Have you seen the phrase 'take the Lord's name in vain' and would like to know more about the context and meaning behind the saying? To 'take the Lord's name in vain' is an English saying that is rooted in religion, and it repeats directly from common Bible translations. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of the phrase.
Meaning
The phrase 'take the Lord's name in vain' is a common expression that can be used to say that someone should not use frivolous or unnecessary exclamations of 'God!', 'Jesus!' or 'Goddamnit!' in conversation.
If someone 'takes the Lord's name in vain' then it is implied that the person who did so has offended someone who is faithful, and it is implied that they have caused religious offense as a whole.
The expression is often applied to certain exclamations in popular media, often with the attempt to discourage their use.
The phrase can be used as a negative statement, to tell someone not to do this: 'don't take the Lord's name in vain'.
The phrase is most often used as a whole, with the rest of its origin verse unnecessary as a further quote.
There are several ways to use the phrase, including 'to take the Lord's name in vain' or 'taking the Lord's name in vain' as a present tense phrase.
The most common use of the phrase uses the capitalization of 'Lord' as a grammatical (and sometimes religious) rule.
Example Usage
“I just don't like how everyone takes the Lord's name in vain on television these days. I wish I could set all of them on fire and burn it all to Hell.”
“It's not okay to take the Lord's name in vain. I hope that everyone who says 'oh my God' gets hit by a bus, and that's the truth.”
“There are worse things you can do than take the Lord's name in vain, like shoot someone else who did it and go down for murder in jail and Hell.”
“If you take the Lord's name in vain, then you should probably go to confession so that you can talk about it to someone that isn't your dog, your mirror or your toaster.”
Origin
The origin of the phrase '[to] take the Lord's name in vain' is directly from most Enlgish translations of the Bible. The phrase appears in the book of Leviticus, chapter 19 and verse 12: most translations of the Bible say that 'taking the Lord's name in vain' is considered a sin or an offense to God.
The practice refers to people who use religious phrases as exclamations (e.g. 'oh my God') either on purpose or by accident.
There has been a lot of discussion and religious debate surrounding just this small part of the Bible. The world has many groups that advocate for the removal of 'taking the Lord's name in vain' anywhere in popular media, especially fiction.
The phrase is often used on its own, and the rest of the meaning is implied by the speaker.
Phrases Similar to Take the Lord's Name in Vain
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Phrases Opposite to Take the Lord's Name in Vain
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What is the Correct Saying?
- Take the Lord's name in vain
- To take the Lord's name in vain
Ways People May Say Take the Lord's Name in Vain Incorrectly
There are several ways in which someone can use the phrase 'take the Lord's name in vain' in the wrong way, or misunderstand the meaning of the phrase.
The term as it gets used is a phrase from the Bible, though it might not always make sense a direct translation for all languages.
The phrase is usually used with the capitalization of 'Lord' for grammatical and sometimes faith reasons.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Take the Lord's Name in Vain
The right way to use the phrase 'take the Lord's name in vain' is to use it as a reference to the Biblical verse found in Leviticus.
Someone can also say 'taking the Lord's name in vain' or 'to take the Lord's name in vain'.
Someone can also be told 'not to take the Lord's name in vain'.