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Bible expressions we still use
A wolf in sheep’s clothing
Matthew 7 · the Sermon on the Mount, on false prophets
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus warns of false prophets: “They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). His listeners knew both animals well. Sheep were the wealth of many families, giving milk, meat, wool and skins. Wolves were common in the Holy Land and still live there. They hunt mostly at night, alone or in packs, and often kill more than they can eat. Shepherds had to guard their flocks against them, and a hired hand might run away when he saw a wolf coming (John 10:12). Jesus’ next words turn to another everyday picture: people are known by their fruit, as grapes do not grow on thornbushes (Matthew 7:16).
Today “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” is a person who hides harmful intentions behind a friendly, harmless look — a swindler posing as a helpful adviser, for example. The picture is so familiar that it turns up in cartoons, headlines and film titles, and many languages have the same saying from their Bibles.
Key verses
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock.I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.Sources
Adapted and shortened from the Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers · CC BY-SA 4.0 — Animals: Wolf; Animals: Sheep; Shepherd
Adapted from Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary: articles chosen, shortened and retold in our own words (history, nature and daily life only) and, in languages other than English, machine-translated. The original work by Tyndale House Publishers is available for free at tyndaleopenresources.com.
