to the doom of mortal sinners. “At death, the sinner’s days are numbered and finished; after death is the judgment, when he will be weighed in the balance, and found wanting.” Thanks be to God, however, that the terrifying “writing on the wall” for sinners has an alternate ending for those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

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3. Scapegoat - Leviticus 16

Who’s to blame? 

That is a question we all ask ourselves when something goes terribly wrong. Whether it’s a sports team losing a big game, a political party failing to win an election, or a multi-million-dollar deal that falls through for a major corporation at the last minute, we all look for someone to point the finger at. We may call that person the fall guy or whipping boy. They may not have even been responsible for the failed outcome. The “scapegoat” is the one we pin it on anyway. Fairly or unfairly, they take the blame and bear the burden of the wrath and punishment that follows. Nobody wants to be the scapegoat for obvious reasons. 

In the Old Testament, however, the biblical scapegoat was one of the most important symbols of atonement and foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrifice as the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 

Leviticus 16 outlines the instructions for the high priest regarding the day of atonement. As the high priest prepared to enter the Holy of Holies once a year, he would take two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. He would offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and his family. Two lots were then cast over the goats, one for the Lord and the other for “Azazel” (a word whose meaning is uncertain). 

The high priest was then to lay his hands on both goats. One was sacrificed as a sin offering for the people, the other, the “scapegoat” (or “escape goat”), was released into the wilderness. As it is written, “the goat shall bear on itself all the iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat into the wilderness” (Leviticus 16:22), “for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:30).

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ, the perfect, sinless Son of God, became our scapegoat, taking upon Himself the penalty for our sins and making atonement so that we might be cleansed and forgiven of our sins before God. By the shedding of His blood, Christ became the ultimate and final sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10). As John the Baptist proclaimed at Jesus’ arrival, “Behold! The Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29; emphasis added).

Like many common sayings, the original meaning of the biblical scapegoat carries far more weight and significance than its current usage, which often distracts from the precious sacrifice and atoning work of Jesus Christ. 

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4. Go the extra mile – Matthew 5:41

It is widely believed that one of the top attributes of a great employee, athlete, or student is someone willing to “go the extra mile.” Today, we would say this is someone who does more than is expected of them. They put in the extra hours and extra work and go to great lengths to achieve exceptional results. While this is obviously praiseworthy, the biblical inspiration for this saying has a slightly different meaning.

In His famous Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus turned many people’s understanding Old Testament law and the sinful heart on its head. In one passage, He challenged His listeners to avoid personal retaliation, seeking retribution, and acting on every slight or offense. Of course, Christ was not talking about matters of criminal offense, nor was He instructing His followers to be weak, diffident, or passive. Rather, Jesus encouraged Christians to be patient, forgiving, and willing to suffer injuries to their pride and dignity for the sake of peace, committing their concerns to the Lord. 

Jesus said, “whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two” (Matthew 5:41). This concept is physically represented in a scene from the popular gospel adaptation, The Chosen. 

“Going the extra mile” follows the example set by Jesus Christ, who, in the words of the apostle Peter, “also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 1:21-25).

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5. Bite the dust - Psalms 72:9

When most people hear the phrase “bite the dust," they may break into song, tapping their feet and belting the lyrics to “Another One Bites the Dust” by the popular British rock band Queen. Of course, when Freddie Mercury and his bandmates wrote and recorded what would become a chart-topping anthem, they probably did so without much consideration for its connection to the inspired Word of God. Today, most people understand “bite the dust” as a reference to someone’s death or demise, defeat or failure. 

In the Bible, however, King Solomon wrote, “let the nomads of the desert bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust” (Psalms 72:9). “Lick," of course, has slightly different meaning than “bite” when it comes to someone’s face to the ground. In the Bible, the saying “bite” (or lick) the dust” implies the submission and humility of one forced to kneel before the glory and majesty of the Lord. The Bible makes clear that everyone will stand before the Lord when their life has ended. And in the words of the apostle Paul, “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).

These, of course, are just five common sayings that originate from Scripture. There are, however, many more that are worth knowing and studying. So next time you utter a common phrase, take a moment to consider where it came from. You may be surprised to find the Bible offers far more inspiration and wisdom than most are even aware of or care to admit.  

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This article originally appeared on Christianity.com. For more faith-building resources, visit Christianity.com.