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Does the Bible say…

about 2 min read

“God helps those who help themselves”

Not in the Bible

This phrase does not appear in the Bible.

Benjamin Franklin wrote it in Poor Richard's Almanack in 1736. It is not in the Bible.

1736
Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack
1698
Earliest recorded use, Algernon Sidney
0
times the phrase appears in the Bible

Full reference

Full passage in context and origin

Origin

The earliest recorded use of the phrase in roughly its modern form is by the English political theorist Algernon Sidney in Discourses Concerning Government, published posthumously in 1698: “God helps those who help themselves.”

The phrase entered American popular usage through Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack (1736), where it appears as part of a list of maxims. Franklin reused and reshaped material from English sources throughout the Almanack, and by the 19th century the phrase had become a stock proverb in American English.

A precursor idea, though not the wording, can be traced to Aesop’s fable Hercules and the Wagoner, in which Hercules tells a wagoner whose cart is stuck in mud to put his shoulder to the wheel.

Why the misattribution persists

The phrase has the cadence of a proverb and the moral framing of religious teaching, which has led many readers to assume it is biblical. It circulates widely as a Bible verse — on social media, in editorials, in sermons, and in casual conversation. Surveys conducted by the Barna Group and others have repeatedly found that a majority of Americans identify it as a Bible verse.

What the Bible says on this theme

The Bible’s repeated description of God’s help is directed at those who are unable to help themselves — the poor, the needy, the powerless. Romans 5:6 (BSB) reads: “For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” And 2 Corinthians 12:9 records Paul being told: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” See the passages above for further examples.

What the Bible does say about this

What the Bible does say about this

  • Isaiah 25:4 — BSB

    For You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like rain against a wall.

  • Romans 5:6 — BSB

    For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

  • Psalm 46:1 — BSB

    God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.

  • 2 Corinthians 12:9 — BSB

    But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.

While you're here — others who read this also found

All things work together for good

Romans 8:28. KJV: 'all things work together'. BSB: 'God works all things together'. Greek manuscripts disagree on whether 'God' is the explicit subject.

Translation Dependent

The number 666 appears as 616 in some early manuscripts

Some early Greek manuscripts of Revelation read 616 instead of 666 for the number of the beast. Irenaeus noted the variant c. 180 AD.

Related entries

Cleanliness is next to godliness

John Wesley's sermon 'On Dress' (1791). Not in the Bible.

Not in the Bible

Everything happens for a reason

Not in the Bible. Romans 8:28 is the verse most often cited as its equivalent — but Romans 8:28 has two qualifying conditions ('for those who love Him, who are called') that the popular phrase drops.

Not in the Bible

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind

Widely attributed to Gandhi but not in his published writings. The 'eye for an eye' phrase is biblical (Exodus 21) but means proportional justice — it limits retaliation rather than encouraging unlimited cycles.

Not in the Bible

External references

Readers also ask

Is 'God helps those who help themselves' in any version of the Bible?

No. The phrase does not appear in any English translation of the Bible — KJV, BSB, NIV, ESV, NLT, NASB, CSB, NKJV, or any other major translation. It is also absent from the underlying Hebrew Masoretic Text and Greek New Testament.

Where does the phrase 'God helps those who help themselves' actually come from?

The earliest recorded use of the phrase in English in roughly its modern form is by Algernon Sidney in 'Discourses Concerning Government,' published posthumously in 1698. It entered American popular usage through Benjamin Franklin's 'Poor Richard's Almanack' (1736). A precursor idea — though not the wording — can be traced to Aesop's fable 'Hercules and the Wagoner.'

What does the Bible say about self-reliance?

Several biblical passages describe God's help directed at those who are unable to help themselves. Isaiah 25:4 describes the LORD as 'a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress.' Romans 5:6 (BSB) reads: 'For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.' Psalm 46:1 calls God 'an ever-present help in times of trouble.'