"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor," is the ninth commandment given to Moses by God at Mt. Sinai. In this command, bearing false witness refers to anything that is untrue or insincere which may create false ideas about our neighbors. It also includes exaggerations and half-truths that hurt and damage others.
God gives this command to Moses because he hates lying. Since God is perfect and cannot lie and exclusively tells the truth, lying is an insult to him and goes against his image. Satan, on the other hand, is the father of lies and seeks to destroy God's people and work through falsehoods. God wants his own image to increase in his followers and desires for his children to abandon sinful practices such as lying which are used by Satan to advance his evil agenda.
Of course, there are times when it is not wise to give others the entire truth. Those who are sick or injured may not have the capacity to handle terrible, shocking news. Choosing to withhold information that would otherwise harm a person in a fragile state does not contradict God's command. The ninth commandment prohibits lying to or against our neighbor in order to harm them. As God's followers, we are to seek our neighbor's good and honor God by being truthful and honest.
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