A falsifier
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Pseustes names a liar or false speaker, a person characterized in a given context by falsehood against God, Christ, another person, or one's own claim. The word is severe and must not be thrown at every mistaken statement.
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Full entry for ψεύστης (G5583) · Open the biblical lexicon
Pseustes names a liar or false speaker, a person characterized in a given context by falsehood against God, Christ, another person, or one's own claim. The word is severe and must not be thrown at every mistaken statement.
The BSB source-word alignment has 10 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a liar (7), [and] liars (1), liar (1), liars (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at John 8:44. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 John (5), John (2), 1 Timothy (1), Romans (1).
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
Pseustes names a liar or false speaker, a person characterized in a given context by falsehood against God, Christ, another person, or one's own claim. The word is severe and must not be thrown at every mistaken statement. In John 8, Jesus calls the devil a liar and father of lies, then refuses to make Himself a liar by denying His knowledge of the Father. Romans declares that God is true even if every human being is shown false.
First John uses the word pastorally and doctrinally: denying sin, claiming to know God while disobeying Him, or claiming love for God while hating a brother exposes contradiction. Pseustes therefore helps readers see lying as more than inaccurate speech. It is a moral and theological rupture between profession and truth.
Pseustes appears in texts where falsehood opposes God's truth. John 8 locates the devil's character in lies and sets Jesus' truthfulness over against false denial. Romans 3 protects God's truthfulness against human unfaithfulness. First John repeatedly uses the word to test claims: sinlessness, knowledge of God, and love for God are exposed as lies when they contradict God's word and brotherly love. The word serves discernment of speech and profession.
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
Jesus identifies the devil as a liar and father of lies. The word reaches its darkest personal source in opposition to truth.
You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word.
Jesus says denying His knowledge of the Father would make Him a liar like His opponents. Truthfulness is bound to His identity and obedience.
Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”
Paul insists that God is true even if every man is a liar. The word contrasts human falsehood with God's unwavering truth.
If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.
Claiming to have not sinned makes God out to be a liar. The word exposes denial of sin as contradiction of God's testimony.
If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
The one who claims to know God while disobeying His commands is a liar. John tests profession by obedience.
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
The one who claims love for God while hating his brother is a liar. The word exposes a contradiction between worship claim and visible love.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Greek word. One who habitually speaks falsehood; in John's Gospel, characterizes those denying Jesus's identity or claims.
One who habitually speaks falsehood; in John's Gospel, characterizes those denying Jesus's identity or claims.
(ψεύδω), [in LXX: Psa.116:11 (כָּזַב), Pro.19:22 A N2 (כָּזָב), Sir.15:8 25:2 * ;] a liar: Jhn.8:44, 55, Rom.3:4, 1Ti.1:10, Tit.1:12, 1Jn.1:10 Jn 2:4 Jn 2:22 Jn 4:20 Jn 5:10 .
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
10 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
a liar, deceiver
Read versea liar, deceiver
Read versea liar, deceiver
Read versea liar, deceiver
Read versea liar, deceiver
Read versea liar, deceiver
Read versea liar, deceiver
Read versea liar, deceiver
Read versea liar, deceiver
Read versea liar, deceiver
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 4 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 10 lexical occurrence verses.
ψεύστης is built from this root:
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Pseustes is not merely a vocabulary word for an inaccurate speaker. John 8 traces lying to the devil's opposition to truth and shows Jesus refusing any false denial of His knowledge of the Father. Romans 3 uses the word to magnify God's truthfulness over against universal human unreliability. First John then applies the word with pastoral sharpness. If we deny sin, we contradict God.
If we claim to know Him while refusing His commandments, our profession is false. If we claim to love God while hating a brother, our worship language is exposed. The word therefore protects the church from profession without truth. It also calls sinners to confession, obedience, and love under the God who is true.
John 8:44
Pseustes is a noun for a liar or false speaker. The New Testament often uses it as a characterizing term within a specific contradiction between claim and truth.
The canon consistently presents God as true and human falsehood as rebellion against Him. Pseustes brings that contrast into direct focus where speech, confession, obedience, and love either align with God or contradict Him.
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