Behold!

From Biblical origins to daily lingo: 12 phrases that came from the Bible

Image: Aaron Burden

Many common phrases we use today are direct quotes from the Bible. Expressions like "forbidden fruit," "by the skin of your teeth," and "writing on the wall" have slipped seamlessly into everyday conversation, often with little thought to their origins. They can all be found in the pages of the Bible. Which of these sayings do you use?

Image: Levi XU

The phrase "a drop in the bucket" refers to something very small or insignificant compared to a much larger whole.

The idiom comes from the Bible, specifically Isaiah 40:15, where nations are described as a "drop of a bucket" to show their smallness in comparison to God.

Image: Ivan Aleksic

To be "at one’s wits' end" means to feel so confused, worried, or frustrated that you no longer know what to do. It describes the point where someone feels mentally exhausted and out of options.

The phrase appears in Psalm 107:27, where sailors facing a violent storm are said to be "at their wits' end." The phrase signified reaching the limit of one’s reasoning.

Image: Goh Rhy Yan

"The writing is on the wall" refers to a clear warning that something bad is about to happen. It’s often used when a negative outcome seems unavoidable.

Its origin comes from the Bible, in the Book of Daniel, where a mysterious hand writes a message on the wall during King Belshazzar’s feast in Babylon. The writing foretells the sudden fall of the Babylonian Empire.

Image: Marcus Dall Col

The famous and epic phrase "Let there be light" comes from Genesis 1:3, where God speaks light into existence as the first act of creation.

Today, the phrase goes beyond its literal meaning; it symbolizes the start of knowledge, understanding, or spiritual awakening, with light replacing darkness.

Image: Nicole Mason

"Rise and shine" means to wake up and start the day with energy and a positive attitude. It's often used cheerfully to encourage someone to get out of bed and be active.

The phrase has biblical roots, in Isaiah 60:1: "Arise, shine, for your light has come." Over time, the verse’s spiritual call to reflect divine light evolved into the familiar morning pep talk we use today.

Image: Jason Tuinstra

The expression "salt of the earth" is used to describe someone who is honest, kind, and dependable. It’s a compliment often used for humble, good-hearted people.

It comes from the Bible, in Matthew 5:13, where Jesus tells his followers, "You are the salt of the earth." He was praising their value and the positive influence they could have on the world.

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"The blind leading the blind" refers to someone without knowledge trying to guide others who are equally unaware, often leading to failure or confusion.

The phrase comes from the Bible, in Matthew 15:14, where Jesus criticizes unwise leaders who are unaware of the truth yet still try to lead others.

Image: Luca Calderone

We’ve all heard this one. "A wolf in sheep’s clothing" describes someone who appears kind or harmless but hides harmful intentions. It warns us not to be fooled by deceptive appearances.

The phrase comes from the Bible's Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus says, "Beware of false prophets… in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

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"Forbidden fruit" is a term that comes from the Book of Genesis, where Adam and Eve were told not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Today, it refers to anything tempting but off-limits, something that is morally, legally, or socially prohibited. The idea also emphasizes the desire for what is denied.

Image: Kenny Eliason

Used to describe a narrow escape or a situation avoided just in time, the phrase "by the skin of your teeth" also has biblical origins.

The phrase comes from the Book of Job, where Job says he escaped "with the skin of my teeth," highlighting how close he came to disaster.

Image: Malachi Brooks

Another phrase that gets thrown around a lot, "go the extra mile" means putting in more effort than expected, showing dedication, kindness, or generosity beyond what’s required.

It comes from Matthew 5:41, where Jesus tells followers to walk two miles if asked to go one, urging people to exceed expectations.

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Our final entry is a poetic expression: "a man after his own heart" refers to someone who shares similar values, interests, or goals, a kindred spirit, deeply aligned in purpose.

The phrase comes from 1 Samuel 13:14, where God describes David as "a man after His own heart." It reflects alignment in spirit or purpose.

GOOGLE IT

9 Brands That Became Words

Image: Slidebean

If you ever googled a fact to finally put an end to an over-extended discussion, if you xeroxed a document to produce an exact duplicate, or if you ever rushed to cover a fresh wound with a band-aid; welcome to the intriguing world of generic trademarks. These are brand names that are ingrained in our collective lexicon to such an extent that they've become generic words, sometimes giving rise to brand-new verbs. They've become synonymous with the product or service that they offer. We'll list only a few examples; can you think of more?

Image: Federica Galli

This one is so ubiquitous that we just had to include it on our list. Google is not only the most visited site in the world, but it's also the most widely used search engine. For over a decade, it has been the default search engine on multiple platforms and devices, including Apple's iMac, iPad, and iPhone.

The act of searching the internet through Google has become so intertwined with our daily lives that the brand is now generically used as a verb for doing just that. If you don't believe me, google it!

Image: Aditya Romansa

We get it: Hoop-and-loop fastener is just a mouthful. As you may know, Velcro is actually the name of a privately owned British company founded by the Swiss inventor George de Mestral, who was the first person to design and commercially sell… well, hoop-and-loop fasteners. His product proved to be so popular that, luckily, the name Velcro just stuck.

De Mestral chose the name Velcro because it's a portmanteau of the French words velours, "velvet", and crochet, "hook." It is now used as a generic word for all similar products.

Image: ageing_better

This one has a bit of a complicated history, as Xerox –the company– is firmly opposed to their trademark being used as a generic term. In their own words, "You can not xerox a document, but you can copy it on a Xerox Brand copying machine."

Despite their efforts, there is no doubt that the word has entered the common lexicon, and even the Oxford English Dictionary lists xerox, as a verb, as a synonym for "photocopying."

Image: Nina Cuk

The original name for a zipper is "clasp-locker," but we wouldn't blame you if you didn't know that. Even though the device had been around for a while, the name zipper dates back only to the 1920s. The B.F. Goodrich Company used zippers as a closing mechanism for its line of rubber overshoes and trademarked the name. The rest, as they say, is history.

Image: Caesar Aldhela

The name Escalator, with a capital E, was first applied to a single prototype of a moving stairway shown at the 1900s Paris Exposition and trademarked by the Otis Elevator Company.

As we now know, the technology was widely adopted and, soon, escalators took the world by storm. However, the Otis Elevator Company did little to protect its trademark and, by the 1950s, a court order declared the world to be of public domain.

Image: Jonathan Velasquez

While the word podcast wasn't born as a brand, there's one cleverly hidden in it. If you were around in the 2000s, you'll probably have fond memories of Apple's iPod. The now-discontinued portable media player was as ubiquitous then as the smartphones that displaced it are now. For a while, it almost achieved generic trademark status by itself.

As you may have noticed, the word podcast was fashioned as a portmanteau of the words "iPod" and "broadcast," despite the fact that they can be accessed through a myriad of different devices. Through this quirk of etymology, the legacy of the iPod carries on.

Image: Wolfgang Hasselmann

The unassuming flying disc was branded and rebranded quite a few times. It went by names such as Whirlo-Way, Flying-Saucer, and Pluto Platter. However, the one that finally hit the mark was Frisbee.

Allegedly, the founders of Wham-O –the company that owns the Frisbee trademark– coined the name after learning that their toy was already being called that way by Yale college students. The word is a corruption of Frisbie, the name engraved on the tins of the Frisbie Pie Company.

Image: Mick Haupt

Like the frisbee, the yo-yo is one of those toys that seem to have been with humanity since time immemorial. There are depictions of children playing with yo-yo-like toys painted on ancient Greek vases.

The word yo-yo is of Philippine origin, and it means "come-come." Its trademark history begins with Pedro Flores, a Filipino immigrant to the United States who founded the Flores Yo-Yo Company. The trademark was eventually acquired by Donald Duncan, who you might know by the slogan "If it's not a Duncan, it's not a yo-yo." Due to its popular use, the word yo-yo has been declared generic in the US since the 1960s.

Image: Diana Polekhina

The epitome of a generic trademark, you will not hear adhesive bandage said out loud in any household in the United States: the word for that is band-aid. The brand is incredibly popular even outside the US: Since World War II, Johnson & Johnson has estimated a sale of over a billion band-aids worldwide.

Despite its generic use, Johnson & Johnson continues to hold and defend its band-aid trademark, and the term can't be used commercially by any other company.