Chapter
Verse

Proverbs 13:5

ESV The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace.
NIV The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves.
NASB A righteous person hates a false statement, But a wicked person acts disgustingly and shamefully.
CSB The righteous hate lying, but the wicked bring disgust and shame.
NLT The godly hate lies; the wicked cause shame and disgrace.
KJV A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
NKJV A righteous man hates lying, But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.

What does Proverbs 13:5 mean?

According to this verse, godly people have a natural distaste for lies and deception. In contrast, immoral people often deal in dishonesty, which brings consequences. This reinforces other statements about the danger of lies (Proverbs 11:3; 21:28) and the association between honesty and godly wisdom (Proverbs 10:32; 12:17, 22).

Falsehood includes more than verbal lying. Hypocrisy is a form of falsehood that Jesus condemned in the religious leaders of his day. He instructed: "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others" (Matthew 6:16). He warned: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15). The hypocrite lies by pretending to believe one thing while doing something else.

Ananias and Sapphira brought not only shame and disgrace on themselves but also death (Acts 5:1–11). They falsely suggested they had given the full sales amount of a piece of property. Tragically, this was an unnecessary lie. They were not obligated to give anything, but they wanted to be highly regarded for their feigned generosity. The same man who pronounced their judgment, Peter, later admonishes in 1 Peter 2:1 to "put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander."
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