What Does the Bible Say About Taking Oaths?

James 5:12 ESV / 13 helpful votes

But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

Matthew 5:33-37 ESV / 12 helpful votes

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Matthew 5:34 ESV / 7 helpful votes

But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

Numbers 30:2 ESV / 4 helpful votes

If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

1 John 3:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

1 Peter 2:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,

James 3:9-10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

Galatians 1:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

(In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!)

2 Corinthians 1:23 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth.

1 Corinthians 11:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat.

Romans 13:1-14 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. ...

Romans 11:1-36 ESV / 2 helpful votes

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. ...

Romans 9:1-33 ESV / 2 helpful votes

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. ...

Acts 5:29 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Acts 2:1-47 ESV / 2 helpful votes

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ...

John 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Matthew 26:63 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”

Matthew 23:16-22 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. ...

Matthew 18:15-17 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Matthew 16:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 7:29 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Matthew 5:37 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Matthew 5:33 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’

Matthew 5:22 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Matthew 5:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

Matthew 5:1-48 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ...

Matthew 2:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Hosea 4:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Though you play the whore, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty. Enter not into Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-aven, and swear not, “As the Lord lives.”

Jeremiah 12:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they shall be built up in the midst of my people.

Jeremiah 4:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And if you swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.”

Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

Proverbs 6:1-5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger, if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor. Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber; save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Nehemiah 5:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised.

1 Samuel 28:1-25 ESV / 2 helpful votes

In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.” David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.” Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. ...

Deuteronomy 21:18-21 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

Deuteronomy 6:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.

Numbers 30:1-16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel, saying, “This is what the Lord has commanded. If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. “If a woman vows a vow to the Lord and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father's house in her youth, and her father hears of her vow and of her pledge by which she has bound herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. But if her father opposes her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. And the Lord will forgive her, because her father opposed her. ...

Numbers 5:21 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Then’ (let the priest make the woman take the oath of the curse, and say to the woman) ‘the Lord make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the Lord makes your thigh fall away and your body swell.

Leviticus 19:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.

Exodus 20:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

Genesis 12:1-3 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

42 Bible Verses about Taking Oaths

James 5:12 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:33-37 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:34 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Numbers 30:2 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 3:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Peter 2:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 3:9-10 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Galatians 1:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Corinthians 1:23 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 11:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 13:1-14 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 11:1-36 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 9:1-33 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 5:29 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 2:1-47 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16-17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 26:63 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 23:16-22 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 18:15-17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 16:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 7:29 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:37 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:33 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:22 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:1-48 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 2:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hosea 4:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 12:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 4:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 6:1-5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Nehemiah 5:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Samuel 28:1-25 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Deuteronomy 21:18-21 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Deuteronomy 6:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Numbers 30:1-16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Numbers 5:21 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Leviticus 19:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 20:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 12:1-3 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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