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Charity begins at home

Posted by R. Berg on February 07, 2001

In Reply to: Slogan meaning/origen posted by Anne Santora on February 07, 2001

: I am trying to find the meaning/origen of the saying "Charity begins at home" Thanks!

The Oxford English Dictionary explains the phrase this way: "used to express the prior claims of the ties of family, friendship, etc., to a man's consideration (cf. I Tim. v. 8, etc.)." It gives quotations showing the use of this phrase or variants of it from 1382 through 1798.

I looked up the Biblical passage, and it didn't help.

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