A lying witness will perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.
Parallel translations
- WEB A false witness will perish, and a man who listens speaks to eternity.
- KJV A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
- ESV A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears will endure.
- NKJV A false witness shall perish, But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.
- NASB A false witness will perish, But a person who listens will speak forever.
- NLT A false witness will be cut off, but a credible witness will be allowed to speak.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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 false witness perishes, but a careful listener's testimony endures. It matters because truthfulness lasts while lies are condemned.
Overview
The liar's testimony — and the liar himself — will perish, while the one who speaks from careful, honest hearing speaks words that stand (Proverbs 19:5,9; 12:19). The verse upholds truthful witness as enduring. God, the God of truth, vindicates honesty and judges falsehood.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 2 Cor 4:13And in keeping with what is written: “I believed, therefore I have spoken,” we who have the same spirit of faith also believe and therefore speak,
- Prov 19:5A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies will not escape.
- Prov 19:9A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who pours out lies will perish.
- Deut 19:16–19If a false witness testifies against someone, accusing him of a crime,
- Prov 25:18Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
- Exod 23:1“You shall not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked by being a malicious witness.
- Titus 3:8This saying is trustworthy. And I want you to emphasize these things, so that those who have believed God will take care to devote themselves to good deeds. These things are excellent and profitable for the people.
- Prov 6:19a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
- Prov 12:19Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
- Acts 12:15“You are out of your mind,” they told her. But when she kept insisting it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”
- 2 Cor 1:17–20When I planned this, did I do it carelessly? Or do I make my plans by human standards, so as to say “Yes, yes” when I really mean “No, no”?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 21:28 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.