Article copyright by Bob Rogers.

The Bible is likely the most-quoted book in the world, but due to its popularity, it is often misquoted, as well. Sometimes the quotes are rooted in the Bible’s teachings, other times they are distortions of scripture, and others are simply popular religious sayings that have no relationship to scripture at all.
Here are my Top Ten Misquotes of the Bible, with thanks to the input of many friends on Facebook who responded with their nominations for this list:

MISQUOTES ROOTED IN THE BIBLE

• Spare the rod, spoil the child. – This is not a direct quote, but based on Proverbs 23:13.
• Hate the sin, love the sinner. – This is based on Jesus’ behavior, such as when he did not condemn the woman caught in adultery, but he also did not condone her sin. See John 8:1-11.
• What would Jesus do? – This comes from a famous novel, In His Steps, by Charles Sheldon, in which a preacher read 1 Peter 2:21, that as Jesus set our example with his life, we should “follow in His steps.” The preacher challenged people to ask, “What would Jesus do?” before every action, based on 1 Peter 2:21
• Following every storm is a beautiful rainbow. – This is a saying based on God’s promise of a rainbow as a sign to Noah that He would never flood the earth again. See Genesis 9:15-16.

MISQUOTES THAT DISTORT THE BIBLE

• God doesn’t give you more than you can handle. – This is a misquote of 1 Corinthians 10:13, which says that you will not be tempted beyond what you can bear. People have misquoted this as if it said you will not be tested beyond what you can bear, but that’s not what the verse says, at all!
• Money is the root of all evil. – This is a misquote because it leaves out an important word. First Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” It’s not money that is the root of evil, but the love of money.

MISQUOTES UNRELATED TO THE BIBLE

• Cleanliness is next to godliness. – The 18th century preacher, John Wesley, wrote in one of his sermons, apparently quoting a proverb already known; “Cleanliness is indeed next to Godliness.”
• God helps those who help themselves. – Benjamin Franklin made this saying popular in his Poor Richard’s Almanack in 1736, although Franklin was quoting an Englishman named Algernon Sidney.
• God works in mysterious ways. – The poet William Cowper wrote, “God moves in a mysterious way/ His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea/ And rides upon the storm.”
  God don’t like ugly! – This saying is popular, especially something mothers have told their children in order to remind them to behave and stop “acting ugly.” The origin of the saying is uncertain; the only thing certain is that it is not found in the Bible.