A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Parallel translations
- WEB a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
- BSB a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
- NKJV A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
- NASB A false witness who declares lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.
- NLT a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.
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
God hates a lying witness and anyone who stirs up conflict among brothers. False testimony and division are especially detestable.
Overview
The list climaxes with the false witness who pours out lies and the one who sows discord among kin. Sowing strife is the seventh and weightiest item, emphasizing how God values truthfulness and unity. The New Testament likewise calls believers to honest speech and peacemaking within God's family.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Prov 19:5A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
- Prov 6:14Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
- Jas 3:18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
- Prov 19:9A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.
- Ps 27:12Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
- Deut 19:16–20If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
- Prov 25:18A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
- Jas 3:14–16But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
- Prov 12:17He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.
- Prov 22:10Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
- Prov 26:20Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
- 2 Tim 2:23But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
- Acts 6:13And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
- 3 Jn 1:9–10I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
- 1 Kgs 21:10–15And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.
- Prov 16:28A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
- Exod 20:16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
- Matt 26:59Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
- Ps 35:11False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
- Exod 23:1Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
- Matt 15:19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 6:19 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.