Is gossip mentioned in the bible?

Answer 1

All of us are interested in people, so we sometimes say good, up-building things about others, which is fine if what we say is true and does not cause harm. Sometimes, though, the talk turns to gossip…which is "idle talk, not always true, about other people and their affairs." And more often then not, gossip becomes slander… "a false report meant to do harm to the good name and reputation of another." This happens when we probe into personal, private affairs, or when we raise questions about motives or cast doubts or plant suspicions about others. This type of gossip is most often malicious, often jaded and exaggerated, not always true and can injure a person severely. It most often comes from a place of ignorance. The Bible says A LOT about this type of gossip, because it can do SO much damage. For example:

**Of gossipers in Jesus' day it says… " At the same time they also learn to be unoccupied, gadding about to the houses; yes, not only unoccupied, but also gossipers and meddlers in other people's affairs, talking of things they ought not." (1 Timothy 5:13)

**At 1 Peter 4:15 the bible puts gossip in the same category as thievery and murder.

**Matthew 12:33-34 says "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks..." So, a person who purposely hurts others verbally is displaying a bad heart, and God will "give to each one according to his ways..."(Jeremiah 17:9+10)

Good council against gossip is given at :

(Proverbs 26:20-26) "Where there is no wood the fire goes out, and where there is no slanderer contention grows still. As charcoal for the embers and wood for the fire, so is a contentious man for causing a quarrel to glow. The words of a slanderer are like things to be swallowed greedily, which do go down into the innermost parts of the belly. As a silver glazing overlaid upon a fragment of earthenware are fervent lips along with a bad heart. With his lips the hater makes himself unrecognizable, but inside of him he puts deception. Although he makes his voice gracious, do not believe in him, for there are seven detestable things in his heart. Hatred is covered over by deceit. . . ."

(Proverbs 16:27-28) "A good-for-nothing man is digging up what is bad, and upon his lips there is, as it were, a scorching fire. A man of intrigues keeps sending forth contention, and a slanderer is separating those familiar with one another."

(Psalm 64:2-4) "...May you conceal me from the confidential talk of evildoers, From the tumult of practicers of hurtfulness, Who have sharpened their tongue just like a sword, Who have aimed their arrow, bitter speech, To shoot from concealed places at someone blameless…"

(2 Thessalonians 3:11) "For we hear certain ones are walking disorderly among YOU… meddling with what does not concern them.."

Gossip is truly hateful and truly UNChristian. Instead of hurting others with gossip, Christians are told to LOVE others, as Jesus loved them. This is not a suggestion; it's a command.

(1 Peter 4:8) "Above all things, have intense love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins."

(Matthew 19:19) "...You must love your neighbor as yourself."

(1 John 4:20) "If anyone makes the statement: "I love God," and yet is hating his brother, he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot be loving God, whom he has not seen…"

(Matthew 7:1-5) "Stop judging that YOU may not be judged; for with what judgment YOU are judging, YOU will be judged; and with the measure that YOU are measuring out, they will measure out to YOU. Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother's eye, but do not consider the rafter in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Allow me to extract the straw from your eye'; when, look! a rafter is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First extract the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to extract the straw from your brother's eye."

(Proverbs 17:17) "A true companion is loving all the time, and is a brother that is born for when there is distress."

(1 Thessalonians 4:11) " … make it YOUR aim to live quietly and to mind YOUR own business.."

The scriptures tell us to think before we speak, since our words can be a powerful source of good AND bad.

(PROVERBS 10:19) "In the abundance of words there does not fail to be transgression, but the one keeping his lips in check is acting discreetly."

(James 3:5) "So, too, the tongue is a little member and yet makes great brags. Look! How little a fire it takes to set so great a woodland on fire! "

And even LISTENING to gossip can be dangerous.

(Proverbs 17:4) " The evildoer is paying attention to the lip of hurtfulness. A falsifier is giving ear to the tongue causing adversities."

Remember too, that if someone will speak WITH you, they'll speak AGAINST you….meaning if someone will share hateful words about another person with you, you can be pretty sure they'll talk against YOU, with another.

Answer 2

No