EPISODE · Jun 8, 2026 · 49 MIN
9th Commandment: Do Not Bear False Witness
from BibleProject · host Tim Mackie, Jon Collins
The 10 Commandments E12 — The common summary of the 9th Commandment is “Do not lie,” a generic prohibition against all kinds of fibs. But the commandment actually reads “Do not bear false witness,” drawing attention to a very specific kind of lying in a communal, legal setting. Many of the other commandments are more general. So why does the 9th Commandment zoom in on truth telling in public, legal settings? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the 9th Commandment, discovering its underlying value of upholding truth and justice in defense of the most vulnerable in society. FULL SHOW NOTES For chapter-by-chapter summaries, biblical words, referenced Scriptures, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode. CHAPTERS Meanings of “Bearing Witness” and “False” (0:00-23:51) Case Studies in the 42 Commands (23:51-38:07) The Value Beneath the Command (38:07-49:02) OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT View this episode’s official transcript. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BIBLEPROJECT TRANSLATION View our full translation of the 10 Commandments. REFERENCED RESOURCES Find the related animated video for this episode here. Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books. SHOW MUSIC “Church Pews feat. Oly.Lo & wisdm” by Lofi Sunday “Yo” by Lofi Sunday, Just Derrick BibleProject theme song by TENTS SHOW CREDITS Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey and Aaron Olsen edited today’s episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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The 10 Commandments E12 — The common summary of the 9th Commandment is “Do not lie,” a generic prohibition against all kinds of fibs. But the commandment actually reads “Do not bear false witness,” drawing attention to a very specific kind of lying in a communal, legal setting. Many of the other commandments are more general. So why does the 9th Commandment zoom in on truth telling in public, legal settings? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the 9th Commandment, discovering its underlying value of upholding truth and justice in defense of the most vulnerable in society.
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9th Commandment: Do Not Bear False Witness
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