# Is “By the skin of my teeth” in the Bible?

> Yes. “By the skin of my teeth” comes from the Bible, from Job 19:20.

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/by-the-skin-of-my-teeth
By Andrew Kittridge · November 9, 2026

Job says it, describing how little his suffering has left him.

## The verse

> My bones are stuck fast to my skin and flesh; I have gotten away with only the skin of my teeth.
>
> — [Job 19:20](https://www.lumin.faith/read/job/19#20) (Lumin Translation)

The saying is not word for word. It shortens or reshapes the verse.

## What it means there

Job has lost his children, his wealth and his health. He has come through with nothing else. Today it means a narrow escape.

## Common questions

### Is “By the skin of my teeth” in the Bible?

Yes. “By the skin of my teeth” comes from the Bible, from Job 19:20. The saying is not word for word. It shortens or reshapes the verse. Job says it, describing how little his suffering has left him.

### Where in the Bible is “By the skin of my teeth”?

In Job 19:20. In the Lumin Translation, Job 19:20 reads: “My bones are stuck fast to my skin and flesh; I have gotten away with only the skin of my teeth.”

### Who said “By the skin of my teeth”?

Job says it, describing how little his suffering has left him.

### What does “By the skin of my teeth” mean in the Bible?

Job has lost his children, his wealth and his health. He has come through with nothing else. Today it means a narrow escape.

## More

- [Is “The eye is the lamp of the body” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/the-eye-is-the-lamp-of-the-body.md)
- [Is “Fire and brimstone” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/fire-and-brimstone.md)
- [Is “Honor your father and your mother” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/honor-your-father-and-your-mother.md)
- [Is “Judge not, lest you be judged” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/judge-not-lest-you-be-judged.md)
- [Is “Like a lamb to the slaughter” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/like-a-lamb-to-the-slaughter.md)
- [Is “A man after God’s own heart” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/a-man-after-gods-own-heart.md)
- [Is “O ye of little faith” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/o-ye-of-little-faith.md)
- [Is “Render unto Caesar” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/render-unto-caesar.md)
- [Check any word or a whole song](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-verse-checker)