--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The devil knows the Bible like the back…" description: "\"The devil knows the Bible like the back of his hand.\" — Tom Waits" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tom-waits-916_bible_the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back_91592.jpg" --- # The devil knows the Bible like the back of his hand. ![“The devil knows the Bible like the back of his hand.” quote by Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tom-waits-916_bible_the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back_91592.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tom-waits-916_bible_the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back_91592.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tom-waits-916_bible_the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back_91592.jpg) > “The devil knows the Bible like the back of his hand.” [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even the most malevolent figures can be intimately familiar with sacred texts, highlighting the complex relationship between evil and morality. **In simple terms:** Evil’s knowledge Key Takeaway Even the devil knows scripture Themes morality religion evil knowledge Mood dark thought‑provoking Type aphorism observation When to use this quote - theological debate - philosophical discourse - artistic critique Key Concepts paradox Practical Applications - theology studies - cultural criticism Questions to Reflect On - Why does evil’s familiarity with scripture matter? - What does this suggest about moral authority? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [If you're going through hell keep on going don't slow down if you're scared don't show it you might get out before the devil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-going-through-hell-keep-on-going-don-t-slow-down-if-you-re/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I grapple with sin in my own strength, the devil knows he may go to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/if-i-grapple-with-sin-in-my-own-strength-the-devil-knows-he-may-go-to/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Knock my soul like we be callin black fool. I mean devil knows you prolly fucked another dude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flo-rida/knock-my-soul-like-we-be-callin-black-fool-i-mean-devil-knows-you/) [Flo Rida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flo-rida/) > [“He doesn't believe the dead need our prayers, nor can they use them. But anyone who knows the Bible as he does, knows that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/he-doesn-t-believe-the-dead-need-our-prayers-nor-can-they-use-them/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“understand better the world in which it was born and how inextricably connected it was to that world; to appreciate the wonder of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-elliott-friedman/understand-better-the-world-in-which-it-was-born-and-how-inextricably/) [Richard Elliott Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-elliott-friedman/) > [“They say no one knows the Bible better than the devil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/they-say-no-one-knows-the-bible-better-than-the-devil/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [Just knows, and knows no more, her Bible true,- A truth the brilliant Frenchman never knew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/just-knows-and-knows-no-more-her-bible-true-a-truth-the-brilliant/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [No, evidently habit means a lot. The devil knows what habit can do to a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-evidently-habit-means-a-lot-the-devil-knows-what-habit-can-do-to-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you're going through Hell, keep on moving, face that fire. Walk right through it, you might get out before the devil even knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-atkins/if-you-re-going-through-hell-keep-on-moving-face-that-fire-walk-right/) [Rodney Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-atkins/) > [Of course we look for our own path and try to hide from everything evil and vicious. But remember one thing: No matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/of-course-we-look-for-our-own-path-and-try-to-hide-from-everything/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can know the bible backwards, it'l never mean you are holy, if thats the case the devil is too because he knows it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonyg/you-can-know-the-bible-backwards-it-l-never-mean-you-are-holy-if/) [Tonyg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonyg/) > [“Isn’t it ironic that the perfect moment for them to admit that they need you in their life is when you finally realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-alex-jeanty/isn-t-it-ironic-that-the-perfect-moment-for-them-to-admit-that-they/) [Pierre Alex Jeanty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-alex-jeanty/) > [“the devil knows he has no power over your future so he has to keep a tight grip on your past, of who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/the-devil-knows-he-has-no-power-over-your-future-so-he-has-to-keep-a/) [E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/) > [When we go to God by prayer, the devil knows we go to fetch strength against him, and therefore he opposes us all he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sibbes/when-we-go-to-god-by-prayer-the-devil-knows-we-go-to-fetch-strength/) [Richard Sibbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sibbes/) > [The devil knows more from experience than from being the devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/the-devil-knows-more-from-experience-than-from-being-the-devil/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) ## More by Tom Waits > [Most of us have the residue of thousands of songs in our ears, that if you end up songwriting, I think you're mostly smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-us-have-the-residue-of-thousands-of-songs-in-our-ears-that-if/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Bill Hicks - blowtorch, excavator, truthsayer, and brain specialist. He will correct your vision. Others will drive on the road he built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/bill-hicks-blowtorch-excavator-truthsayer-and-brain-specialist-he/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Don't plant your days they turn into weeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/don-t-plant-your-days-they-turn-into-weeds/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“T’ain’t no sin to take off your skin, and dance around in your bones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/t-ain-t-no-sin-to-take-off-your-skin-and-dance-around-in-your-bones/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“an all time favorite: "The large print giveth, the small print taketh away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/an-all-time-favorite-the-large-print-giveth-the-small-print-taketh/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'll tell you all my secrets but I lie about my past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-ll-tell-you-all-my-secrets-but-i-lie-about-my-past/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [For a songwriter, you don't really go to songwriting school; you learn by listening to tunes. And you try to understand them and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/for-a-songwriter-you-don-t-really-go-to-songwriting-school-you-learn/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm trying to learn how to write faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-trying-to-learn-how-to-write-faster/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [The world is a hellish place, and bad writing is destroying the quality of our suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-world-is-a-hellish-place-and-bad-writing-is-destroying-the/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm always looking for sounds that are pleasing at the time. The sound of a helicopter is really annoying until you're drowning, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-always-looking-for-sounds-that-are-pleasing-at-the-time-the-sound/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I was born in the back seat of a Yellow Cab in a hospital loading zone and with the meter still running. I emerged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-was-born-in-the-back-seat-of-a-yellow-cab-in-a-hospital-loading/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [There's not much difference between what I appear to be on stage and what I am. I think people like that, that I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-not-much-difference-between-what-i-appear-to-be-on-stage-and/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Most of the things you absorb you will ultimately secrete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-the-things-you-absorb-you-will-ultimately-secrete/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I bark my voice out through a closed throat, pretty much. It's more, perhaps, like a dog in some ways. It does have its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-bark-my-voice-out-through-a-closed-throat-pretty-much-it-s-more/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [There's a beauty of show business. It's the only business you can have a career in when you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-a-beauty-of-show-business-it-s-the-only-business-you-can-have/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) [Explore all 328 Tom Waits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The devil knows the Bible like the back of his hand.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Waits" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back-of-his-hand/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back-of-his-hand/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tom-waits-916_bible_the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back_91592.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tom-waits-916_bible_the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back_91592.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tom-waits-916_bible_the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back_91592.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The devil knows the Bible like the back of his hand.” — Tom Waits", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Waits", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The devil knows the Bible like...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back-of-his-hand/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back-of-his-hand/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```