Is telling a lie ever the right thing to do?

from the old testament

• Lying is speaking what is false with the intent to deceive, and the LORD clearly forbids it. The ninth commandment states, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16), and Proverbs adds, “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 12:22). God never lies, and His people are to reflect His truthfulness in everything they say.
• Although God forbids lying, there are two instances where people lied and God honored, rather than rebuked, them. The first is when Hebrew midwives disobeyed Pharoah’s order to kill all Hebrew male children (Exodus 1:16). Scripture says, “But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live” (Exodus 1:17). When Pharaoh questioned them, they lied about the births (Exodus 1:18–19). God responded by rewarding their reverence and courage (Exodus 1:20–21). He was not rewarding them for lying but for honoring Him above men by lying to prevent a greater sin—murder.
• The other example is Rahab in Jericho when she hid Israel’s spies. The king’s messengers came for them, and she lied, saying they had left (Joshua 2:4–5). Her confession, “I know that the LORD has given you the land” (Joshua 2:9), revealed her faith and loyalty to Israel’s God. The story doesn’t praise her lying but shows how she prioritized the safety of God’s messengers over the malicious intent of the other men.

from the new testament

• The New Testament clearly teaches that lying is sinful and goes against God’s nature. God Himself cannot lie (Titus 1:2), and His followers are called to reflect His truthfulness in everything they say.
• The apostles told believers to “put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor” (Ephesians 4:25) and to “not lie to one another” since they have been renewed in Christ (Colossians 3:9–10).
• Jesus’ teaching that a person’s “Yes” should mean “Yes” and “No” mean “No” (Matthew 5:37) emphasizes the importance of honesty and integrity in every word.
• Falsehood is also linked to the devil, “the father of lies” (John 8:44), showing that deception is evil at its core. The New Testament never approves of lying and calls believers to imitate God’s truthfulness in all speech.
• Rahab, whose lie is recorded in the Old Testament (see that section), is remembered in the New Testament for her faith and courage, not for her deception. She is praised for welcoming the spies and aligning herself with God’s people (Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25). Her actions showed faith that trusted God’s purposes more than her nation’s orders. The respect to Rahab is for her loyalty to God and her willingness to protect life, not from the lie itself.
• The Christians duty to live honorably makes lying incompatible with a godly life except in the most extraordinary cases. Believers are commanded to submit to governing authorities (Romans 13:1–7), to respect others (1 Peter 2:17), and to live peaceably with all (Romans 12:18). Only in the rarest life-threatening situations—such as those recorded in the Old Testament—might withholding the truth serve to preserve life. For most believers, obedience to Christ means speaking truthfully and trusting God with the outcomes.

implications for today

Throughout history, believers have occasionally faced moral dilemmas like those seen in Scripture. During the Holocaust, Christians such as Corrie ten Boom hid Jews and lied to authorities to save them. In earlier centuries, abolitionists misled slave catchers to protect those fleeing slavery. In more recent times, missionaries have faced similar decisions when smuggling Bibles or entering closed countries. Each situation involved deception to preserve life or advance the gospel under threat of death.

However, these examples are rare and exceptional. The typical Christian life will rarely involve such high-risk choices. Scripture’s command to tell the truth remains firm, and these rare stories remind us that even when lying seems necessary, the lie shouldn’t be celebrated.

Christians may also differ in conscience about when such deception can be justified—some limiting it to saving a life, others extending it to protecting persecuted believers, and still others considering it valid to keep those smuggling Bibles out of jail. But all agree that lying for personal gain, convenience, or comfort is sinful. The pattern of Scripture and history makes it clear: truth is the standard; deception is the rare exception. Faithful believers aim to speak truth and trust God with the outcome, even when in danger.