You’ve likely heard the question, “Do you promise to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?” In the court of law, truthful testimony is essential to ensuring a legal case is legitimate. Bible verses like the ninth commandment deal with this issue directly.
In almost the last of the Ten Commandments, God commands His people to “not bear false witness against their neighbors.” God, whose very nature is truth, cares a lot about lies.
But what is the full significance of God’s command to “not bear false witness”? How is the ninth commandment relevant to believers and the world today?
Where is the Ninth Commandment Located in the Bible?
God’s command to “not bear false witness against your neighbor” is first recorded in Exodus 20:16 and repeated in Deuteronomy 5:20. God gave this commandment to the children of Israel through Moses after delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
Of course, the Ten Commandments (also called the Decalogue) were not the only laws God would hand down through Moses following the Exodus. The later Exodus chapters, alongside laws laid out in other Old Testament books, establish the moral, sacrificial, and civic laws that guided God’s people for generations to come.
Accordingly, the Law outlined God’s standards, His desire for His chosen people to be holy (Exodus 19:6; see also Isaiah 43:20-21), because He is holy (Leviticus 19:2), set apart from other nations (Deuteronomy 7:6-11).
The Ten Commandments lay the foundation for God’s standard of ethics.
The first four commandments are widely understood to deal with humanity’s relationship with God, while the following six explore behavior and actions that strengthen man’s relationship with the community. The ninth commandment falls within the second category.
Of course, many broaden the command to “not bear false witness” to “you shall not lie,” which is not entirely incorrect. God’s disdain for lying and falsehood is evident throughout Scripture. In Proverbs, Solomon writes that “a trustworthy witness will not lie, but a false witness utters lies.” (Proverbs 14:5). The sinful nature of lying is implied in the Ten Commandments.
However, the ninth commandment’s context relates more specifically to legal testimony. Why does the ninth commandment put a premium on truthful testimony in a court of law? Because as pastor Voddie Baucham argues in his book Fault Lines, we cannot have an effective legal system if “our pursuit of justice is not also characterized by our pursuit of truth.” We cannot have a functioning society where citizens are permitted to falsely accuse or lie about their neighbors.
In a courtroom where false testimony reigns, true justice can never be served or properly dispensed. Most societies understand this, so witnesses called to testify in court are adjured to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. In many countries, perjury (lying under oath) is a serious and punishable offense. Not only does it harm the reputation of the one who is slandered, misrepresented, or falsely accused (i.e., your neighbor). It potentially subjects them to unjust prosecution and punishment.
Therefore, it is unsurprising that God would give a command to highlight that telling the truth matters. In fact, God later details the harsh consequences for bearing false witness: “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who tells lies will not escape” (Deuteronomy 19:5). Also, “the witness is a false witness, and he has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.” (Deuteronomy 19:15-19; emphasis added)
God reveals how much He hates lies and falsehood. Through the Ten Commandments, He wanted His people to regard false witnesses with the same level of disdain.
Do Catholic Bibles Have a Different Ninth Commandment?
Many people are familiar with the basics of the Ten Commandments.
As Father Michael Wensing writes, “There is a universal application of the requirements of these commandments, regardless of religious affiliation.” This happens, in part, because the Bible says that God’s law is “written on our hearts.” (Hebrew 8:10; Romans 2:15-16; Jeremiah 31:33)
The biblical Ten Commandments are known by many:
- You shall have no other gods before Me.
- You shall not make for yourself an idol or graven image.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.
- Honor your father and mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness.
- You shall not covet.
However, many Catholics will note that the arrangement of the individual commandments in this list differs from what they are accustomed to. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Decalogue should be:
- I am the Lord your God: You shall have no other gods before Me.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.
- Honor your father and mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
- You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Both lists follow the biblical commandments of Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. It is not as if one tradition adds or removes from the biblical Decalogue.
So why the divergence?
Why Do Catholic Bibles Order the Ten Commandments Differently?
We should remember that Exodus and Deuteronomy were originally written in a foreign language (Hebrew), so there wasn’t a list of numbers on the original page like in modern English. Translators had to decide how to number the Commandments based on the text’s intent.
Catholic Bibles order the Decalogue slightly differently because they follow a numbering order Augustine used in his works. The difference reflects a belief that some of these commandments are a unit: God’s directive to “have no other gods before Me” and to “not make for yourself idols or graven images” are essentially part of the same monotheistic decree. God first, God only.
The way the Catholic Bible splits the ninth and tenth commandments reflects a view that “you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” and “you shall not covet anything your neighbor owns” should be treated separately. One commandment discusses lust, while the other discusses greed or envy.
The Protestant Reformers didn’t agree with these emphases, so the new Bible translations, which came from figures like Martin Luther and William Tyndale, changed the ordering slightly.
However, the two examples above show that the difference does not change the meaning or significance of the Ten Commandments. They reflect differing views on emphasizing smaller points but do not change the material.
Is the Ninth Commandment Still Relevant after the Old Testament?
In the first century, Jewish religious leaders like the Pharisees sought to study and apply Old Testament Law carefully. Unfortunately, their fastidiousness morphed into legalism. Many religious leaders burdened God’s people with a strict adherence to the very laws God gave to be a blessing. They elevated human traditions to the level of the Law. And they resisted anyone who dared challenge their authority, even those who spoke God’s truth.
For this reason, Jesus regularly butted heads with religious leaders who valued political power over faith, not following commandments in their private lives that they made others follow in public. He called them “whitewashed tombs”: pious and moral on the outside but filled with death on the inside (Matthew 23:27-28)
Accordingly, with the arrival of Jesus Christ, many things about Old Testament Law were questioned. Some believed Jesus had come to abolish the Law. Jesus famously replied:
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19)
Of course, Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection fulfilled the Old Testament sacrificial laws. However, the Ten Commandments retained their significance. Furthermore, through the Law comes the knowledge of sin and our need for a savior (Romans 3:20). That much remains.
What Does it Look Like to Follow the Ninth Commandment?
Bearing false witness will always grieve God. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that the Lord “detests lying lips” (Proverbs 12:22) and hates a “false witness who utters lies” (Proverbs 6:16-19).
Unfortunately, many of us will bear false witness throughout our lives. It may not be in a formal courtroom proceeding, but following the ninth commandment isn’t just reserved for telling the truth on the witness stand. As God is our righteous judge, what we say matters. While many see the Ten Commandments as an outward checklist, Jesus reminded His followers that God looks at the heart.
No one is perfect. In Christ, there is grace and forgiveness. However, following the ninth commandment today means being a people who love the truth, speak the truth, think about the truth, and passionately pursue the truth in all areas of life.
Those who do not value truth as defined by God set themselves up to violate the ninth commandment.
Instead, we must put off the old self, which was born in sin and falsehood (Psalms 58:3), and put on the new self, “which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the one who created him” (Colossians 3:9-10).
We are called to be honest when speaking about the character and behavior of our neighbors. We are also called to witness the truth of God’s Word and character revealed in Scripture. Therefore, let us be a people of truth in whom the Lord delights (Proverbs 12:22).
Photo Credit:©GettyImages/Antti Heikkinen
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