Bible Verses About Lying

The Bible has much to say about the subject of lying. Scripture contains warnings against lying and stories about people who lied and lived with the consequences of their sin.

We’ve collected several verses below on the subject of lying. We’ve also included every mention of the word “lying” in the NASB translation. We hope that these verses are a help to you as you study God’s Word.

What the Bible Says About Lying

The Bible makes it clear that lying is sin. Below are a couple of verses that reflect God’s attitude towards lying.

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight. – Proverbs 12:22

The one who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and the one who is unrighteous in a very little thing is also unrighteous in much. – Luke 16:10

Bible Verses That Warn Against Lying

Below are several scriptures that warn against lying.

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. – Exodus 20:16

There are six things that the Lord hates,
Seven that are an abomination to Him:
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
A false witness who declares lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers. – Proverbs 6:16-19

Bible Verses About the Consequences of Lying

Lying has consequences. Below are a couple of verses that give a glimpse of these consequences.

A false witness will not go unpunished,
And one who declares lies will perish. – Proverbs 19:9

For nothing is concealed that will not become evident, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. – Luke 8:17

Every Mention of the Word “Lying” in the Bible

We’ve included all mentions of the word “lying” in the NASB below. We hope reflecting on these verses will deepen your knowledge of God’s Word!

Bible Verses About Lying in Genesis

He looked, and saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, because they watered the flocks from that well. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large. – Genesis 29:2

“Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the sheepfolds. – Genesis 49:14

Bible Verses About Lying in Exodus

If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall not leave it helpless for its owner; you must arrange the load with him. – Exodus 23:5

Bible Verses About Lying in Deuteronomy

“If a person who has been killed by someone is found lying in the open country in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who struck him, – Deuteronomy 21:1

Of Joseph he said, “Blessed of the Lord be his land, With the choice things of heaven, with the dew, And from the deep waters lying beneath, – Deuteronomy 33:13

Bible Verses About Lying in Judges

And behold, while Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he entered with her, and behold, Sisera was lying dead with the tent peg in his temple. – Judges 4:22

Now the Midianites, the Amalekites, and all the people of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. – Judges 7:12

When her master got up in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, then behold, his concubine was lying at the doorway of the house with her hands on the threshold. – Judges 19:27

Bible Verses About Lying in Ruth

And it happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. – Ruth 3:8

Bible Verses About Lying in 1 Samuel

But it happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to be poor and he could not see well), – 1 Samuel 3:2

and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, – 1 Samuel 3:3

Saul then said to him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, so that he would rise up against me by lying in ambush as it is this day?” – 1 Samuel 22:13

So, my father, look! Indeed, look at the edge of your robe in my hand! For by the fact that I cut off the edge of your robe but did not kill you, know and understand that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life, to take it. – 1 Samuel 24:11

David then set out and came to the place where Saul had camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circle of the camp, and the people were camped around him. – 1 Samuel 26:5

So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him. – 1 Samuel 26:7

Bible Verses About Lying in 2 Samuel

Now when they had come into the house, as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and killed him, and they beheaded him. And they took his head and traveled by way of the Arabah all night. – 2 Samuel 4:7

So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was lying in bed. And she took dough, kneaded it, made pastries in his sight, and baked the pastries. – 2 Samuel 13:8

Bible Verses About Lying in 2 Kings

Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, since Joram was lying there recovering. And Ahaziah the king of Judah had come down to see Joram. – 2 Kings 9:16

Bible Verses About Lying in 2 Chronicles

When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they turned toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and there was no survivor. – 2 Chronicles 20:24

Bible Verses About Lying in Job

Now please look at me, And see if I am lying to your face. – Job 6:28

Bible Verses About Lying in Psalms

Let the lying lips be speechless, Which speak arrogantly against the righteous With pride and contempt. – Psalm 31:18

For they have opened a wicked and deceitful mouth against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. – Psalm 109:2

Rescue my soul, Lord, from lying lips, From a deceitful tongue. – Psalm 120:2

You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. – Psalm 139:3

Bible Verses About Lying in Proverbs

Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, – Proverbs 6:17

One who conceals hatred has lying lips, And one who spreads slander is a fool. – Proverbs 10:18

Truthful lips will endure forever, But a lying tongue is only for a moment. – Proverbs 12:19

lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal faithfully are His delight. – Proverbs 12:22

Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying lips to a prince. – Proverbs 17:7

The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death. – Proverbs 21:6

A lying tongue hates those it crushes, And a flattering mouth works ruin. – Proverbs 26:28

Bible Verses About Lying in Isaiah

His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber; – Isaiah 56:10

Offending and denying the Lord, And turning away from our God, Speaking oppression and revolt, Conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart. – Isaiah 59:13

Bible Verses About Lying in Jeremiah

For wicked people are found among My people, They watch like fowlers lying in wait; They set a trap, They catch people. – Jeremiah 5:26

“How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the Law of the Lord is with us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes Has made it into a lie. – Jeremiah 8:8

Bible Verses About Lying in Lamentations

He is to me like a bear lying in wait, Like a lion in secret places. – Lamentations 3:10

Bible Verses About Lying in Ezekiel

They see deceit and lying divination, those who are saying, ‘The Lord declares,’ when the Lord has not sent them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their word! – Ezekiel 13:6

Did you not see a false vision and tell a lying divination when you said, ‘The Lord declares,’ but it is not I who have spoken?”’” – Ezekiel 13:7

“So My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will have no place in the council of My people, nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, so that you may know that I am the Lord God. – Ezekiel 13:9

For handfuls of barley and pieces of bread, you have profaned Me to My people, to put to death some who should not die, and to keep others alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies.”’” – Ezekiel 13:19

Bible Verses About Lying in Daniel

that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one decree for you. For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the situation is changed; therefore tell me the dream, so that I may know that you can declare to me its interpretation.” – Daniel 2:9

Bible Verses About Lying in Nahum

Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria; Your officers are lying down. Your people are scattered on the mountains And there is no one to gather them. – Nahum 3:18

Bible Verses About Lying in Matthew

and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, terribly tormented.” – Matthew 8:6

When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. – Matthew 8:14

And they brought to Him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man who was paralyzed, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” – Matthew 9:2

He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. – Matthew 28:6

Bible Verses About Lying in Mark

Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and they immediately spoke to Jesus about her. – Mark 1:30

And when they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and after digging an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralyzed man was lying. – Mark 2:4

And after going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. – Mark 7:30

Bible Verses About Lying in Luke

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” – Luke 2:12

and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. – Luke 5:2

And immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. – Luke 5:25

Bible Verses About Lying in John

Jesus, upon seeing this man lying there and knowing that he had already been in that condition for a long time, said to him, “Do you want to get well?” – John 5:6

So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. – John 11:38

lying back on Jesus’ chest was one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. – John 13:23

and he stooped to look in, and saw the linen wrappings lying there; however he did not go in. -John 20:5

So Simon Peter also came, following him, and he entered the tomb; and he looked at the linen wrappings lying there, – John 20:6

and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings but folded up in a place by itself. – John 20:7

and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. – John 20:12

Bible Verses About Lying in Acts

And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with a recurring fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after he prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him. – Acts 28:8

Bible Verses About Lying in Romans

I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, – Romans 9:1

Bible Verses About Lying in 2 Corinthians

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. – 2 Corinthians 11:31

Bible Verses About Lying in Galatians

(Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) – Galatians 1:20

Bible Verses About Lying in 1 Timothy

For this I was appointed as a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. – 1 Timothy 2:7

Bible Verses About Lying in Revelation

and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. – Revelation 21:27

Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral persons, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. – Revelation 22:15