A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is a traitor.
Parallel translations
- WEB A truthful witness saves souls, but a false witness is deceitful.
- KJV A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
- BSB A truthful witness saves lives, but one who utters lies is deceitful.
- NKJV A true witness delivers souls, But a deceitful witness speaks lies.
- NASB A truthful witness saves lives, But one who declares lies is deceitful.
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
A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness deceives. Honest testimony has the power to rescue.
Overview
In legal settings a true witness can save the innocent from wrongful harm, while a deceitful witness betrays. The proverb again underscores the life-and-death weight of truthful speech. It points toward Christ, the faithful and true witness, whose testimony saves souls eternally (John 18:37; Revelation 3:14).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Prov 14:5A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies.
- Acts 26:16–20But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you;
- 2 Pet 3:3knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts,
- Acts 20:26–27Therefore I testify to you today that I am clean from the blood of all men,
- 1 Tim 4:1–3But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
- Acts 20:21testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 14:25 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
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