Posted by Wayne on February 11, 2026, 12:01 pm
THE PHRASE "ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL" REFERS TO TAKING OR BORROWING FROM ONE SOURCE TO REPAY A DEBT OWED TO ANOTHER. THIS LEAVES THE DEBTOR IN NO BETTER FINANCIAL SHAPE THAN BEFORE THE EXCHANGE.
THE INTERNET SITE PHRASE FINDER STATES THAT "ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL" GOES BACK AT LEAST TO 1380 A.D. (THE FREE DICTIONARY SITE SAYS ITS 1340). IT WAS APPARENTLY FIRST USED BY JOHN WYCLIFFE WHEN HE WROTE, "HOW SHOULD GOD APPROVE THAT YOU ROB PETER AND GIVE THIS ROBBERY TO PAUL IN THE NAME OF CHRIST?"
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