Proverbs 14:25 kjv
A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
Proverbs 14:25 nkjv
A true witness delivers souls, But a deceitful witness speaks lies.
Proverbs 14:25 niv
A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.
Proverbs 14:25 esv
A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
Proverbs 14:25 nlt
A truthful witness saves lives,
but a false witness is a traitor.
Proverbs 14 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 23:1 | "You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness." | Prohibits false testimony and joining wicked. |
| Dt 19:16-19 | "If a malicious witness rises up to accuse a man of wrongdoing... Then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother." | Law of retribution against false witnesses. |
| 1 Ki 21:10-13 | Naboth's vineyard: false witnesses testified against him, leading to his death. | Example of fatal consequences of false witness. |
| Pr 6:16-19 | Six things the Lord hates... a false witness who breathes out lies. | God detests false testimony. |
| Pr 12:17 | "Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness speaks deceit." | Echoes the contrast of true and false witness. |
| Pr 13:5 | "The righteous hates what is false, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace." | Righteousness is associated with hating falsehood. |
| Pr 16:13 | "Righteous lips are the delight of kings, and they love him who speaks what is right." | Leaders appreciate truthful counsel/testimony. |
| Pr 19:5 | "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape." | Reaffirms punishment for deceitful witnesses. |
| Ps 33:4 | "For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness." | God's word and work are true, a standard for us. |
| Zec 8:16 | "Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace." | Exhortation for truth and just judgment. |
| Jn 8:32 | "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." | Truth brings liberation/deliverance. |
| Jn 14:6 | Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life..." | Jesus is the ultimate source and embodiment of truth. |
| Jn 15:26-27 | "But when the Helper comes... he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness..." | Disciples are called to be true witnesses for Christ. |
| Acts 1:8 | "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses..." | Believers commissioned as Christ's witnesses. |
| Acts 4:33 | "And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus..." | Apostles' powerful, truthful testimony. |
| Eph 4:25 | "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor..." | Command to speak truth to one another. |
| Col 3:9 | "Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices..." | Lying is contrary to new life in Christ. |
| 1 Pet 3:15 | "Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and respect" | Christians are to be prepared witnesses of their faith. |
| Rev 1:5 | "...from Jesus Christ the faithful witness..." | Jesus as the ultimate true and faithful witness. |
| Rev 3:14 | "...The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness..." | Jesus' identity as perfectly true and faithful. |
| Rev 21:8 | "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable... all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur..." | Fate of those who persist in lying. |
| 2 Thess 2:10 | "...they refused to love the truth and so be saved." | Salvation linked to receiving and loving the truth. |
Proverbs 14 verses
Proverbs 14 25 Meaning
Proverbs 14:25 teaches a profound principle regarding the power of testimony. It declares that an honest witness preserves lives by upholding justice and preventing the innocent from harm or death. Conversely, a deceitful witness, who speaks falsehoods, brings about destructive outcomes, potentially leading to the condemnation of the innocent or the perversion of justice. The verse underscores the critical importance of truthfulness in communal well-being and legal integrity.
Proverbs 14 25 Context
Proverbs chapter 14 broadly contrasts the characteristics and outcomes of the wise and the foolish, the righteous and the wicked. It emphasizes the practical consequences of one's actions and words, particularly in public and social spheres. Verse 25 fits seamlessly into this theme by focusing on the profound impact of truthful versus deceptive testimony within a community. It speaks to the integrity of the justice system, a cornerstone of ancient Israelite society, where eyewitness testimony was critical for legal proceedings. The historical context indicates that false witness was a grave offense, often punishable by the very penalty the innocent party would have received.
Proverbs 14 25 Word analysis
- A true witness (עֵד אֱמֶת, ‘ēḏ ’ĕmeth):
- ’ēḏ (עֵד): Means "witness," one who testifies. In ancient Israelite society, witness testimony was crucial in legal and covenantal contexts.
- ’ĕmeth (אֱמֶת): Means "truth," "faithfulness," "steadfastness," "firmness." It implies reliability and adherence to fact. A true witness is one whose testimony is grounded in objective reality and delivered with integrity.
- saves lives (מַצִּיל נְפָשׁוֹת, maṣṣîl nĕphāšôṯ):
- maṣṣîl (מַצִּיל): From the verb naṣṣal, meaning "to snatch away," "deliver," "rescue," "save." It implies active intervention to preserve from danger or destruction.
- nĕphāšôṯ (נְפָשׁוֹת): Plural of nepheš (נֶפֶשׁ), meaning "soul," "life," "person." In this context, it refers to actual human lives, especially those whose lives are at stake in legal proceedings (e.g., facing condemnation or death).
- but a deceitful witness (וְיָפִֽחַ כְּזָבִים, wĕyāp̄îaḥ kĕzāḇîm): This is actually a slight rephrasing of the second part, which reads literally: "And uttering lies / he utters lies." The "deceitful witness" is implied from the act of uttering lies.
- yāp̄îaḥ (יָפִֽחַ): From the verb pûaḥ (פוח), meaning "to breathe out," "blow," "utter," "speak." It denotes the act of verbalizing.
- kĕzāḇîm (כְּזָבִים): Plural of kāzāḇ (כָּזָב), meaning "lie," "falsehood," "deception." These are statements known to be untrue, intended to mislead.
- utters lies: (This phrase reinterprets the literal Hebrew, "and utters lies" where "deceitful witness" is a summary. The verb for "utters" comes from pûaḥ, referring to breathing out or speaking forth, which can be easily and readily done, sometimes without full thought for the consequences.)
- Words-Group Analysis:
- "A true witness saves lives": Highlights the profound, life-affirming consequence of truthful testimony. It emphasizes the societal impact and the role of integrity in justice. Truth preserves individuals and communities.
- "but a deceitful witness utters lies": Directly contrasts the destructive nature of falsehood. While the explicit consequence (like "destroys lives") isn't stated, it's implied by the stark opposition to "saves lives." Uttering lies itself is condemned, as it invariably leads to perversion and harm.
Proverbs 14 25 Bonus section
The principle of truthfulness in testimony is deeply woven into the fabric of the Mosaic Law. The Ninth Commandment, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Ex 20:16), directly prohibits the act described by the "deceitful witness." Furthermore, the Law prescribed severe penalties for false witnesses, often demanding lex talionis (the law of "eye for an eye") against them (Dt 19:18-19). This highlights the extremely high stakes involved and how vital truthful testimony was for the proper functioning and ethical integrity of ancient Israelite society, directly demonstrating how a truthful witness "saves lives" and a false one effectively "takes lives." The Hebrew word nepheš for "lives" in this context can refer not only to physical life but also the very essence of a person, emphasizing the comprehensive impact of testimony on an individual's well-being, reputation, and fate.
Proverbs 14 25 Commentary
Proverbs 14:25 serves as a moral and legal cornerstone, asserting the absolute necessity of truthfulness in testimony. In a communal setting, particularly within legal systems, the truthful witness acts as a defender of justice, safeguarding the innocent and ensuring righteous outcomes. Their honest words possess the power to deliver individuals from false accusation, wrongful punishment, or even death. This reflects the high value God places on truth and justice as foundations for a stable society (Pr 11:3, 11:5, 12:17).
Conversely, the proverb exposes the sinister nature of the deceitful witness. Such an individual, by uttering lies, actively perverts justice. Their words are not mere falsehoods but tools of destruction, capable of leading to the condemnation of the innocent, the evasion of justice by the guilty, or the general erosion of trust and order within the community. God explicitly denounces false witness as one of the things He abhors (Pr 6:16-19; Ex 23:1), demonstrating its severe spiritual and social implications.
The spiritual depth of this proverb extends beyond legal courts. All believers are called to be witnesses of Christ (Acts 1:8) and to speak truth in every interaction (Eph 4:25). Just as a true witness saves physical lives, a true witness to the Gospel delivers spiritual lives from bondage (Jn 8:32, Acts 4:33). Jesus Christ Himself is called "the faithful and true witness" (Rev 3:14), setting the ultimate standard for all truth and testimony. Our words, whether in legal settings, daily conversations, or sharing the Gospel, have the power to build up or tear down, to preserve life or lead to destruction.