My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
Parallel translations
- WEB surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness, neither shall my tongue utter deceit.
- BSB my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will not utter deceit.
- NKJV My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit.
- NASB My lips certainly will not speak unjustly, Nor will my tongue mutter deceit.
- NLT my lips will speak no evil, and my tongue will speak no lies.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Job vows his lips will speak no wickedness and his tongue no deceit. It matters because Job refuses to lie even to escape his friends' pressure.
Overview
Job pledges that he will not utter falsehood or deceit, refusing to confess sins he has not committed merely to satisfy his accusers. His commitment to truthful speech reflects deep integrity. This love of truth mirrors the character of Christ, in whose mouth no deceit was found (1 Pet. 2:22).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Job 13:7Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
- 2 Cor 11:10As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
- John 8:55Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
- Job 34:6Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.
- Job 6:28Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 27:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.