In Russian, the phrase Пусть левая твоя рука не знает, что делает правая (Pust’ levaya tvoya ruka ne znayet, chto delayet pravaya) or “do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” is widely-used as an idiom in every-day life. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 63f.)
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God
The Greek that is translated as “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” is translated in Uripiv as “It’s extremely difficult for a hen to grow teeth. But it’s much harder than that even for a rich man to get into the kingdom of heaven.” (Source: Ross McKerras)
In Russian, this phrase (Удобнее верблюду пройти сквозь игольные уши, нежели богатому войти в царство божие — Udobneye verblyudu proyti skvoz’ igol’nyye ushi, nezheli bogatomu voyti v tsarstvo bozhiye) is widely used as an idiom with the meaning that “it is next to impossible for somebody to do something.” The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 22)
what hath God wrought!
In Russian, the phrase вот что творит Бог! (vot chto tvorit Bog!) or “what God has done” is widely used as an idiom for either positive or negative statements with “God” being replaced by a large variety of lexical substitutions. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 79)
put the words in one's mouth
The now commonly-used English idiom “put the words in one’s mouth” (meaning a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others) was first coined in 1395 in the English translation by John Wycliffe (in the spelling puttide the wordis in hir mouth). (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 279)
In Russian, this phrase (вложил в уста ее (vlozhil v usta yeye) is also widely used in many variations as an idiom in every-day life. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 92)
For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
Pilate . . . washed his hands
In Russian, the phrase Пилат … умыл руки (Pilat … umyl ruki) or “Pilate . . . washed his hands” is widely-used as an idiom in a number of variations in every-day life. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 64)
In French, the phrase “s’en laver les mains” or “wash hands” is likewise used as an idiom. (Source: Muller 1991, p. 78)
out of the mouth of babes and sucklings
The now commonly-used English idiom “out of the mouth of babes and sucklings” (to day that Children are capable of saying wise, insightful, or mature things) was first coined in 1560 in the Geneva Bible (spelled as by the mouth of babes and sucklings). (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 269)
In Russian, the idiom, also in its shorter form устами младенцев (ustami mladentsev — “out of mouth of babes”) is one of the most often-used idioms in the Russian language today (over 3 million Google hits), and hardly any of these usages have any connection to the Bible: it is the title of a TV show, of numerous collections of funny phrases uttered by kids, the name of the online store for children, the name of an educational game, etc. The wording of the initial quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 7)
For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
money is the root of all evil
The now commonly-used English idiom “money is the root of all evil” (meaning the desire to obtain and amass money is the ultimate reason humans do evil things) was first coined in 1560 in the Geneva Bible (in the spelling (the desire of) money is the roote of all euill). (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 283)
In Russian, this phrase (Ибо корень всех зол есть сребролюбие — Ibo koren’ vsekh zol yest’ srebrolyubiye) is also widely-used as an idiom. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 45)
It is also used in the following languages:
- Spanish: El dinero es la raíz de todos los males
- French: L’argent est la racine de tout mal / L’argent est la source de tous les maux
- Arabic: المال أصل كل الشر (almal ‘asl kuli alshari)
- Mandarin Chinese: 钱是万恶之源 (qián shì wàn’èzhī yuán)
- German: Geld ist die Wurzel allen Übels
the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath
In Russian, the phrase суббота для человека, а не человек для субботы (subbota dlya cheloveka, a ne chelovek dlya subboty) or “the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath” is widely used in many variations as an idiom in every-day life. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 63f.)