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dead bury their dead, Let the

A reply of Jesus when a new disciple of his asked for time to bury his father. Jesus said, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”

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Note

The expression often connotes an impatience to move ahead, without pausing over details or ceremonies.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.