A false witness will perish, But a person who listens 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.
- BSB A lying witness will perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.
- 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.
- NLT A false witness will be cut off, but a credible witness will be allowed to speak.
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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 4:13But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, “I believed, and therefore I spoke.” We also believe, and therefore also we speak;
- Prov 19:5A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who pours out lies shall not go free.
- Prov 19:9A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish.
- Deut 19:16–19If an unrighteous witness rises up against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing,
- Prov 25:18A man who gives false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.
- Exod 23:1“You shall not spread a false report. Don’t join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness.
- Titus 3:8This saying is faithful, and concerning these things I desire that you affirm confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men;
- Prov 6:19a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
- Prov 12:19Truth’s lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only momentary.
- Acts 12:15They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.”
- 2 Cor 1:17–20When I therefore was thus determined, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the “Yes, yes” and the “No, no?”
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 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.