The Bible, rich in wisdom, guides us towards honesty in a world craving truth. These 160 Bible verses about lying sheds light on the pitfalls of deceit and the beauty of truthfulness. Each verse invites us to introspect and encourages us to build our lives on the solid ground of integrity. It’s an invitation from God to embrace truth not only as a choice but as the core of a fulfilling life. For anyone looking for inspiration or a nudge towards living more authentically, these verses provide a clear path forward.
The Consequences of Lying
- Proverbs 12:22 – “The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”
- Proverbs 19:9 – “A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish.”
- Proverbs 19:5 – “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.”
- Leviticus 19:11 – “Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.”
- Proverbs 25:18 – “Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.”
- Psalm 101:7 – “No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.”
- Proverbs 14:5 – “An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.”
- Proverbs 13:5 – “The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves.”
- Ephesians 4:25 – “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”
- Colossians 3:9 – “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.”
Avoiding Lying and Truthfulness Encouraged
- Micah 6:12 – “Your rich people are violent; your inhabitants are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully.”
- Ephesians 4:15 – “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
- 2 Corinthians 8:21 – “For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.”
- Proverbs 23:3 – “Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.”
- Hosea 7:13 – “Woe to them, because they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me! I long to redeem them but they speak about me falsely.”
- 3 John 1:4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
- Psalm 15:2 – “The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart.”
- Proverbs 22:21 – “Teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth, so that you bring back truthful reports to those you serve?”
- 1 Peter 3:10 – “For, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.'”
- James 1:18 – “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”
The Nature of Deception and Lying
- Proverbs 26:28 – “A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.”
- Psalm 52:2 – “Your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor, you who practice deceit.”
- Proverbs 6:16-19 – “There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”
- James 3:14 – “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.”
- 1 Timothy 4:2 – “Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.”
- Revelation 21:8 – “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
- Proverbs 30:8 – “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.”
- Jeremiah 9:5 – “Friend deceives friend, and no one speaks the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they weary themselves with sinning.”
- Psalm 120:2 – “Save me, LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.”
- Proverbs 17:7 – “Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!”
Repentance and Forgiveness for Lying
- Acts 5:3-4 – “Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.'”
- 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
- Proverbs 28:13 – “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
- Luke 8:17 – “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.”
- Ephesians 4:22-24 – “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
- Psalm 32:5 – “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”
- James 5:16 – “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
- 2 Chronicles 7:14 – “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
- Proverbs 16:6 – “Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD evil is avoided.”
- Daniel 9:9 – “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.”
The Value of Truth to Stay Away from Lying
- Proverbs 23:23 – “Buy the truth and do not sell it—wisdom, instruction and insight as well.”
- Zechariah 8:19 – “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.'”
- Psalm 85:10 – “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.”
- Proverbs 16:13 – “Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value the one who speaks what is right.”
- Exodus 20:16 – “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
- Deuteronomy 32:4 – “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”
- Psalm 33:4 – “For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.”
- Proverbs 11:3 – “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”
- Proverbs 20:7 – “The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.”
- Proverbs 12:17 – “An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies.”
Wisdom and Guidance Against Deception and Lying
- Proverbs 4:24 – “Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.”
- Matthew 5:37 – “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”
- Proverbs 10:9 – “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.”
- Psalm 34:13 – “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.”
- Psalm 52:4 – “You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue!”
- Proverbs 8:7 – “My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.”
- Ephesians 4:29 – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
- Proverbs 15:4 – “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”
- Psalm 141:3 – “Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.”
- Proverbs 2:12 – “Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse.”
Discernment and Avoiding Falsehood and Lying
- Proverbs 14:8 – “The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 – “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Reject every kind of evil.”
- Zephaniah 3:13 – “The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will speak no lies, nor will deceit be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid.”
- Proverbs 26:24-26 – “Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.”
- Ephesians 5:6-7 – “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.”
- Proverbs 17:20 – “One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.”
- Matthew 7:15 – “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”
- Proverbs 13:20 – “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
- 2 Timothy 3:13 – “While evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
- Proverbs 14:15 – “The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.”
Living in Honesty and Integrity Free From Lying
- Luke 16:10 – “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
- Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
- 2 Corinthians 4:2 – “Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.”
- 1 Peter 2:12 – “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
- Proverbs 4:25-27 – “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”
- Titus 2:7-8 – “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”
- Proverbs 11:1 – “The LORD detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.”
- Proverbs 22:1 – “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”
- 1 Timothy 1:5 – “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
- Psalm 24:3-4 – “Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.”
The Blessings of Honesty and Conquering Lying
- Proverbs 11:18 – “The wicked earn deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a true reward.”
- Proverbs 3:3-4 – “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”
- Psalm 112:5 – “Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.”
- Proverbs 20:22 – “Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the LORD, and he will avenge you.”
- Psalm 37:37 – “Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.”
- Psalm 36:3 – “The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good.”
- Proverbs 15:27 – “Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.”
- Proverbs 28:20 – “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.”
- Psalm 19:9 – “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous.”
- Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Restoration Through Truth and Avoiding Lying
- Zechariah 8:16 – “These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts.”
- 1 John 2:21 – “I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.”
- Job 15:35 – “They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb fashions deceit.”
- James 5:19-20 – “My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
- Colossians 3:9-10 – “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
- 2 Timothy 2:25 – “Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth.”
- Proverbs 23:3 – “Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.”
- Acts 26:18 – “To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
- Psalm 51:6 – “Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.”
- John 16:13 – “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”
Truth’s Power to Liberate and Overcome Lying
- John 8:32 – “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
- 2 Corinthians 13:8 – “For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.”
- Ephesians 6:14 – “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.”
- John 17:17 – “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
- Psalm 43:3 – “Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.”
- 3 John 1:3 – “It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.”
- Proverbs 12:6 – “The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.”
- 1 Peter 1:22 – “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.”
- Galatians 5:7 – “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?”
- Psalm 25:5 – “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”
The Impact of Deceit and Lying on Relationships
- Proverbs 26:18-19 – “Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbor and says, ‘I was only joking!'”
- Proverbs 15:18 – “A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.”
- Proverbs 25:26 – “Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.”
- Matthew 26:74 – “Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know the man!’ Immediately a rooster crowed.”
- Proverbs 10:18 – “Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool.”
- Titus 3:2 – “To slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.”
- James 3:8 – “But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
- Proverbs 16:28 – “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.”
- Ephesians 4:31 – “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”
- Proverbs 29:22 – “An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.”
Guidance in Truth and Breaking Free from Lying
- Psalm 119:30 – “I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.”
- Psalm 119:160 – “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.”
- Proverbs 3:32 – “For the LORD detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence.”
- Psalm 86:11 – “Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”
- Proverbs 13:6 – “Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.”
- John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
- Proverbs 22:11 – “One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.”
- 2 Corinthians 6:7 – “In truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left.”
- Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
- James 1:18 – “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”
The Folly of Lying
- Proverbs 10:10 – “Whoever winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.”
- Proverbs 18:7 – “The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives.”
- Proverbs 19:1 – “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.”
- Proverbs 24:28 – “Do not testify against your neighbor without cause—would you use your lips to mislead?”
- Proverbs 17:9 – “Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.”
- Proverbs 19:22 – “What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.”
- Proverbs 26:20 – “Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.”
- Proverbs 29:12 – “If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.”
- Proverbs 6:17-19 – “Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”
- Psalm 52:3 – “You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth.”
Discerning Truthfulness from Lying
- Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
- Proverbs 2:6-7 – “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.”
- 1 Kings 3:9 – “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
- Philippians 1:9-10 – “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.”
- Proverbs 18:15 – “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21 – “But test everything; hold on to what is good.”
- Proverbs 14:7 – “Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips.”
- James 3:17 – “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
- Proverbs 15:14 – “The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.”
- Acts 17:11 – “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
Consequences of Dishonesty and Lying
- Proverbs 21:6 – “A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.”
- Luke 12:2-3 – “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.”
- Proverbs 12:19 – “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.”
- Proverbs 25:19 – “Like a broken tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.”
- Proverbs 11:6 – “The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.”
- Psalm 5:6 – “You destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, LORD, detest.”
- Proverbs 29:25 – “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.”
- Proverbs 20:17 – “Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.”
- Psalm 109:2 – “For people who are wicked and deceitful have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.”
- Proverbs 17:4 – “A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.”
Conclusion
Through these 160 Bible verses about lying, we find a clear call from God to embrace truth and authenticity in every aspect of our lives. The Scripture reminds us that living with integrity is at the heart of a fulfilling life, guided by God’s divine wisdom. Let them inspire you to live sincerely and find the peace that comes with honesty—a gift from God. This guidance isn’t just about avoiding untruths; it’s a divine blueprint for fostering relationships and communities built on trust, as God intends.