聖經》中《馬太福音》26章52節的一句話，和這句話的意思很接近
“耶穌對他說：‘收刀入鞘吧！凡動刀的，必死在刀下。’”
英文（NIV版本）為： “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.”
聖經中確實有類似“玩火者必自焚”的經文，最接近的是《箴言》6章27-28節，原文（和合本）為：
“人若懷裏搋火，衣服豈能不燒呢？人若在火炭上走，腳豈能不燙呢？”
這節經文用火作為比喻，警示人們不要冒險從事危險行為（如通奸），否則必然自食惡果，類似於玩火自焚的含義。
另外，《以賽亞書》50章11節也有類似意涵：“凡你們點火，用火把圍繞自己的，可以行在你們的火焰裏，並你們所點的火把中。這是我手所定的，你們必躺在悲慘之中。” 這描述了點火的人最終會因自己的火而受苦。
《箴言》6:27-28：
Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?
《以賽亞書》50:11：
But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.
