What Does The Bible Say About Gossip and Slander?

Published Oct 17, 2021

Almost all of us have probably talked about someone behind their backs. Some of it might be true but most of the time, they’re just malicious information with no factual basis. In short, they’re worthless pieces of gossip.

But what we usually don’t realize is that those seemingly harmless pieces of gossip can lead to slander. Before we know it, lives have been ruined and someone’s reputation is in tatters.

This is how dangerous a slanderous comment can be. It can destroy friendships and tear families apart. And as history proves time and time again, a mere piece of gossip can bring about generations of feud and chaos. That’s on top of a costly lawsuit.

Even in the bible, gossip and slander are viewed as something that goes against God’s will. In fact, the ninth commandment says “Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” The worst thing about this is, even if we know that gossiping is a sin, we still do it. The act of talking about others behind their backs has become so commonplace that it has essentially become a part of human nature. This is why the apostle James said that humans can tame almost all kinds of animals in the world but not our own tongues (James 3:7-8) because taming the tongue requires God’s help.

If you want to know more about what the bible says about gossip and slander, here are some bible verses to check out:

1. With his mouth, the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge, the righteous are delivered. – Proverbs 11:9
2. A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. – Proverbs 16:28
3. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. – Exodus 20:16
4. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  – Matthew 7:15
5. A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin. – Proverbs 26:28
6. And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” –Mark 7:20-23
7. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. – Leviticus 19:16
8. The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue, angry looks. – Proverbs 25:23
9. Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you. – Proverbs 20:22
10. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak. – Matthew 12:36
11. Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. –James 4:11
12. Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler. – Psalm 20:19
13. Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure. – Psalm 101:5
14. So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. – Matthew 7:12
15. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. – 2 Timothy 2:16-17
16. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. – James 1:26
17. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. – Ephesians 4:31-32
18. And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you. – Thessalonians 4:11
19. Nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. – 1 Corinthians 6:10
20. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. – Luke 6:45
21. The words of a whisperer are like delicious choice morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. – Proverbs 26:22
22. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. – James 1:12
23. Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. – Proverbs 10:12
24. A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. – Proverbs 11:1
25. Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers, who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows, shooting from ambush at the blameless, shooting at him suddenly and without fear. They hold fast to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, “Who can see them?” – Psalm 64:2-5
26. Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. – James 1:19-20
27. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. – Romans 1:29-32