4 Bible Verses That Aren’t Actually in the Bible

You might have heard supposed Bible verses quoted and then discovered that they’re not actually in the Bible. Here are four surprising Bible verses not found in the Bible.

Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness

Sorry, that sounds nice, but it’s nowhere to be found in the Bible. That doesn’t mean that cleanliness is not good, but that saying is not from the Word of God. Certainly we should have a clean house, a clean body, and most assuredly a clean mind, but cleanliness is not next to godliness. Holiness is next to godliness, and Christians are to strive to overcome sin in this life, as Paul writes in Romans 6:12-13, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”

All Things Work for the Good

This is often misquoted from Romans 8:28, which actually says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” The false attribution of “all things work for the good” is somewhat true. All things work “together for good,” but it is only “for those who are called” and “for those who love God.” Romans 8:28 does say that “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose,” so it is only for those who are called by God, according to His purpose. We must include all of this saying in it’s whole context.

Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child

There is certainly truth in that, but it is misquoting the idea found in several places in Proverbs regarding the discipline of children. However, the likely source is Proverbs 13:24: “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” There is a big difference in this alleged verse and the real source, which says that if a parent spares or withholds discipline, they actually hate their son (or daughter), and whoever disciplines them actually loves them. The opposite of love is not hate–it is indifference.

God Moves in Mysterious Ways

Yes, God does move in mysterious ways, but that’s not in the Bible. God often works in marvelous ways. His ways are mysterious to us at times, but if we want to know how He works, we simply need to read the Bible. That is where we can learn how God moves and deals with the saints and the lost.