Abby McDonald is an author, speaker, and writing coach with a passion for helping women get unstuck and respond to God’s voice in faith. Her books, 
10 Common Sayings That Are Not in the Bible
September 3, 2026
The words coming out of the person’s mouth were intended to be encouraging, but they weren’t. Instantly, I wondered, “Is that really in the Bible?” Although the saying sounded similar to verses I’d heard before, the wording seemed off. At the time, I wasn’t well-versed in Scripture and was unsure how to determine whether the words were grounded in truth.
I smiled and offered a polite response, but the moment lit a fire in me to explore God’s Word. I realized I didn’t want my roots to be shallow. When life's storms hit, I wanted to know what was true rather than simply relying on others' interpretations. Many familiar Christian sayings sound biblical without appearing anywhere in Scripture, while others alter or remove the original passage’s context.
The good news is that when we seek God and ask for His wisdom, He is faithful and will not let His Word return void. Here are ten common sayings that are not in the Bible as written, or are frequently misquoted or taken out of context. Some reflect a biblical idea, but each one should be tested against what Scripture actually says.
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