Context

In the Gospel of John, Jesus takes the wheel and lets people know that the only way through the pearly gates is to get to know the son of Big Man himself.

It's this "truth" that will "set you free." Not the truth that double stuf Oreos are the best or that jorts are the worst.

Sorry.

Where you've heard it

You'll hear this line any time someone wants you to tell the truth—even though the whole truth vs. lying thing isn't the meaning of the verse at all.

Additional Notable References:

• The official motto of Johns Hopkins University (should we call it the Book of Johns?) is "Veritas vos liberabit" which translates to "The truth shall make you free."

• People love to modify this quote as "The truth will set you free, but first it will ___________." Usually, the blank is filled in with something majorly negative.

• This verse was etched into the wall of the CIA's original building.

• Jim Carrey shouts this line in a manic fit in Liar Liar, where he plays an attorney who must always tell the truth.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

We might knock a couple points off if it were actually about honesty.