322. In the spiritual meaning, testifying falsely refers to convincing people that a false belief is a true one and an evil life is a good one, and the reverse; but only if these things are done deliberately, not out of ignorance. Doing them deliberately is doing them after we know what truth and goodness are, not before. The Lord says, "If you were blind you would have no sin. But now that you say, 'We see,' your sin remains" (John 9:41).

This falseness is what is meant in the Word by a lie and this deliberateness is what is meant by deceit in the following passages:

We are striking a pact with death; we are making an agreement with hell. We have put our trust in lying and have hidden ourselves with falsity. (Isaiah 28:15)

They are a people of rebellion, lying children. They do not want to hear the law of Jehovah. (Isaiah 30:9)

Everyone from prophet to priest is acting out a lie. (Jeremiah 8:10)

The inhabitants speak a lie, and as for their tongue, deceit is in their mouths. (Micah 6:12)

You are to destroy those who speak a lie. Jehovah loathes a man of deceit. (Psalms 5:6)

They taught their tongue to tell a lie, to dwell in the midst of their deceit. (Jeremiah 9:5-6)

Because "a lie" means a falsity, the Lord says, "The Devil speaks a lie from his own resources" (John 8:44). A lie also means falsity and deception in the following passages: Jeremiah 9:4; 23:14, 32; ; 21:29; Hosea 7:1; 12:1; Nahum 3:1; Psalms 120:2-3.