Definition and Context
Perjury, in a biblical context, refers to the act of lying or making false statements under oath. It is considered a serious sin and a violation of the Ninth Commandment, which instructs, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16). Perjury undermines justice and truth, which are foundational to God's character and His commandments.

Biblical References
The Bible addresses the issue of perjury in several passages, emphasizing the importance of truthfulness and the consequences of false testimony. In Leviticus 19:12, God commands, "You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD" . This highlights the gravity of invoking God's name in falsehood, which is both a moral and spiritual offense.

In the New Testament, Jesus expands on the commandment against false testimony. In Matthew 5:33-37, He teaches, "Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.' But I tell you not to swear at all... Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' Anything more comes from the evil one" . Here, Jesus emphasizes the importance of integrity and truthfulness in all communication, not just under oath.

Consequences of Perjury
The Bible warns of severe consequences for those who commit perjury. Proverbs 19:5 states, "A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies will not escape" . This reflects the divine justice that holds individuals accountable for their words and actions. In the legal context of ancient Israel, perjury could lead to the same punishment that would have been meted out to the accused if the false testimony had been believed (Deuteronomy 19:16-19).

Moral and Spiritual Implications
Perjury is not only a legal issue but also a moral and spiritual one. It reflects a heart that is not aligned with God's truth. In John 8:44, Jesus describes the devil as "a liar and the father of lies" , indicating that falsehood is contrary to God's nature and aligns with evil. Christians are called to be people of truth, reflecting God's character in their lives.

Role in the Community
In a community, perjury can have devastating effects, eroding trust and justice. The early church was keenly aware of this, as seen in the account of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11. Their deceit and falsehood before God and the community resulted in immediate divine judgment, serving as a sobering reminder of the seriousness of lying.

Conclusion
While the Bible does not provide an exhaustive legal code for dealing with perjurers, it clearly establishes the expectation of truthfulness and the serious nature of bearing false witness. Believers are encouraged to uphold truth in all aspects of life, recognizing that their words have power and consequences both in the earthly realm and before God.1965. epiorkos -- sworn falsely, a perjurer
... sworn falsely. Word Origin from epi and horkos Definition sworn falsely,
a perjurer NASB Word Usage perjurers (1). perjurer. From ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1965.htm - 6k

Letter ccxvii. To Amphilochius, the Canons.
... Perjurers shall be excommunicated for ten years; weeping for two, hearing for three,
kneeling for four, and standing only during one year; then they shall be ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter ccxvii to amphilochius the.htm

Zechariah
... The flying roll of the sixth vision, v.1-4, carries the curse that will fall upon
thieves and perjurers; and in the somewhat grotesque figure of the seventh ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/zechariah.htm

The Christian Refusal to Swear by the Genius of C??sar Flippancy ...
... C??sar? For it is fairly open to doubt as to who are perjurers on this point,
when you do not swear honestly [729] even by your gods. ...
/.../tertullian/ad nationes/chapter xvii name christian refusal.htm

When He Wrote his Treatises against Jovinian, and Some one had ...
... is now, that is the place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth; for there
dwell the apostate and the enemies of God; and perhaps the perjurers will go ...
/.../9 when he wrote his.htm

Whether an Oath is Voided by a Condition of Person or Time?
... Perjurers also are debarred from taking an oath, because it is presumed from their
antecedents that they will not treat an oath with the reverence due to it. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether an oath is voided.htm

The Certainty and Joy of the Resurrection
... He says, 'If Christ be not risen, then, are we' the utterly impossible thing of
'false witnesses to God,' devout perjurers, as the phrase might be paraphrased ...
/.../romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/the certainty and joy of.htm

A Warning against Hypocrisy
... From the stern punishment meted out to those perjurers, God would have us learn
also how deep is His hatred and contempt for all hypocrisy and deception. ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 7 a warning against.htm

Letter cxxv. (AD 411. )
... For, not to speak of the dread judgment of God upon perjurers, which you know as
well as myself, I am perfectly certain that henceforth we shall have no right ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter cxxv a d 411.htm

Episcopal Conspirators
... beneficence? No one, except a couple of perjurers of notoriously bad character,
pretended to vouch for even the least serious charges. ...
/.../chapter xlv episcopal conspirators.htm

The Apocalypse of the Holy Mother of God Concerning the ...
... sin? And the commander-in-chief said: These are perjurers, blasphemers,
slanderers, whosoever divided brothers from brothers. And ...
/.../unknown/the apocalypse of the virgin/the apocalypse of the holy.htm

Perjurers (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Perjurers (2 Occurrences). 1 Timothy 1:10 for the
sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for ...
/p/perjurers.htm - 7k

Kidnappers (1 Occurrence)
... Kidnappers (1 Occurrence). 1 Timothy 1:10 fornicators, sodomites, kidnappers, liars,
perjurers; and if any other thing is opposed to sound teaching, (DBY NAS). ...
/k/kidnappers.htm - 6k

Kidnapers (1 Occurrence)
... 1 Timothy 1:10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for
liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine ...
/k/kidnapers.htm - 6k

Liars (14 Occurrences)
... 1 Timothy 1:10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for
liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine ...
/l/liars.htm - 10k

Laborers (19 Occurrences)
... 5 I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the
sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against ...
/l/laborers.htm - 11k

Immoral (16 Occurrences)
... 1 Timothy 1:10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for
liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine ...
/i/immoral.htm - 11k

Traders (31 Occurrences)
... 1 Timothy 1:10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for
liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine ...
/t/traders.htm - 15k

Deprive (17 Occurrences)
... 5 I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the
sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against ...
/d/deprive.htm - 11k

Defraud (11 Occurrences)
... 5 I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the
sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against ...
/d/defraud.htm - 9k

Perjured (1 Occurrence)

/p/perjured.htm - 7k

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