Let the dead bury the dead (N.T.)
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Focus on the living, not the past
Literally: let those who are spiritually dead handle earthly burial
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed on Wikipedia “List of proverbial phrases” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-30; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “Let the dead bury the dead (N.T.)” mean?
Focus on the living, not the past Literally: let those who are spiritually dead handle earthly burial
Is “Let the dead bury the dead (N.T.)” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.