The Ninth Commandment teaches me that words have power. I am called to speak truthfully and lovingly in all circumstances, guarding the good name of others and refusing to speak evil, even in subtle or socially acceptable ways. Bishop Scott Seely (Anglican Convocation of the West, Anglican Union) writes, “Speech is sacred because it mirrors the Word of God. To speak falsely is to twist that gift for harm rather than for healing.” (Sermons on the Moral Law, 2022)

This commandment calls me to reject gossip, slander, exaggeration, deceit, and flattery—forms of false witness that erode trust and damage communities. Fr. Thomas James (Anglican Orthodox Church, St. Luke’s Mission, NC) teaches, “The Christian must be known as one who protects his neighbor’s name, not as one who weaponizes his tongue.” (Lectures on Truth and Holiness, 2021)

Even silence can be a form of false witness when truth is withheld to harm or mislead. Bishop Alfred Olwa (GAFCON, Diocese of Lango, Uganda) notes, “We must not only avoid speaking lies—we must actively stand for what is true, especially when our silence would allow injustice to prevail.” (GAFCON Biblical Ethics Forum, 2020)

The Anglican tradition holds the truth in high esteem, particularly as it relates to Christian witness. Canon George Grant (ACNA, Parish Presbyterian Church, TN) writes, “The Ninth Commandment calls us to love our neighbor with our words. It’s not enough to be technically accurate—we must be just, charitable, and peaceable in our speech.” (Recovering Anglican Piety, 2019)

Fr. Nathaniel Thompson (ACNA, Holy Trinity Anglican, CO) adds, “Our speech is not our own—it belongs to Christ. When we lie, we align with the enemy. When we speak the truth in love, we proclaim the kingdom of God.” (Christian Ethics and Speech, 2020)