16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

— Exodus 20:16-17

A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies will not escape.

— Proverbs 19:5

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

— John 8:44

But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

— Revelation 21:8

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

Law #9 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. It is wrong to tell a lie. To lie about someone or spread hurtful gossip is breaking this command. The Bible teaches that Satan is a liar. Anyone who tells lies is following in his ways. Truth matters to God. Lies damage reputations, break trust and divide communities. God calls people to be people of integrity and honesty. Gossips, exaggerations, slanders all fall under this category.

Law #10 You shall not covet anything that belongs to you neighbor. Desiring what belongs to someone else is sin. God wants you to be content with what you have. This command pierces the heart because covet is invisible, but it’s deeply destructive. Contentment is found not in having more but satisfied with God‘s provision.