The Bible

forbidden fruit (idiom)

Illicit pleasure.

my brother's keeper (idiom)

Responsible for the welfare of another person — most often used when denying that responsibility.

the mark of Cain (idiom)

A visible stigma that marks someone out as guilty or disgraced.

let there be light (idiom)

A phrase marking the start of something new, or a moment of sudden clarity.

by the sweat of your brow (idiom)

Through hard physical labour and personal effort.

fig-leaf (word)

A small or flimsy thing used to hide something embarrassing or shameful.

the promised land (idiom)

A long-awaited goal or destination that promises freedom, reward, or a better life.

manna from heaven (idiom)

An unexpected benefit or help that arrives just when it is needed most.

let my people go (idiom)

A demand for the freedom of an oppressed group from those who hold power over them.

a land flowing with milk and honey (idiom)

A place of great abundance, comfort, and prosperity.

scapegoat (word)

a person or group that people blame for something bad, even if it is not their fault. You use this when someone else is punished to make a problem go away.

olive-branch (word)

A sign or offer of peace, reconciliation, or goodwill.

David and Goliath (idiom)

A contest in which a much weaker underdog faces a far stronger opponent.

the writing on the wall (idiom)

A clear sign that something, especially failure or disaster, is on its way.

feet of clay (idiom)

In someone apparently strong and without failings, a hidden weakness which could lead to downfall.

a drop in the bucket (idiom)

A quantity so small it is negligible next to what is actually needed.

a leopard cannot change its spots (idiom)

People rarely change their fundamental nature, however much they may seem to.

how the mighty have fallen (idiom)

A remark on the dramatic downfall of someone once powerful or admired.

a still small voice (idiom)

A quiet inner prompting of conscience or intuition.

sackcloth and ashes (idiom)

A public display of deep grief, mourning, or remorse.

a voice crying in the wilderness (idiom)

A lone warning or opinion that goes unheeded by everyone around it.

a balm in Gilead (idiom)

A source of comfort, healing, or consolation for suffering.

nothing new under the sun (idiom)

Human affairs endlessly repeat; what seems novel has all happened before.

the patience of Job (idiom)

Extraordinary endurance and calm in the face of prolonged suffering.

by the skin of your teeth (idiom)

Just barely

pride comes before a fall (idiom)

Arrogance and overconfidence tend to precede a downfall.

a fly in the ointment (idiom)

A small flaw or problem that spoils something otherwise good.

my cup runneth over (idiom)

A feeling of having blessings or good fortune in overwhelming abundance.

the valley of the shadow of death (idiom)

A time or place of extreme danger, fear, or hardship.

three score and ten (idiom)

Seventy, being the number of years in a full lifetime of traditionally-expected duration.

spare the rod (idiom)

The idea that failing to discipline a child will spoil them.

a two-edged sword (idiom)

Something that has both beneficial and harmful consequences.

the salt of the earth (idiom)

Good, honest, dependable people who lack pretension.

a wolf in sheep's clothing (idiom)

A dangerous or hostile person who hides behind a harmless, friendly appearance.

cast the first stone (idiom)

To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing oneself to be blameless.

go the extra mile (idiom)

To make an extra effort; to do a particularly good job.

turn the other cheek (idiom)

To accept punishment or injury without retaliating.

the blind leading the blind (idiom)

A situation in which someone incompetent is guiding others who are equally incompetent.

the eye of a needle (idiom)

A standard for something so difficult it is all but impossible to pass or achieve.

the meek shall inherit the earth (idiom)

The gentle and humble will ultimately prevail over the powerful and arrogant.

a house divided (idiom)

A group weakened by internal conflict and unable to survive its own disunity.

a millstone around your neck (idiom)

A heavy, inescapable burden or responsibility that drags you down.

O ye of little faith (idiom)

A gently mocking rebuke to someone who doubts or lacks confidence.

faith can move mountains (idiom)

Strong belief and conviction can accomplish seemingly impossible things.

man shall not live by bread alone (idiom)

People need more than material things; spiritual or emotional nourishment matters too.

the straight and narrow (idiom)

A morally correct and disciplined way of living.

good Samaritan (idiom)

A person who helps someone in distress out of their own good nature.

the prodigal son (idiom)

Someone who returns, chastened and repentant, after a period of reckless or wasteful living.

the eleventh hour (idiom)

The very last possible moment before a deadline or a decisive event.

separate the wheat from the chaff (idiom)

To select only that which is of value.

a house built on sand (idiom)

A plan or venture with no solid foundation, liable to collapse under pressure.

the widow's mite (idiom)

A small gift that represents a great sacrifice for the person who gives it.

a good and faithful servant (idiom)

Someone praised for loyal, diligent, and dependable service.

bury your talents (idiom)

To waste your natural abilities by failing to use or develop them.

kill the fatted calf (idiom)

To begin a festive celebration and rejoice for someone's long-awaited return.

fall by the wayside (idiom)

To fail to be completed, particularly for lack of interest; to be left out, to suffer from neglect.

wash your hands of it (idiom)

To publicly refuse any further responsibility for something or someone.

thirty pieces of silver (idiom)

A contemptible price paid or accepted for an act of betrayal.

doubting Thomas (idiom)

One who requires proof before believing.

a cross to bear (idiom)

A heavy, ongoing personal burden or difficulty that one must carry.

a Judas kiss (idiom)

An act of betrayal disguised as friendship or affection.

a crown of thorns (idiom)

An honour or position that brings suffering rather than glory.

give up the ghost (idiom)

To cease clinging to life; to die.

sweat blood (idiom)

To work with extreme, agonising effort or to suffer intense anguish over something.

money changers in the temple (idiom)

The corruption of something sacred or high-minded by commercial greed.

reap what you sow (idiom)

Your actions produce their own inevitable consequences, good or bad.

the root of all evil (idiom)

The underlying source of much wrongdoing — most often applied to money.

fight the good fight (idiom)

To persevere with determination in a worthy and difficult struggle.

a thorn in the side (idiom)

A persistent source of irritation, trouble, or difficulty.

road to Damascus (idiom)

An important point in someone's life where a great change, or reversal, of ideas or beliefs occurs.

the wages of sin (idiom)

The inevitable painful consequences of wrongdoing.

in the twinkling of an eye (idiom)

In an instant; extremely quickly.

the powers that be (idiom)

The people or institutions holding authority, especially remote or unnamed ones.

a labor of love (idiom)

Work done for the joy of it or out of devotion, rather than for money or reward.

the quick and the dead (idiom)

The living and the dead; everyone, without exception.

the letter and the spirit of the law (idiom)

The distinction between a rule's exact wording and its underlying intention.

two by two (idiom)

In pairs, one alongside another.

Tower of Babel (idiom)

A grand, over-ambitious project that collapses into confusion and a breakdown in communication.

Sodom and Gomorrah (idiom)

A place or scene of extreme wickedness, vice, and moral ruin.

a pillar of salt (idiom)

The fate of someone who cannot stop looking back at the past instead of moving forward.

Jacob's ladder (idiom)

A link between the earthly and the heavenly, or by extension a long, steep climb.

a coat of many colors (idiom)

A conspicuous mark of favouritism that stirs up envy in others.

old as Methuselah (idiom)

Extremely old; ancient.

forty days and forty nights (idiom)

A long, unbroken period of trial, hardship, or waiting.

Alpha and Omega (idiom)

The beginning and the end; the most essential or all-encompassing element of something.

a bottomless pit (idiom)

Something that consumes endlessly and can never be filled or satisfied.

fire-and-brimstone (word)

Threats of punishment or damnation, especially in stern moralising or preaching.

separate the sheep from the goats (idiom)

To distinguish the worthy or capable from the unworthy or inadequate.

gnashing of teeth (idiom)

Extreme distress, frustration, or anguished complaining.

cast into outer darkness (idiom)

To be completely excluded, banished, or shut out from a group or from favour.