Etymology

get thee behind me

Today it means: Do not tempt or torment me; I reject you, your statements, or your beliefs. Full definition →

Latin vāde retrō, Satanā ← Ancient Greek ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, Σατανᾶ
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The story

  1. Ancient Greek · calque ofὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, Σατανᾶ
  2. Latin · calque ofvāde retrō, Satanā
  3. English todayget thee behind me

Originally uttered by Christ in the King James Bible, Matthew 16:23: “get thee behind me, Satan”; Latin vāde retrō, Satanā; Ancient Greek ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, Σατανᾶ (húpage opísō mou, Satanâ).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.