Proverbs 24:28
New International Version
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause— would you use your lips to mislead?

New Living Translation
Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause; don’t lie about them.

English Standard Version
Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

Berean Standard Bible
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

King James Bible
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

New King James Version
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, For would you deceive with your lips?

New American Standard Bible
Do not be a witness against your neighbor for no reason, And do not deceive with your lips.

NASB 1995
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, And do not deceive with your lips.

NASB 1977
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, And do not deceive with your lips.

Legacy Standard Bible
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, Nor deceive with your lips.

Amplified Bible
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, And do not deceive with your lips [speak neither lies nor half-truths].

Christian Standard Bible
Don’t testify against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don’t testify against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.

American Standard Version
Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not with thy lips.

Contemporary English Version
Don't accuse anyone who isn't guilty. Don't ever tell a lie

English Revised Version
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Do not testify against your neighbor without a reason, and do not deceive with your lips.

Good News Translation
Don't give evidence against others without good reason, or say misleading things about them.

International Standard Version
Don't testify against your neighbor without a cause, and don't lie when you speak.

Majority Standard Bible
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

NET Bible
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your words.

New Heart English Bible
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Do not deceive with your lips.

Webster's Bible Translation
Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

World English Bible
Don’t be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Do not be a witness against your neighbor for nothing, "" Or you have enticed with your lips.

Young's Literal Translation
Be not a witness for nought against thy neighbour, Or thou hast enticed with thy lips.

Smith's Literal Translation
Thou shalt not be a witness gratuitously against thy neighbor, and deceive not with thy lips.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor. And do not mislead anyone with your lips.

New American Bible
Do not testify falsely against your neighbor and so deceive with your lips.

New Revised Standard Version
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Be not a false witness against your neighbor; and do not deceive him with your lips.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Do not be a false witness against your neighbor and do not tear him to pieces with your lips.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; And deceive not with thy lips.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Be not a false witness against thy fellow citizen, neither exaggerate with thy lips.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Further Sayings of the Wise
27Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house. 28Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. 29Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”…

Cross References
Exodus 20:16
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Leviticus 19:11
You must not steal. You must not lie or deceive one another.

Deuteronomy 5:20
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Psalm 15:2-3
He who walks with integrity and practices righteousness, who speaks the truth from his heart, / who has no slander on his tongue, who does no harm to his neighbor, who casts no scorn on his friend,

Psalm 101:5
Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; the one with haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not endure.

Psalm 120:2-3
Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips and a deceitful tongue. / What will He do to you, and what will be added to you, O deceitful tongue?

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: / haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, / a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, ...

Proverbs 12:17
He who speaks the truth declares what is right, but a false witness speaks deceit.

Proverbs 14:5
An honest witness does not deceive, but a dishonest witness pours forth lies.

Proverbs 19:5
A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies will not escape.

Proverbs 19:9
A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who pours out lies will perish.

Isaiah 59:4
No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case honestly. They rely on empty pleas; they tell lies; they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.

Jeremiah 9:3-5
“They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD. / “Let everyone guard against his neighbor; do not trust any brother, for every brother deals craftily, and every friend spreads slander. / Each one betrays his friend; no one tells the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they wear themselves out committing iniquity.

Zechariah 8:16-17
These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another, render true and sound judgments in your gates, / do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely, for I hate all these things,” declares the LORD.

Matthew 5:11
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.


Treasury of Scripture

Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause; and deceive not with your lips.

not

Proverbs 14:5
A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

Proverbs 19:5,9
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape…

Proverbs 21:28
A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.

deceive

Ephesians 4:25
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Colossians 3:9
Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Revelation 21:8
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

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Proverbs 24
1. Precepts and Warnings














Do not testify
The phrase "do not testify" is rooted in the Hebrew word "עֵד" (ed), which means to bear witness or to give evidence. In the ancient context, testimony was a serious matter, often determining the outcome of legal disputes. The command here is a call to integrity, urging believers to refrain from giving false or unnecessary testimony. This aligns with the Ninth Commandment, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16), emphasizing the importance of truthfulness and justice in community life.

against your neighbor
The term "neighbor" (רֵעַ, rea) in Hebrew refers to a fellow member of the community, not just someone living nearby. This broadens the scope of the command to include all individuals with whom one interacts. In a conservative Christian perspective, this highlights the call to love and respect all people, as Jesus taught in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), where the definition of "neighbor" is expanded to include even those we might not naturally consider.

without cause
The phrase "without cause" (חִנָּם, chinnam) implies acting without justification or reason. It warns against the misuse of one's words to harm others unjustly. Historically, false accusations could lead to severe consequences, including social ostracism or legal penalties. This admonition serves as a reminder to weigh our words carefully and to ensure that any testimony given is grounded in truth and necessity.

and do not deceive
"Do not deceive" (תַּפְתֶּה, tapteh) is a direct command against misleading others. Deception undermines trust and can lead to the breakdown of relationships and community cohesion. In the biblical context, deception is often associated with sin and is contrary to the nature of God, who is truth (John 14:6). This phrase calls believers to reflect God's character by being honest and transparent in their dealings.

with your lips
The phrase "with your lips" (בִּשְׂפָתֶיךָ, bisfatecha) emphasizes the power of spoken words. In the ancient world, oral communication was the primary means of conveying information, making the integrity of one's speech crucial. The New Testament echoes this sentiment in James 3:5-6, where the tongue is described as a small part of the body that can cause great harm. This serves as a reminder of the responsibility that comes with the ability to speak and the impact our words can have on others.

(28) Without cause--i.e., do not mention thy neighbour's faults unless for some good reason, not for malice or love of gossip.

Verse 28. - Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause (chinnam); gratuitously (Proverbs 3:30; Proverbs 23:29; Proverbs 26:2), when you are not obliged in the performance of a plain duty. Persons are not to put themselves forward to give testimony to a neighbour's discredit, either officiously as busybodies, or maliciously as slanderers. The maxim is expressed in general terms and is not to be confined to one category, as the Syriac and Septuagint render, "Be not a false witness against thy fellow citizen." And deceive not with thy lips. The Hebrew is really interrogative, "And wouldest thou deceive with thy lips?" (Psalm 78:36). The deceit is not so much intentional falsehood as misrepresentation arising from haste and inconsiderateness consequent on this unnecessary eagerness to push forward testimony unsought. Septuagint, "Neither exaggerate (πλατύνου) with thy lips."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

testify
תְּהִ֣י (tə·hî)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

against your neighbor
בְּרֵעֶ֑ךָ (bə·rê·‘e·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow

without cause,
חִנָּ֣ם (ḥin·nām)
Adverb
Strong's 2600: Gratis, devoid of cost, reason, advantage

and do not deceive
וַ֝הֲפִתִּ֗יתָ (wa·hă·p̄it·tî·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6601: To open, be, roomy, to be, simple, delude

with your lips.
בִּשְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃ (biś·p̄ā·ṯe·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - fdc | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 24:28 Don't be a witness against your neighbor (Prov. Pro Pr)
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