Lexical Summary pseudomai: To lie, to speak falsely, to deceive Original Word: ψεύδομαι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance to lie, speak falselyMiddle voice of an apparently primary verb; to utter an untruth or attempt to deceive by falsehood -- falsely, lie. HELPS Word-studies 5574 pseúdomai (from pseudō, "to falsify, lie") – properly, lie (falsify), willfully misrepresent (mislead). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom a root pseud- Definition to lie NASB Translation falsely (1), lie (6), lied (1), lying (4). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5574: ψεύδομαιψεύδομαι; 1 aorist ἐψευσάμην; (deponent middle of ψεύδω (allied with ψιθυρίζω etc. (Vanicek, p. 1195)) 'to deceive', 'cheat'; hence, properly, to show oneself deceitful, to play false); from Homer down; to lie, to speak deliberate falsehoods: Hebrews 6:18; 1 John 1:6; Revelation 3:9; οὐ ψεύδομαι, Romans 9:1; 2 Corinthians 11:31; Galatians 1:20; 1 Timothy 2:7; τινα, to deceive one by a lie, to lie to (Euripides, Aristophanes, Xenophon, Plutarch, others): Acts 5:3; like verbs of saying, with a dative of the person (cf. Winers Grammar, § 31, 5; Buttmann, § 133, 1; Green, p. 100f), Acts 5:4 (Psalm 17:45 Topical Lexicon Ethical weight of falsehood in Scripture Lying is consistently presented as incompatible with the character of God and the life to which His people are called. Each appearance of Strong’s 5574 underscores the moral antithesis between deceit and divine truth. Scripture treats lying not merely as a social fault but as a spiritual breach that invites judgment, disrupts fellowship, and impedes witness. Old Testament background The prohibition against “bearing false witness” (Exodus 20:16) laid the foundation for Israel’s communal ethics. Prophets repeatedly condemned deceit (Jeremiah 9:3-5). Against this backdrop the New Testament writers retain and intensify the call to truthful speech, anchoring it in the very nature of God “in whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). The teaching of Jesus In the Sermon on the Mount the Lord alerts His followers to the inevitability of slanderous falsehood: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me” (Matthew 5:11). The possibility of being lied about does not diminish the disciple’s blessedness; instead it highlights the contrast between the kingdom ethic and the world’s hostility. The early church narrative: Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5:3-4 portrays the first recorded instance of deceit within the post-Pentecost community. Peter’s words—“Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?”—reveal that lying to the church is tantamount to lying to God Himself. The immediate judgment on the couple displays the Spirit’s zeal for purity and serves as a sober warning to every subsequent generation of believers. Pauline self-testimony of truthfulness On three occasions Paul affirms his integrity with the phrase “I am not lying” (Romans 9:1; 2 Corinthians 11:31; Galatians 1:20). These statements do more than defend his reputation; they link apostolic authority to veracity. Because the gospel message is truth, its messenger must be trustworthy. Paul’s insistence on truthfulness also counters accusations meant to undermine the gospel’s credibility. Pastoral corrections and community holiness Colossians 3:9 and James 3:14 address congregational relationships: “Do not lie to one another” and “if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it and lie against the truth.” Deceit fractures unity and contradicts the “new self” created in Christ. Pastoral instructions therefore place truthful speech at the heart of sanctified living and corporate harmony. The call to authentic faith in Johannine literature 1 John 1:6 exposes a particular form of lying: professing fellowship with God while walking in darkness. Such a claim falsifies one’s spiritual condition. John positions honesty before God and others as evidence of genuine conversion: “If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” Eschatological vindication and judgment Revelation 3:9 promises that deceitful opponents of the Philadelphian church “will come and fall down at your feet and know that I have loved you.” Final judgment will unmask every falsehood and exalt truth. Hebrews 6:18 declares that “it is impossible for God to lie,” grounding the believer’s hope in the unchangeable nature of God’s promise. Thus eschatology is inseparable from the certainty that divine truth will prevail. Ministry implications for today • Proclamation: Ministers must model integrity, recognizing that credibility of message and messenger are intertwined. Strong’s 5574 therefore serves not only as a lexical entry but as a theological thread weaving together ethics, doctrine, and eschatological hope, urging the people of God toward speech and lives that reflect the One who “cannot lie.” Forms and Transliterations εψευσάμεθα εψευσάμην εψεύσαντο εψεύσαντό εψεύσατο εψευσω εψεύσω ἐψεύσω ψευδεσθε ψεύδεσθε ψεύδεται ψεύδη ψευδομαι ψεύδομαι ψευδομεθα ψευδόμεθα ψευδομενοι ψευδόμενοι ψευδονται ψεύδονται ψευσασθαι ψεύσασθαι ψεύσασθαί ψεύσεσθε ψεύσεται ψεύσησθε ψεύσηται ψεύσομαι ψεύσονταί epseuso epseusō epseúso epseúsō pseudesthe pseúdesthe pseudomai pseúdomai pseudomenoi pseudómenoi pseudometha pseudómetha pseudontai pseúdontai pseusasthai pseúsasthai pseúsasthaíLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 5:11 V-PPM/P-NMPGRK: καθ' ὑμῶν ψευδόμενοι ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ NAS: you and persecute you, and falsely say KJV: against you falsely, for my sake. INT: against you lying on account of me Acts 5:3 V-ANM Acts 5:4 V-AIM-2S Romans 9:1 V-PIM/P-1S 2 Corinthians 11:31 V-PIM/P-1S Galatians 1:20 V-PIM/P-1S Colossians 3:9 V-PMM-2P 1 Timothy 2:7 V-PIM/P-1S Hebrews 6:18 V-ANM James 3:14 V-PMM-2P 1 John 1:6 V-PIM/P-1P Revelation 3:9 V-PIM/P-3P Strong's Greek 5574 |
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