Idiom
O ye of little faith
Meaning
A gently mocking rebuke to someone who doubts or lacks confidence.
Examples
“See? It worked out. O ye of little faith.”
“You doubted I could fix it, but here it is, running perfectly — O ye of little faith.”
“When the risky launch went off without a hitch and the doubters fell silent, she leaned back with a grin and delivered a single, satisfied O ye of little faith to the whole disbelieving room.”
Examples
simple
“See? It worked out. O ye of little faith.”
contextual
“You doubted I could fix it, but here it is, running perfectly — O ye of little faith.”
complex
“When the risky launch went off without a hitch and the doubters fell silent, she leaned back with a grin and delivered a single, satisfied O ye of little faith to the whole disbelieving room.”
Origin
The phrase is Jesus's recurring reproach to his anxious followers in Matthew's Gospel. At 8:26 he says it while calming a storm the terrified disciples are sure will drown them; at 14:31 he says it to Peter, who begins to walk on water and then sinks the moment his nerve fails.
In both scenes the rebuke is affectionate rather than harsh — an exasperated fondness for people who panic just when they might have trusted.
The archaic King James ye keeps the phrase firmly in quotation marks, and in English O ye of little faith is now used almost entirely playfully, to tease someone who doubted an outcome that turned out fine after all.
Stories
The Life & Teachings of Jesus · See all Biblical origin
The Gospels and the Sermon on the Mount.
the salt of the earth — Good, honest, dependable people who lack pretension.
a wolf in sheep's clothing — A dangerous or hostile person who hides behind a harmless, friendly appearance.
cast the first stone — To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing oneself to be blameless.
go the extra mile — To make an extra effort; to do a particularly good job.
turn the other cheek — To accept punishment or injury without retaliating.
the blind leading the blind — A situation in which someone incompetent is guiding others who are equally incompetent.
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated