The truth shall set you free

Meaning: Honesty and truth lead to liberation.

Origin: From the Gospel of John (8:32): "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Jesus meant freedom from sin; the verse has since become a secular motto, carved into the lobby wall of the CIA's original headquarters building in 1961.

Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German

  • French: La vérité vous rendra libres (literally: The truth will make you free)
  • Spanish: La verdad os hará libres (literally: The truth will make you free)
  • Japanese: 真実はあなたを自由にする (Shinjitsu wa anata wo jiyū ni suru) (literally: The truth will make you free)
  • German: Die Wahrheit wird euch frei machen (literally: The truth will make you free)

More proverbs about Morality

From our false friends

  • Kind — Actually means 'child'. For kind (nice), say aardig or vriendelijk.
  • Wet — Actually means 'law'. For wet, say nat.
  • Elf — Actually means 'eleven'. Elf uur = eleven o'clock.

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