Of all of God’s commands about how to relate to one another, scriptures about truthfulness, honesty and integrity may be the easiest to grasp. That is important because truthfulness, honesty and integrity are key features of Godly character. They are also key factors in how people Choose Friends, Making Alliances and Vote.

Jews and Christians will recognize that most of the statements below are paraphrases of scripture. People who are not familiar with the bible, and even people who do not believe in God, however, will not be handicapped in their ability to recognize that these statements are practical, common sense guidelines for all healthy relationships. They don’t need scripture references to know in their hearts that these statements describe the qualities of both good and bad character.

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• Do not lie to each other.
• Those who consider themselves religious but do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
• Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech.
• Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.
• A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.

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• If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
• The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.
• Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
• Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.

• Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.

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• Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Keep your conscience clear.
• Have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.
• Take pains to do what is right in the eyes of man.
• Do not tell lies about your neighbor.
• Do not go about spreading slander among your people.
• Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life, health, reputation, finances or general well-being.

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• Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.
• Renounce secret and shameful ways.
• Do not use deception; do not distort the word of God.
• Set forth the truth plainly.
• Lying lips are an abomination to the but those who act faithfully are his delight. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
• Have nothing to do with false accusations.

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• Proverbs 16:13 Righteous lips are the delight of political authorities.
• Do not swear an oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
• Speak the truth in love.
• One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
• The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him.

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• Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned.
• You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another.
• A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.
• Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
• Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
• Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.

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• Speak the truth to one another; render  judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath.
• A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
• A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.
• Do not spread false reports. Do not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.

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Isaiah 28:15
For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.”

Isaiah 30:1
“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin.