Common Sayings

Many of our common sayings come from the Bible. A few of them are depicted here. First, write the saying on the blank below its illustration. Then write the number of the saying next to the Old Testament scripture from which it originated. You’ll have to be as “sharp as a two-edged sword” (Prov. 5:4) to succeed, but remember that “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong” (Eccl. 9:11). Try finding other sayings from the scriptures.

Scriptures

___ a. Genesis 4:1–12 [Gen. 4:1–12]

___ b. Exodus 2:15–22 [Ex. 2:15–22]

___ c. Deuteronomy 32:8–10 [Deut. 32:8–10]

___ d. 1 Samuel 13:13–14 [1 Sam. 13:13–14]

___ e. Job 19:7–20

___ f. Ecclesiastes 1:9 [Eccl. 1:9]

___ g. Isaiah 40:12–15, 28–31 [Isa. 40:12–15, 28–31]

___ h. Isaiah 52:7–8 [Isa. 52:7–8]

___ i. Jeremiah 31:27–31 [Jer. 31:27–31]

Answers:

• (1) g—“a drop (in the) bucket,” (2) i—“sour grapes(s),” (3) e—“the skin of my teeth,” (4) f—“there is (nothing new) under the sun,” (5) h—“see eye to eye,” (6) c—“the apple of his eye,” (7) a—“my brother’s keeper,” (8) d—“a man after his own heart,” (9) b—“a stranger in a strange land.”