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The meaning and origin of the expression: Get thee behind me Satan

Get thee behind me Satan

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What's the meaning of the phrase 'Get thee behind me Satan'?

Jesus's response when tempted by the Devil.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Get thee behind me Satan'?

Luke 4:5-8 (King James Version):

4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

4:6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

4:7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

The expression is a near literal translation of versions that had appeared in earlier English bibles; Miles Coverdale's Version, 1535, for instance:

Iesus answered him, and sayde: Auoyde fro me thou Satan. It is wrytten: Thou shalt worshippe the LORDE thy God, and him onely shalt thou serue.

The KJV Bible also records, in the Matthew and Mark gospels, how Jesus rebuked Peter with the same words at his suggestion that Jesus would not be raised from the dead.

Matthew 16:23. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Mark 8:33. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

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