Am I my brother’s keeper?

• This everyday expression is used to deny responsibility for a colleague’s mistakes.
• The phrase comes from The Bible, Genesis 4:9 KJV

The Story in the Bible

• In this story, Cain has murdered his brother Abel, but when questioned as to Abel’s whereabouts, he denies knowing where he is, adding ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’

Everyday Expressions that come from the Bible

• The Bible is a treasure trove of everyday sayings and phrases such as ‘bite the dust’, ‘fly in the ointment’ and ‘writing on the wall’.
• These idioms describe universal truths that are often used without realizing their origin, and are found in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.