Where did lying come from?

The Bible says that lying started with God’s enemy, Satan the Devil, whom the Bible calls “the father of the lie.” (John 8:44) He lied about God to the first humans. (Genesis 3:1-6, 13, 17-19; 5:5) Since then, Satan has continued to spread lies and hide the truth about God.—Revelation 12:9.

Why is lying so common today?

In our time, which the Bible calls “the last days,” Satan’s misleading influence on the world has grown. People commonly tell lies to mislead others and take advantage of them. (2 Timothy 3:1, 13) Falsehood also permeates most religions today. As the Bible foretold for our time, people “surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled,” choosing to “turn away from listening to the truth.”—2 Timothy 4:3, 4.