Dictionary of Bible Themes » 8000 The life of the believer » 8700 Threats to the life of faith » 8776 lies
Statements or answers which are untrue. Lying, false witness, deceit and false dealings are all condemned in Scripture.
Lying is condemned
Psalm 34:12-13; Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9-10 See also Exodus 20:16 pp Deuteronomy 5:20; Leviticus 19:11-12; Proverbs 6:16-17; Proverbs 12:22; Jeremiah 17:9-10
Examples of lying
Genesis 3:4-5 the serpent to Eve; Genesis 4:9 Cain to the LORD; Genesis 12:11-13 Abraham urges Sarah to lie to the Egyptians; Genesis 18:15 Sarah to the LORD; Genesis 20:1-2 Abraham to Abimelech; Genesis 26:6-7 Isaac to the men of Gerar
Jacob to Isaac:
Genesis 27:18-19,24 Genesis 39:14-18 Potiphar's wife to her household servants; 2 Kings 5:22-27 Gehazi to Naaman and then to Elisha; Acts 5:1-10 Ananias and Sapphira
Some Jews persuaded others to lie about Stephen:
Acts 6:11,13 Acts 25:7; Romans 3:8
Lying will not go unnoticed or unpunished
Proverbs 19:9 See also Psalm 5:6; Psalm 52:2-5; Psalm 55:23; Psalm 101:7; Jeremiah 6:13-15; Jeremiah 23:32; Nahum 3:1; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; Revelation 21:8,27; Revelation 22:15
God's people should resist the temptation to lie
Job 27:2-5; Revelation 2:2
Lying can be an act of malice
Proverbs 26:24-28
Lying can be the sign of a dead conscience
1 Timothy 4:1-2
A lying spirit
See also
1 Kings 22:21-23 pp 2 Chronicles 18:20-22
Lying is the hallmark of the devil and the antichrist
John 8:44 See also 1 John 2:22; Revelation 13:14; Revelation 20:7-10
4120 Satan 5202 accusation, false 5863 flattery 6145 deceit 8714 dishonesty 8749 false teachers 8750 false teachings 8751 false witness 8767 hypocrisy
