Günther, Hartmut. Mit Feuereifer und Herzenslust – Wie Luther unsere Sprache prägte. Berlin: Duden, 2017.
The now commonly-used German idiom mit Engelszungen reden for “sliver-tongued” or “speaking with persuasion and/charm” was first coined in 1522 in the German New Testament translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 61)
For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
The now commonly-used German idiom Hochmut kommt vor dem Fall, which means that too much prideful behavior often ends in ruin (literally “arrogance goes before the fall”), was made popular in 1534 in the German Bible translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 80)
For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
The now commonly-used German expression Fallstrick for “snare,” but today only used in German in the sense to cause someone to stumble (“jemandem einen Fallstick legen”), was first coined in 1534 in the German Bible translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 65)
For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
The now commonly-used German idiom ein Licht aufgehen, which means that someone has suddenly understood something (literally “a light is dawning”), was made popular in 1534 in the German Bible translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 83)
For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
The now commonly-used English idiom “man cannot live by bread alone” (meaning people need more than material things to truly live) was first coined in 1582 in the Douay Rheims Version (in the spelling Man shall not liue by bread alone). (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 275)
In Russian, this phrase (He одним хлебом живет человек — Ne odnim khlebom zhivet chelovek) is also widely used as an idiom. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 14)
In German the idiom Der Mensch lebt nicht vom Brot allein, is today often used as a way to express that only bread is not enough as food (Der Mensch lebt nicht vom Brot allein, es kann auch Wurst und Käse sein — “one does not live by bread alone, meat and cheese are also welcome”). It was coined in 1522 in the German New Testament translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 90)
The now commonly-used German expression Feuereifer, which today is used for a strong engagement for something, especially a cause of some kind, was first coined in 1522 in the German New Testament translation by Martin Luther. Since the meaning of that expression has now changed into something positive, the current edition of Luther’s translation (publ. 2017) uses wütendes Feuer — “raging fire.” Source: Günther 2017, p. 67)
For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.