What are the sins forbidden in the ninth commandment?

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The sins forbidden in the ninth commandment are, all prejudicing the truth, and the good name of our neighbors, as well as our own, especially in public judicature; giving false evidence, suborning false witnesses, wittingly appearing and pleading for an evil cause, outfacing and overbearing the truth; passing unjust sentence, calling evil good, and good evil; rewarding the wicked according to the work of the righteous, and the righteous according to the work of the wicked; forgery, concealing the truth, undue silence in a just cause, and holding our peace when iniquity calleth for either a reproof from ourselves, or complaint to others; speaking the truth unseasonably, or maliciously to a wrong end, or perverting it to a wrong meaning, or in doubtful and equivocal expressions, to the prejudice of truth or justice; speaking untruth, lying, slandering, backbiting, detracting, tale bearing, whispering, scoffing, reviling, rash, harsh, and partial censuring; misconstructing intentions, words, and actions; flattering, vainglorious boasting, thinking or speaking too highly or too meanly of ourselves or others; denying the gifts and graces of God; aggravating smaller faults; hiding, excusing, or extenuating of sins, when called to a free confession; unnecessary discovering of infirmities; raising false rumors, receiving and countenancing evil reports, and stopping our ears against just defense; evil suspicion; envying or grieving at the deserved credit of any, endeavoring or desiring to impair it, rejoicing in their disgrace and infamy; scornful contempt, fond admiration; breach of lawful promises; neglecting such things as are of good report, and practicing, or not avoiding ourselves, or not hindering: What we can in others, such things as procure an ill name.

Proofs

  • The sins forbidden in the ninth commandment are, all prejudicing the truth, and the good name of our neighbors, as well as our own, (1 Samuel 17:28; 2 Samuel 16:3; 1:9–10, 15–16)
  • especially in public judicature; (Leviticus 19:15; Habakkuk 1:4)
  • giving false evidence, (Proverbs 19:5; 6:16, 19)
  • suborning false witnesses, (Acts 6:13)
  • wittingly appearing and pleading for an evil cause, outfacing and overbearing the truth; (Jeremiah 9:3, 5; Acts 24:2, 5; Psalms 12:3–4; 52:1–4)
  • passing unjust sentence, (Proverbs 17:15; 1 Kings 21:9–14)
  • calling evil good, and good evil; rewarding the wicked according to the work of the righteous, and the righteous according to the work of the wicked; (Isaiah 5:23)
  • forgery, (Psalm 119:69; Luke 19:8; 16:5–7)
  • concealing the truth, undue silence in a just cause, (Leviticus 5:1; Deuteronomy 13:8; Acts 5:3, 8–9; 2 Timothy 4:6)
  • and holding our peace when iniquity calleth for either a reproof from ourselves, (1 Kings 1:6; Leviticus 19:17)
  • or complaint to others; (Isaiah 59:4)
  • speaking the truth unseasonably, (Proverbs 29:11)
  • or maliciously to a wrong end, (1 Samuel 22:9–10; Psalm 52:1–5)
  • or perverting it to a wrong meaning, (Psalm 56:5; John 2:19; Matthew 26:60–61)
  • or in doubtful and equivocal expressions, to the prejudice of truth or justice; (Genesis 3:5; 26:7, 9)
  • speaking untruth, (Isaiah 59:13)
  • lying, (Leviticus 19:11; Colossians 3:9)
  • slandering, (Psalm 50:20)
  • backbiting, (James 4:11; Jeremiah 38:4)
  • detracting, (Leviticus 19:19)
  • tale bearing, (Romans 1:29–30)
  • whispering, (Genesis 21:9; Galatians 4:29)
  • scoffing, (1 Corinthians 6:10)
  • reviling, (Matthew 7:1)
  • rash, (Acts 28:4)
  • harsh, (Genesis 38:24; Romans 2:1)
  • and partial censuring; (Nehemiah 6:6–8; Romans 3:8; Psalm 69:10; 1 Samuel 1:13–15; 2 Samuel 10:3)
  • misconstructing intentions, words, and actions; (Psalm 12:2–3)
  • flattering, (2 Timothy 3:2)
  • vainglorious boasting, (Luke 18:9, 11; Romans 12:16; 1 Corinthians 4:6; Acts 12:22; Exodus 4:10–14)
  • thinking or speaking too highly or too meanly of ourselves or others; (Job 27:5–6)
  • denying the gifts and graces of God; (Matthew 7:3–5)
  • aggravating smaller faults; (Proverbs 28:13; 30:20; Genesis 3:12–13; Jeremiah 2:35; 2 Kings 5:25; Genesis 4:9)
  • hiding, excusing, or extenuating of sins, when called to a free confession; (Genesis 9:22; Proverbs 25:9–10)
  • unnecessary discovering of infirmities; (Exodus 23:1)
  • raising false rumors, (Proverbs 29:12)
  • receiving and countenancing evil reports, (Acts 7:56–57; Job 31:13–14)
  • and stopping our ears against just defense; (1 Corinthians 13:5; 1 Timothy 6:4)
  • evil suspicion; (Numbers 11:29; Matthew 21:15)
  • envying or grieving at the deserved credit of any, (Ezra 4:12–13)
  • endeavoring or desiring to impair it, (Jeremiah 48:27)
  • rejoicing in their disgrace and infamy; (Psalm 35:15–16, 21; Matthew 27:28–29)
  • scornful contempt, (Jude 16; Acts 12:22)
  • fond admiration; (Romans 1:31; 2 Timothy 3:3)
  • breach of lawful promises; (1 Samuel 2:24)
  • neglecting such things as are of good report, (2 Samuel 13:12–13; Proverbs 5:8–9; 6:33)
  • and practicing, or not avoiding ourselves, or not hindering: What we can in others, such things as procure an ill name.

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