The Westminster Larger Catechism

Questions 143—145: On the Ninth Commandment

Q. 143. Which is the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour^a.

^a Exod. 20:16 

Q. 144. What are the duties required in the ninth commandment?

A. The duties required in the ninth commandment are, the preserving and promoting of truth between man and man^a, and the good name of our neighbour, as well as our own^b; appearing and standing for the truth^c; and from the heart^d, sincerely^e, freely^f, clearly^g, and fully^h, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justiceⁱ, and in all other things whatsoever^k; a charitable esteem of our neighbours^l; loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name^m; sorrowing forⁿ, and covering of their infirmities^o; freely acknowledging of their gifts and graces^p, defending their innocency^q; a ready receiving of a good report^r, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report^s, concerning them; discouraging tale-bearers^t, flatterers^u, and slanderers^x; love and care of our own good name, and defending it when need requireth^y; keeping of lawful promises^z; studying and practising of whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report^a.

^a Zech. 8:16 ^b 3 John 12 ^c Prov. 31:8,9 ^d Ps. 15:2 ^e 2 Chron. 19:9 ^f 1 Sam. 19:4,5 ^g Josh. 7:19 ^h 2 Sam. 14:18-20 ⁱ Lev. 19:15; Prov. 14:5,25 ^k 2 Cor. 1:17,18; Eph. 4:25 ^l Heb. 6:9; 1 Cor. 13:7 ^m Rom. 1:8; 2 John 4; 3 John 3,4 ⁿ 2 Cor. 2:4; 2 Cor. 12:21 ^o Prov. 17:9; 1 Pet. 4:8 ^p 1 Cor. 1:4,5,7; 2 Tim. 1:4,5 ^q 1 Sam. 22:14 ^r 1 Cor. 13:6,7 ^s Ps. 15:3 ^t Prov. 25:23 ^u Prov. 26:24,25 ^x Ps. 101:5 ^y Prov. 22:1; John 8:49 ^z Ps. 15:4 ^a Phil. 4:8

Q. 145. What are the sins forbidden in the ninth commandment?

A. The sins forbidden in the ninth commandment are, all prejudicing the truth, and the good name of our neighbours, as well as our own^a, especially in public judicature^b; giving false evidence^c, suborning false witnesses^d, wittingly appearing and pleading for an evil cause, out-facing and over-bearing the truth^e; passing unjust sentence^f, calling evil good, and good evil; rewarding the wicked according to the work of the righteous, and the righteous according to the work of the wicked^g; forgery^h, concealing the truth, undue silence in a just causeⁱ, and holding our peace when iniquity calleth for either a reproof from ourselves^k, or complaint to others^l; speaking the truth unseasonably^m, or maliciously to a wrong endⁿ, or perverting it to a wrong meaning^o, or in doubtful or equivocal expressions, to the prejudice of truth or justice^p; speaking untruth^q, lying^r, slandering^s, backbiting^t, detracting^u, tale-bearing^x, whispering^y, scoffing^z, reviling^a, rash^b, harsh^c, and partial censuring^d; misconstructing intentions, words, and actions^e; flattering^f, vain-glorious boasting^g, thinking or speaking too highly or too meanly of ourselves or others^h, denying the gifts and graces of Godⁱ; aggravating smaller faults^k; hiding, excusing, or extenuating of sins, when called to a free confession^l; unnecessary discovering of infirmities^m; raising false rumoursⁿ, receiving and countenancing evil reports^o, and stopping our ears against just defence^p; evil suspicion^q; envying or grieving at the deserved credit of any^r, endeavouring or desiring to impair it^s, rejoicing in their disgrace and infamy^t; scornful contempt^u, fond admiration^x; breach of lawful promises^y; neglecting such things as are of good report^z, and practising, or not avoiding ourselves, or not hindering what we can in others, such things as procure an ill name^a.

^a 1 Sam. 17:28; 2 Sam. 16:3; 2 Sam. 1:9,10,15,16 ^b Lev. 19:15; Hab. 1:4 ^c Prov. 19:5; Prov. 6:16,19 ^d Acts 6:13 ^e Jer. 9:3,5; Acts 24:2,5; Ps. 12:3,4; Ps. 52:1-4 ^f Prov. 17:15; 1 Kings 21:9-14 ^g Isa. 5:23 ^h Ps. 119:69; Luke 19:8; Luke 16:5-7 ⁱ Lev. 5:1; Deut. 13:8; Acts 5:3,8,9; 2 Tim. 4:6 ^k 1 Kings 1:6; Lev. 19:17 ^l Isa. 59:4 ^m Prov. 29:11 ⁿ 1 Sam. 22:9,10 compared with Ps. 52:title,1-5 ^o Ps. 56:5; John 2:19 compared with Matt. 26:60,61 ^p Gen. 26:7,9 ^q Isa. 59:13 ^r Lev. 19:11; Col. 3:9 ^s Ps. 50:20 ^t Ps. 15:3 ^u James 4:11; Jer. 38:4 ^x Lev. 19:16 ^y Rom. 1:29,30 ^z Gen. 21:9 compared with Gal. 4:29 ^a 1 Cor. 6:10 ^b Matt. 7:1 ^c Acts 28:4 ^d Gen. 38:24; Rom. 2:1 ^e Neh. 6:6-8; Rom. 3:8; Ps. 69:10; 1 Sam. 1:13-15; 2 Sam. 10:3 ^f Ps. 12:2,3 ^g 2 Tim. 3:2 ^h Luke 18:9,11; Rom. 12:16; 1 Cor. 4:6; Acts 12:22; Exod. 4:10-14 ⁱ Job 27:5,6; Job 4:6 ^k Matt. 7:3-5 ^l Prov. 28:13; Prov. 30:20; Gen. 3:12,13; Jer. 2:35; 2 Kings 5:25; Gen. 4:9 ^m Gen. 9:22; Prov. 25:9,10 ⁿ Exod. 23:1 ^o Prov. 29:12 ^p Acts 7:56,57; Job 31:13,14 ^q 1 Cor. 13:5; 1 Tim. 6:4 ^r Num. 11:29; Matt. 21:15 ^s Ezra 4:12,13 ^t Jer. 48:27 ^u Ps. 35:15,16,21; Matt. 27:28,29 ^x Jude 16; Acts 12:22 ^y Rom. 1:31; 2 Tim. 3:3 ^z 1 Sam. 2:24 ^a 2 Sam. 13:12,13; Prov. 5:8,9; Prov. 6:33