The Spurgeon Library calls this a misquote while confirming Spurgeon used the lion illustration. Elliot Ritzema reproduces three longer versions about spreading the Bible or preaching the gospel. The display compresses those ideas and should be marked as a paraphrase, not presented as Spurgeon’s exact published wording.
“The Word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself” Paraphrase of Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s Bible-and-gospel lion illustration; not his exact published wording. · Verbatim: “Open the door and let the lion out; he will take care of himself.”
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? We couldn’t establish where this was first published, so there’s no rights status to give. Credit it as shown above — just don’t present it as public domain, and get permission for commercial or published reuse.
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In context
Evoking the themes of truth and courage. Theme: "The Word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself". Atmospheric and restrained, cinematic directional light, a muted period-appropriate palette, fine grain and texture. Compose with generous empty space for the quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.
Minimalist
Minimalist editorial slide for the quote "The Word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself". Clean background, a single muted accent color, generous negative space, subtle paper or linen texture, no literal illustration — let the words carry it. Reserve clear space for a serif quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.
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The source
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Open the door and let the lion out; he will take care of himself.
The Spurgeon Library calls this a misquote while confirming Spurgeon used the lion illustration. Elliot Ritzema reproduces three longer versions about spreading the Bible or preaching the gospel. The display compresses those ideas and should be marked as a paraphrase, not presented as Spurgeon’s exact published wording. Spurgeon Library wording correction ↗
The documented nineteenth-century sermons are old enough for public-domain treatment, but the creator and publication of this compressed modern wording are unconfirmed.
Rights status is our research, not legal advice — and copyright varies by country and edition. For commercial or published use, confirm with the rightsholder. See terms.
Fact-check
Often misattributed
The Christian illustration is genuinely Spurgeon’s; this compressed form changes his words.
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Wording and contextCharles Haddon Spurgeon
The Spurgeon Library calls this a misquote while confirming Spurgeon used the lion illustration. Elliot Ritzema reproduces three longer versions about spreading the Bible or preaching the gospel. The display compresses those ideas and should be marked as a paraphrase, not presented as Spurgeon’s exact published wording. Spurgeon Library wording correction ↗
Spurgeon’s longer illustrations compare defending the Bible or gospel with guarding a caged lion. He urges listeners to spread or preach the message rather than merely defend it. The compressed internet version preserves that rhetorical idea while changing the sentences. Spurgeon Library wording correction ↗
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More provenance-checked quotes on the same theme, each with its reuse status.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon was a British Baptist preacher associated with London’s Metropolitan Tabernacle. His sermons and devotional books reached readers far beyond his congregation. Collections such as The Salt-Cellars also transmitted proverbs, so a phrase appearing in his books need not be his invention.
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Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Attribution discussed in Spurgeon Library wording correction. Source and limits described above.
This verification page
Quotle.info. “Who really said ‘The Word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself’?” Last verified 9 Nov 2026. https://quotle.info/who-said/the-word-of-god-is-like-a-lion-you-dont-have-to-defend-a/