THE NINTH COMMANDMENT.
EXODUS XX, 16: _Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbor._
As the eighth commandment provides for the security of every man's
property, this provides for the defense of his good name; which "is
rather to be chosen than great riches," and ought, therefore, to be
guarded with the utmost care. A good name renders a man more
serviceable to the cause of God, and the interests of his fellow men.
1. FALSE SWEARING IS CONDEMNED.
LEV. V, 1. And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a
witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it,
then he shall bear his iniquity.
EX. XX, 16. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
DEUT. XIX, 15. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any
iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of
two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be
established.
16. If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him
that which is wrong;
17. Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand
before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in
those days;
18. And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if
the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his
brother;
19. Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his
brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.
PROV. VI, 16. I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with
carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
17. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us
solace ourselves with loves.
19. For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey.
PROV. XIV, 5. A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness
will utter lies.
PROV. XIV, 25. A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful
witness speaketh lies.
PROV. XIX, 5. A false witness shall not be unpunished; and he that
speaketh lies shall not escape.
PROV. XXI, 28. A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth
speaketh constantly.
PROV. XXIV, 28. Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause:
and deceive not with thy lips.
PROV. XXV, 18. A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor
is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
2. LYING IS FORBIDDEN.
LEV. XIX, 11. Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie
one to another.
ZECH. VIII, 16. These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every
man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace
in your gates:
17. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his
neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these things are that I
hate, saith the Lord.
PSALM XXXIV, 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking
guile.
1 PET. III, 10. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him
refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.
PROV. IV, 24. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips
put far from thee.
EPH. IV, 15. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in
all things, which is the head, even Christ.
EPH. IV, 25. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with
his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
COL. III, 9. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the
old man with his deeds.
PSALM XV, 2. He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and
speaketh the truth in his heart.
3. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his
neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.
4. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoreth them that
fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
ISAIAH XXXIII, 15. He that walketh righteously, and speaketh
uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his
hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of
blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
16. He shall dwell on high; his place of defense shall be the
munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be
sure.
PROV. XII, 17. He that speaketh truth, sheweth forth righteousness:
but a false witness deceit.
18. There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the
tongue of the wise is health.
19. The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue
is but for a moment.
20. Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the
counselors of peace is joy.
JOB XXVII, 4. My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter
deceit.
JOHN VIII, 44. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your
father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not
in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a
lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
PROV. X, 18. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that
uttereth a slander, is a fool.
PROV. XII, 13. The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips:
but the just shall come out of trouble.
PROV. XXVI, 23. Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd
covered with silver dross.
PSALM LII, 2. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor,
working deceitfully.
3. Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak
righteousness. Selah.
4. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
5. God shall likewise destroy thee forever, he shall take thee away,
and pluck thee out of thy dwelling-place, and root thee out of the
land of the living.
PSALM LIX, 12. For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips
let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which
they speak.
13. Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let
them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth.
JER. IX, 5. And they will deceive every one his neighbor, and will not
speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and
weary themselves to commit iniquity.
JER. IX, 8. Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit:
one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in heart he
layeth his wait.
9. Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the Lord: shall not
my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
1 TIM. IV, 2. Speaking lies in hypocrisy: having their conscience
seared with a hot iron.
REV. XXI, 8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and
murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all
liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death.
REV. XXI, 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that
defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but
they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
PROV. XVII, 4. A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar
giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
PROV. XVIII, 6. A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth
calleth for strokes.
MATT. XII, 35. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart
bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure
bringeth forth evil things.
36. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak,
they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou
shalt be condemned.
3. EVIL SPEAKING CONDEMNED.
TITUS III, 2. To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle,
shewing all meekness unto all men.
EPH. IV, 31. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and
evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
JAMES IV, 11. Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that
speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil
of the law, and judgeth the law; but if thou judge the law, thou art
not a doer of the law, but a judge.
1 PET. II, 1. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and
hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may
grow thereby.
1 PET. III, 9. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing:
but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that
ye should inherit a blessing.
10. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his
tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.
PSALM XII, 3. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the
tongue that speaketh proud things:
4. Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our
own: who is lord over us?
PROV. XIII, 3. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that
openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
PROV. XVIII, 13. He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it
is folly and shame unto him.
JAMES I, 26. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth
not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is
vain.
4. SLANDER CONDEMNED.
PSALM CI, 5. Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I cut
off: him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
PSALM XXXI, 13. For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on
every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised
to take away my life.
PROV. X, 18. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that
uttereth a slander, is a fool.
PSALM L, 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou
slanderest thine own mother's son.
21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest
that I was altogether such a one as thyself: but I will reprove thee,
and set them in order before thine eyes.
1 TIM. III, 11. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers,
sober, faithful in all things.
5. TALEBEARING AND BACKBITING CONDEMNED.
LEV. XIX, 6. Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy
people; neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I
am the Lord.
PROV. XX, 19. He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets:
therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
PROV. XI, 13. A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a
faithful spirit concealeth the matter.
PROV. XVII, 9. He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he
that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
PROV. XXVI, 20. Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out; so where
there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
PROV. XVI, 28. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it;
and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
PSALM XV, 1. Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell
in thy holy hill?
2. He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh
the truth in his heart.
3. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his
neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.
ROM. I, 29. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication,
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate,
deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors
of evil things, disobedient to parents.
6. REVILING AND RAILING CONDEMNED.
EX. XXII, 28. Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of
thy people.
1 COR. VI, 10. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers,
nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 COR. V, 11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if
any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an
idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a
one no not to eat.
1 PET. III, 9. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing:
but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that
ye should inherit a blessing.
1 TIM. VI, 4. He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions
and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil
surmisings.
2 PET. II, 11. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might,
bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
JUDE, 9. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he
disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a
railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
7. UNPROFITABLE CONVERSATION FORBIDDEN.
EPH. IV, 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,
but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister
grace unto the hearers.
1 COR. XV, 33. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good
manners.
EPH. V, 3. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let
it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not
convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
MATT. XII, 36. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall
speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
COL. III, 8. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
COL. IV, 6. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt,
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
2 PET. II, 7. And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy
conversation of the wicked.
ISAIAH IX, 17. Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young
men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for
every one is a hypocrite and an evil doer, and every mouth speaketh
folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is
stretched out still.
1 TIM. I, 4. Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies,
which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in
faith: so do.
2 TIM. II, 14. Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them
before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to
the subverting of the hearers.
2 TIM. II, 16. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will
increase unto more ungodliness.
TITUS III, 9. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and
contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable
and vain.
8. FLATTERY IS FORBIDDEN.
PROV. XX, 19. He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets:
therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
PROV. XXVI, 28. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it;
and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
PROV. XXIX, 5. A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for
his feet.
PROV. II, 16. To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the
strange woman that flattereth with her words.
JOB XVII, 5. He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes
of his children shall fail.
JOB XXXII, 21. Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person;
neither let me give flattering titles unto man.
22. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my Maker
would soon take me away.
1 THESS. II, 5. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as
ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness.
PSALM XII, 2. They speak vanity every one with his neighbor: with
flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
3. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that
speaketh proud things.
PSALM LXXVIII, 36. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth,
and they lied unto him with their tongues.
37. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they
steadfast in his covenant.