Bible verses about truth show the significance of truth in biblical times and in our modern-day lives. They are the foundation upon which we live our lives.
Truth is an abstract noun. It cannot be experienced in the five senses. Because of this, people have different definitions of truth. Ask fifty people what they believe truth means, and you are most likely going to get fifty different answers. Tangible nouns are easy to define because we encounter them with our senses. Intangible nouns are more about the heart than the senses.
What Are Bible Verses About Truth and Honesty?
When it is about matters of the heart, we, Christians, turn to the Bible. Which Bible verses talk about truth? Which ones talk about honesty? What is the Bible’s stand on truth and honesty? Is there a spirit of truth? What can we expect from the word of the Lord?
What does the Bible say about truth?
Truth in the Bible is directly connected to God. God is perfect. Therefore, there is no deceit anywhere near Him. Truth is who God is. In the Bible, truth does not depend on who is viewing it. Truth in the Bible is absolute. Truth leads us to God, His revelations, and His will.
How many Bible verses are there about truth?
The exact number of times the word truth is mentioned in the Bible depends on what version of the Bible we are looking at. In the New International Version (NIV), we can see that truth is mentioned approximately 137 times.
If we look at the New Living Translation (NLT) version, we will find 270 Bible verses about truth. New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) has 181 Bible verses about truth. 139 Bible verses about truth can be found in the English Standard Version (ESV). The contemporary English Version has 163 Bible verses about truth.
There are so many versions of the Bible these days. But, one thing we can see is that truth is important and is mentioned repeatedly in the Bible.
What are the Benefits of Reading Bible Verses About Truth?
The world lacks honesty today. There is a shortage of honest people in the world. We, as Christians, should know what the Lord says about truth. We have to know where we stand so we know what to do.
Paul beseeched the Romans not to conform to the world. We have to do the same. One way of doing that is to commit to the truth. We should be ruled by the spirit of truth. We should speak the word of truth.
There is power in the word of the Lord. God’s word is the truth and the Bible says that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus Christ taught us about God and eternal life, spirit, and truth. Through His life, He taught us how to serve God in deed and truth.
The Bible is the word of truth.
The Bible speaks about a lot of things. It teaches us about different things we should know about life. The Bible is our blueprint for how we should live our lives.
God leads in truth
If we read the books of the prophets, we would realize how honest God is. He tells the truth as it is. He does not sugarcoat things; He does not “break it gently.” No matter how grim, shocking, or amazing the message is, He gives it loud and clear, direct to the point. We never have to second guess with God.
Jesus is truth
I could not help but chuckle one day while reading Matthew 8:18-22 and the teachings of Jesus. I chuckled because I realized that Jesus could never work in advertising. He was too honest! He does not just teach people; He also lives by His teachings as an example to us. Jesus speaks the truth, He lives the truth, He is the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us.
The power of truth
Just as the meaning of truth can vary from person to person, the impact of truth may be the same. But in the Christian perspective, we can say that truth can tear through any deception, especially if this truth comes from God.
Just like when Jesus was eating with His disciples at the house of Simon, a woman came and poured expensive perfume on His head (Matthew 26:6-13). People commented that she wasted so much money for such a useless purpose when it could have been used to feed the hungry.
They managed to condemn a woman worshipping Jesus while making themselves look good in just one sentence. Unfortunately for them, Jesus knew the truth behind these comments, and He rebuked them. Truth can silence those whose hearts are filled with hate and greed while revealing the goodness in others.
5 Bible Verses About Seeking Truth
John 8:31-32
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Jesus Christ told His disciples that the truth comes to those who obey His teachings. He said that the truth “will set you free.” Truth is freeing, and it will be revealed to us when we obey.
John 17:17
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
Jesus was about to die and He prayed for His disciples. He prayed that we become dedicated to God in truth. Seek the truth and the life in God.
1 Thessalonians 5:21
“But test them all; hold on to what is good.”
God grants wisdom, which should be used to discern the truth. Keep what is good and true, and keep it. We should learn from it.
John 14:6
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus is not only the way; He is the truth and the life. Seek Jesus, and we will find the truth.
1 Corinthians 13:4-6
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.”
Love and truth should go hand in hand. It does not deceive. Love seeks the truth and rejoices in it.
5 Bible Verses About Speaking Truth
Zechariah 8:16
“These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other and render true and sound judgment in your courts”
Speaking the truth is a Christian trait. As brothers and sisters in Christ, the word of truth and the spirit of truth must be present among us.
Ephesians 4:25
“Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”
Our bodies are amazing. Communication between the parts of our bodies is crucial in keeping us alive. We, as Christians, are part of one body. We all have roles to do. If deceit enters the communication between parts of the body, it would most likely die.
Psalm 15:2
“The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart”
The psalmist says that those who can enter the temple and worship in Zion are those who are true, honest, sincere, and do what is right.
Galatians 4:16
“Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?”
Since we are talking about truth, let us not sugarcoat things. Speaking the truth would sometimes drive people away from us. Yet, we must speak the truth.
Ephesians 4:15
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
Speaking the truth leads us to become more like Christ, our role model. Speaking the truth to others would also help us gain their trust and confidence. The more we become like Christ, the more we grow as a body.
5 Bible Verses About Truth Being Revealed
Jeremiah 33:3
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
God knows everything. God knows the truth about us and everything around us. Come to Him and the truth will be revealed.
Luke 8:17
“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.”
Things have a way of revealing themselves in time. Truth is not meant to be hidden. Truth should be revealed.
Proverbs 28:13
“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
It can be easier to conceal sin. It can get too complicated when we leave them out in the open. Yet, hidden sin is a great burden. It can weigh on us.
1 Corinthians 2:10
“These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”
God does not withhold the truth from us. He reveals the truth to us through the Spirit and Word.
Amos 3:7
“Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants, the prophets.”
God works in us, through us, and among us. He reveals to us what He wants us to do and why He wants us to do it. We have to trust in His truth.
3 Bible Verses About Those Who Reject the Truth
2 Corinthians 13:8
“For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.”
The truth is powerful. It can barely be contained. The pronouncement against them is a failure. They will fail because nothing can beat the truth, especially the truth about and from God.
2 Timothy 2:24-25
“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth.”
Those who work against the truth and life are bound to fail but it does not mean that we should condemn them or that we have to give up on them. We can help lead them to see the truth.
Jeremiah 7:27-28
“When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to them, they will not answer. Therefore, say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips.”
Not everyone who hears the truth will accept it or believe it. Sometimes they get too attached to the lies and choose them rather than the truth.
3 Encouraging Bible Verses About Speaking the Truth in Love
1 Kings 17:24
“Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”
Brands find something that stands out about them and markets it. They want people to know how different they are from others and why they should be chosen. One of the characteristics of being a Christian is living in truth and honesty.
Ephesians 6:14
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.”
The world is full of deceit, and every day, we battle against it. We also fight against the temptation of succumbing to it. This is why, we have to put on the armor, fight against deceit, and help others find the truth too.
1 John 3:18
“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
Let us show others the truth through love. It is easy to tell people we love them, but actions should back these claims up. Show your love through actions and words of truth.
Importance of Living a Life of Truth and Honesty
Telling the truth is freedom itself. We do not have to pretend or keep track of the lies. It also establishes our credibility with others. We earn other people’s trust by being honest with them. If we are honest, they would not second guess us and life would be simpler and we would be able to glorify God through our lives and deeds.
Yet, being truthful and honest is scary. We do not have a sure way of knowing how people would react to the truth. Jesus knows what that is like; Paul does, too. Speaking the truth to others can result in hostility. Sometimes, people are not ready for the truth.
In Summary
Truth can be scary because it is powerful. Living a life of truth opens us up to the hostility of the world. The world, for the most part, abhors the truth. Truth is light, and the world lives in darkness. Shine your light. Trust God to be there always. He will never let us be swallowed by the world for following Him or for speaking His truth.