It seems like more things are fake than real these days: fake news, deep fakes, and, to now add to that list, fake Bible verses. This quiz is filled with quotes and verses from various sources, but only some of them come from scripture. How can you tell the difference between a Bible verse and something that isn't? There's poetry and talk of God in the Bible, but there's poetry and discussions of God in other books and texts. This quiz will challenge you to see if you're able to tell apart the great books written by other people, from the great book written by a divine source.
This may be trickier than it looks. The Bible has had so much influence, especially on the history of English writing, that separating scripture from anything else isn't necessarily easy. Everything from John Milton to the Charlie Brown Christmas special has quoted the Bible, and there's even influence where there aren't direct quotes. Ever heard the phrase "still, small voice" in conversation? Yeah, that began in scripture. So get ready to challenge yourself, and see if you can separate the wheat from the chaff (another phrase from the Bible), and scripture from everything else.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?"
This is a real Bible verse known as Matthew 6:25. It comes from Christ's Sermon on the Mount where Jesus tells his followers to not worry about anything for God provides.
Advertisement
"Tyger, tyger, burning bright, in the forests of the night, what immortal hand or eye, could frame thy fearful symmetry?"
Not a verse from the Bible! It may be considered religious to many in the literary community. It comes from William Blake's poem, "The Tyger". It beings and end with these lines.
Advertisement
"Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts."
C.S. Lewis wrote this in his book, "The Screwtape Letters."
Advertisement
"When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out, 'come!' I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its rider's name was death, and Hell followed with him."
This is a real Bible verse. It's actually from Revelations 6:7, and half of verse 8.
Advertisement
"Prayer should be the key of the day, and the lock of the night."
This is a fake Bible verse, though it sounds like it could be real. That's because it comes from George Herbert, an Anglican priest, and one of the greatest poets (Christian or otherwise) in the English language.
Advertisement
"With impetuous recoil and jarring sound%0DTh’ infernal doors, and on their hinges grate%0DHarsh thunder, that the lowest bottom shook%0DOf Erebus."
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from John Milton's "Paradise Lost," and describes Satan opening the gates of Hell.
Advertisement
If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary."
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from "Federalist Paper #51," written by James Madison. However, he did support religious freedom.
Advertisement
"I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad."
This is a real Bible verse. It's the 34th Psalm, which were written as poems set to music.
Advertisement
"To be, or not to be. That is the question."
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from Hamlet's famous soliloquy.
Advertisement
"Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's."
This is a real Bible verse. It comes from the Gospel of Matthew 22:21.
Advertisement
"David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh when he learned that Saul had come out to seek his life."
This is real Bible verse. It comes from the incident where Saul tried to kill David, on hearing a prophecy that David would one day be king. David had several chances to kill Saul, but showed him mercy instead.
Advertisement
"Solomon was building his own house 13 years, and he finished his entire house."
This is a real Bible verse. Solomon was, among other things, a builder. In some Jewish traditions, he uses magic to help him build the temple.
Advertisement
"Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb? And shall I fear to own his cause, or blush to speak His name?"
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from a hymn by the English minister, Isaac Watts.
Advertisement
"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day."
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from William Shakespeare's "Macbeth."
Advertisement
"Ah my pearl, my precious crown, true son of God and Mary, a king of most noble birth!"
This is a fake Bible verse. It's a translation of the old German hymn, "How Brightly Shines the Morning Star" (Wie Schon Leuchtet Der Morgenstern).
Advertisement
“Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice; moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”
This is a fake Bible verse. It was first written by the Roman politician and author, Cicero, and famously echoed by Barry Goldwater during his presidential campaign.
Advertisement
"This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord, throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance."
This is a real Bible verse. It comes from the Book of Exodus, and depicts the Lord describing the first Passover (and the successive ones) to the Hebrews.
Advertisement
And they asked him, 'What then? Art thou Elias?' And he saith, 'I am not.' 'Art thou that prophet?' And he answered, 'No."
This is a real Bible verse. It comes from the Gospel of John.
Advertisement
"Then Jesus called the 12 together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal."
This is a real Bible verse. It comes from the Gospel of Luke. Some Christian denominations see this verse as their justification to exorcize demons from the possessed.
Advertisement
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness."
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from John Keats' poem, "Endymion."
Advertisement
"I sing of arms and the man, he who, exiled by fate, first came from the coast of Troy to Italy, and to Lavinian shores."
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from the first line of the Roman poet Vergil's poem, "The Aeneid."
Advertisement
"You're the weak, and I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm trying to be the shepherd."
This is a fake Bible verse. It's a paraphrase of Samuel Jackson's ending monologue from "Pulp Fiction."
Advertisement
"I will sing to my God a new song: O Lord, you are great and glorious, wonderful in strength, invincible."
This is a real BIble verse. It comes from Judith 16:13.
Advertisement
"Nay, fly to Altars; there they'll talk you dead;%0DFor Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread."
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from the poet Alexander Pope's poem, "An Essay on Criticism."
Advertisement
"For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
This is a real Bible verse. It comes from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians 5:1.
Advertisement
"Even if there be one good which is universally predictable or is capable of independent existence, it could not be attained by man."
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from Aristotle, the Greek philosopher and student of Plato.
Advertisement
"Rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God's sight."
This is a real Bible verse. It comes from 1 Peter 3:4 and describes the godly way for a woman to act.
Advertisement
"When I saw her, I was greatly amazed. But the angel said to me, 'Why are you so amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.'"
This is a real Bible verse. It comes from Revelations 17:6-7. It depicts the Whore of Babylon.
Advertisement
"Christmas is the time to come together, the time to put all differences aside. So I put out my hand, to the family of man."
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from a track on the album, "A Christmas Together: John Denver and the Muppets."
Advertisement
All men are prophets or else God does not exist.
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from the existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, who actually didn't believe in God. Mind you, he decided to be an atheist when he was 8 years old, so take his ideas with a grain of salt.
Advertisement
“Learning to let go should be learned before learning to get. Life should be touched, not strangled. You’ve got to relax, let it happen at times, and at others move forward with it.”
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from Ray Bradbury, the author of "Fahrenheit 451," and many other science fiction novels and stories.
Advertisement
"Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came on the earth."
This is a real Bible verse. It comes from Genesis 7:6, and describes the famous Noah who built the Ark.
Advertisement
"Listen all! I declare the truth, that those who become loving alone will realize God."
This is a fake Bible verse. It comes from Guru Gobind Singh Ji, an important figure in the Sikh religion.
Advertisement
"When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not."
This is a fake Bible verse. It's spoken by Yoda in "Return of the Jedi," who, while not a Christian or Jewish figure, was influential for centuries in the Jedi order.
Advertisement
"We ourselves are Jews by birth and not gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ."
This is a real Bible verse. It comes from Paul's Letter to the Galatians, and concerns a debate between Jews and gentiles in the early Church.
How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!
Get smarter every day! Subscribe & get 1 quiz every week.
Playing quizzes is free! We send trivia questions and personality tests every week to your inbox. By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our
privacy policy
and confirming that you are 13 years old or over.