“Cleanliness is next to godliness." A verse often quoted from the Bible, but one that isn’t IN the Bible. It’s sound advice, no question. We often use wise sayings “attributed” to the Bible—and with the best of intentions—but that aren’t in the Bible, including some that are popular distortions of the actual text. “Money is the root of all evil” is perhaps the most common. The New Testament passage actually says: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). “God helps those who help themselves” —another favorite—or, “God moves in mysterious ways.” If it sounds wise, many people just assume it must have come from the Bible, and often it does summarize a concept found in the Bible.
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