The Bug Bible
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Coverdale's Bible (<?.v.), of 1535, is so called because Ps. xci, 5, is trans- lated, "Thou shalt not nede to be afrayed for eny bugges by night." The same reading occurs in Matthew's Bible (q,v.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Bug Bible” mean?
Coverdale's Bible (<?.v.), of 1535, is so called because Ps. xci, 5, is trans- lated, "Thou shalt not nede to be afrayed for eny bugges by night." The same reading occurs in Matthew's Bible (q,v.
Is “The Bug Bible” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.