The truth will set you free

See also: Aletheia and Eleutheria

"The truth will set you free" (Latin: Vēritās līberābit vōs (biblical) or Vēritās vōs līberābit (common), Greek: ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐλευθερώσει ὑμᾶς, transl. hē alḗtheia eleutherṓsei hūmâs) is a statement found in John 8:32—"And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" (KJV)—in which Jesus Christ addressed a group of Jews who believed he was the messiah.

"Veritas vos liberabit" in the 1890 graduation book of Johns Hopkins University

Usage

Higher education

The phrase is used as the motto of many universities, colleges, and schools: Yonsei University, Caltech (semi-officially), Johns Hopkins University, Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College, Canterbury Christ Church University,^[1] Adelphi University, University of Portland, Idaho State University, Ottawa University, St. Augustine's University, Southern Methodist University, University of Tennessee, Lafayette College, St Thomas College, Thrissur, Mar Ivanios College, Andhra Christian College, Catholic University of Uruguay, Catholic University of Cordoba, University of San Martín de Porres, Doshisha University, Victoria University, and Darien High School.

The verse itself, "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free", is inscribed on the Main Building at the University of Texas at Austin and at Parks Library at Iowa State University. "The truth shall make you free" is also inscribed on "Old Vic", the Victoria College building at Victoria University in the University of Toronto as well as the main hall of McCain Library at Agnes Scott College.

The phrase in Latin is the official motto of Southern Methodist University.^[2]

The phrase in Greek is the official motto of Lenoir-Rhyne University.

Translated into German, Die Wahrheit wird euch frei machen (lit. "The truth will make you free"), it is the motto of the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg.^[3]

Politics

The verse from the King James Version is carved in stone in the Original Headquarters Building (OHB) of the Central Intelligence Agency.^[4][5]

The phrase is in the Bible on the coat of arms of the Dominican Republic used since 1913.

The former president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, commonly uses the phrase,^[6][7][8] which was his motto at the 2018 presidential election. After the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard verdict on June 1, 2022, Bolsonaro tweeted the versicle.^[9][10]

References

1. "10 things You Didn't Know About Canterbury Christ Church University". Kettle Mag. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
2. "Spirit and Traditions".
3. "Freiburg: Inschrift am Kollegiengebäude". Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
4. "The CIA Headquarters Buildings". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
5. Morell, Michael (January 29, 2017). "There is a second sacred wall at the CIA. Trump disrespects that one every day". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
6. "João 8:32 - " E conhecereis a verdade, e a verdade vos libertará"". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
7. Minas, Estado de (2019-08-26). "Bolsonaro cita João 8:32 e afirma que revelará 'a verdade' sobre a Amazônia". Estado de Minas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-07-01.
8. João 8:32 - " E conhecereis a... - Jair Messias Bolsonaro | By Jair Messias Bolsonaro | João 8:32 - " E conhecereis a verdade, e a verdade vos libertará"., retrieved 2022-07-01
9. "- Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32Hugs from Captain Jair Bolsonaro 👍🇧🇷". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
10. Pernambuco, Diario de (2022-06-01). "Em inglês, Bolsonaro reage a caso Johnny Depp com salmo: A verdade libertará". Diário de Pernambuco (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-07-01.

Further reading

• Littlejohn, W. Bradford (2017). "'The truth will set you free': the peril and promise of Christian liberty". The Peril and Promise of Christian Liberty: Richard Hooker, the Puritans, and Protestant Political Theology. Wm. B. Eerdmans. pp. 238–. ISBN 978-1-4674-4702-7.
• Scrutton, Anastasia (2008). "'The truth will set you free': salvation as revelation". In Richard Bauckham; Carl Mosser (eds.). The Gospel of John and Christian theology. Wm. B. Eerdmans. pp. 359–. ISBN 9780802827173.

External links

•   Media related to Veritas liberabit vos at Wikimedia Commons