<P> The phrase is often mistaken as a scriptural quote, though it is not stated verbatim in the Bible . </P> <P> Some Christians have criticized the expression as being contrary to the Bible's message of God's grace . A variant of the phrase can also be found in the Quran (13: 11). </P> <P> The sentiment appears in ancient Greek tragedies of which only fragments now remain . In his Philoctetes (c. 409 BC), Sophocles wrote, "No good e'er comes of leisure purposeless; And heaven ne'er helps the men who will not act ." And in the Hippolytus (428BC) of Euripides appears the speech, "Try first thyself, and after call in God; For to the worker God himself lends aid ." </P> <P> A similar version of this saying "God himself helps those who dare" better translated as "divinity helps those who dare" "audentes deus ipse iuuat" comes from Ovid, Metamorphoses, 10.586 . The phrase is spoken by Hippomenes when contemplating whether to enter a foot race against Atalanta for her hand in marriage . If Hippomenes were to lose, however, he would be killed . Hippomenes decides to challenge Atalanta to a race and, with the aid of Venus, Hippomense was able to win the race . </P>

Where does the phrase god helps those who help themselves come from