Exodus 23:1
Thou shalt not receive the voice of a lie: neither shalt thou join thy hand to bear false witness for a wicked person.
Open Exodus 23:1 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Non suscipies vocem mendacii, nec junges manum tuam ut pro impio dicas falsum testimonium.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Οὐ παραδέξῃ ἀκοὴν ματαίαν· οὐ συνκαταθήσῃ μετὰ τοῦ ἀδίκου γενέσθαι μάρτυς ἄδικος.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- לֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֖א שֵׁ֣מַע שָׁ֑וְא אַל תָּ֤שֶׁת יָֽדְךָ֙ עִם רָשָׁ֔ע לִהְיֹ֖ת עֵ֥ד חָמָֽס
Haydock's commentary
Lie, by countenancing calumny. Judges must never do any thing which they know to be unjust, whatever the witnesses may assert. The person who speaks against his neighbour, would injure him, if he had an opportunity. (Quintel.)
Hebrew, "Thou shalt not raise a false report." (Haydock)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
Clement of Alexandria The Instructor, Chapter VII. Directions for Those Who Live Together
But if any necessity arises, commanding the presence of married women, let them be well clothed, without by raiment, within by modesty. But as for such as are unmarried, it is the extremest scandal for them to be present at a banquet of men, especially men under the influence of wine. And let the men, fixing their eyes on the couch, and leaning without moving on their elbows, be present with their ears alone; and if they sit, let them not have their feet crossed, nor place one thigh on another, nor apply the hand to the chin. For it is vulgar not to bear one’s self without support, and consequently a fault in a young man. And perpetually moving and changing one’s position is a sign of frivolousness. …
Theodoret Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus, To the Monks of Constantinople
But these men will be called to account by God, as well for their devices against the faith as for the snares they have laid against me. I only charge those who have been influenced by the false accusations uttered against me to keep one ear for the accused, and not to give both to the accusers. In this manner they will fulfil the divine law which lays down “Thou shalt not raise a false report,” and “Judge righteously between every man and his brother.” In these words the divine law charges us not to believe the calumnies uttered against the absent but to judge the accused face to face.
St Athanasius Apology to the Emperor. (Apologia Ad Constantium.), History of his disobeying it
Now I ask again, whence have my accusers obtained this letter also? I would learn of them who it was that put it into their hands? Do you cause them to answer. By this you may perceive that they have forged this, as they spread abroad also the former letter, which they published against me, with reference to the ill-named Magnentius. And being convicted in this instance also, on what pretence next will they bring me to make my defence? Their only concern is, to throw everything into disorder and confusion; and for this end I perceive they exercise their zeal. Perhaps they think that by frequent repetition of their charges, they will at last exasperate you against me. But you ought to turn away from such persons, and to hate them; for such as themselves are, such also they imagine those to be who listen to them; and they think that their calumnies will prevail even before you. …