Heidelberg Catechism, Question 99
Question 99
What is required in the third command?
That we, not only by cursing (Lev. 24;15), or perjury (Lev. 19;12), but also by rash swearing, must not abuse or profane the name of God (Matt. 5;34-36); nor by silence or connivance be partakers of these horrible sins in others (Lev. 5;1); and briefly, that we use the holy name of God no otherwise than with fear and reverence (Mal. 4;2); so that he may be rightly confessed, and worshipped by us, and be glorified in all our words and works (1 Pet. 3;18).
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Leviticus 24:1515And you are to tell the Israelites, ‘If anyone curses his God, he shall bear the consequences of his sin.
Romans 12:1414Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
Leviticus 19:1212You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
Zechariah 8:1717do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely, for I hate all these things,” declares the LORD.
Matthew 5:34-3634But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
35or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Leviticus 5:44Or if someone swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do anything good or evil—in whatever matter a man may rashly pronounce an oath—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty in the matter.
James 5:1212Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.
Leviticus 5:11“If someone sins by failing to testify when he hears a public charge about something he has witnessed, whether he has seen it or learned of it, he shall bear the iniquity.
Proverbs 29:2424A partner to a thief hates his own soul; he receives the oath, but does not testify.
Malachi 4:22“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.
Isaiah 45:2323By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
Revelation 15:33and they sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and wonderful are Your works, O Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations!
Revelation 15:44Who will not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”
1 Peter 3:1515But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect,
Matthew 10:3232Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven.
Matthew 10:3333But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.
Colossians 3:1717And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
1 Corinthians 10:3131So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.
1 Timothy 2:88Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.
1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
Source and edition
Heidelberg Catechism. RCA English, E. R. Good & Bro., Tiffin, 1879. RCA English, E. R. Good & Bro., Tiffin, 1879
Public Domain (historic text); CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikisource transcription). Source transcription.
Transcription licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0.
Berean Blue opens December 1, 2026 for Bible reading, study, and research. View this work in the app preview.