Proverbs 25:18

A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

Cross-reference

Proverbs 12:18 uses identical weapon imagery for harmful speech — reckless words pierce like swords. Very similar teaching.

Proverbs 6:19 explicitly lists 'a false witness who pours out lies'—directly paralleling the false witness metaphor in Proverbs 25:18.

Proverbs 21:28 states a false witness will perish—showing the outcome of such behavior, complementing the harm imagery in Proverbs 25:18.

Proverbs 26:18 compares a deceiver to a madman shooting deadly arrows—a similar weapon metaphor for harmful speech.

Jeremiah 9:8 says their tongue is a deadly arrow—directly matching the arrow imagery here, emphasizing lethal words.

Psalm 55:21 Parallel

Psalm 55:21 says his words are drawn swords—directly matching the sword imagery here, showing deceitful words as weapons.

Psalm 57:4 Parallel

Psalm 57:4 describes tongues as sharp swords—identical weapon imagery, reinforcing that slander is like a sword attack.

Psalm 120:4 Parallel

Psalm 120:4 answers with 'sharp arrows'—directly matching the arrow image here, showing God's judgment on false tongues.

Jeremiah 9:3 says they bend their tongue like a bow—another weapon metaphor for deceit, similar to the arrow and sword here.

1 Kings 21:13 Historical context

In 1 Kings 21:13, false witnesses testify against Naboth, leading to his death—a concrete example of the deadly weapon imagery in Proverbs 25:18.

Matthew 26:59 Historical context

Matthew 26:59 shows chief priests seeking false testimony against Jesus—a historical example of false witness leading to death.

Jeremiah 9:4 warns every neighbor is a slanderer—illustrating the prevalence of false witness against neighbors as in Proverbs 25:18.

Exodus 23:1 Historical context

Exodus 23:1 directly commands against spreading false reports—the law behind the warning, grounding the weapon imagery in God's prohibition.

Psalm 140:3 Parallel

Psalm 140:3 says the tongue is sharp as a serpent's venom—a different but equally deadly image for harmful speech.

Psalm 52:2 Parallel

Psalm 52:2 compares the tongue to a sharp razor—another weapon metaphor for destructive speech, paralleling the club, sword, and arrow here.

James 3:6 Parallel

James 3:6 calls the tongue a fire, a different destructive force, showing the universal danger of uncontrolled speech.

Psalm 120:3 Related theme

Psalm 120:3 asks what punishment fits the deceitful tongue—expanding on the danger of false speech introduced here.