What Does The Bible Say About Gossip?

Scriptural Warnings About Gossip

"Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness." (Exodus 23:1)

"You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people." (Leviticus 19:16)

"Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies." (Psalms 34:13)

"Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool." (Proverbs 10:18)

"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:21)

"With their mouths, the godless destroy their neighbors." (Proverbs 11:9)

"A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much." (Proverbs 20:19)

"I promise you on the day of judgment, everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken." (Matthew 12:36)

At some point in our lives, we will all be affected by gossip. Someone will say something to us or about us that is both untrue and hurtful. In some cases, it is even slanderous. The commonality of gossip suggests that this is a universal sin. We are all affected by it at various times in our lives and, sadly, we all engage in it at some stage. Not surprisingly then, the Bible has quite a bit to say about this sinful behavior and how it harms so many.

The Old Testament teaches gossip is wrong:

The Psalms and Proverbs are filled with declarations about the dangers of gossip. Having been a victim of vicious gossip himself (Psalm 41:7), King David advised that we should avoid the evil of gossip, and he prayed that God would set a guard over his mouth and keep watch over the door of his lips so that he would never engage in gossip himself (Psalms 141:3).

The book of Proverbs is traditionally attributed to King Solomon (Proverbs 1:1), though some scholars question whether he wrote all the proverbs contained in that biblical book. Regardless, here are some of the most important biblical proverbs dealing with gossip:

"A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends." (Proverb 16:28)

"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:21)

"With their mouths, the godless destroy their neighbors." (Proverbs 11:9)

"Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool." (Proverbs 10:18)

"A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much." (Proverbs 20:19)

What about the New Testament?

"I promise you on the day of judgment, everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken." (Matthew 12:36)

Clearly the Old Testament offers us much insight into the dangers of gossiping. But what of the New Testament? What insights did Jesus and His apostles offer on this extremely hurtful sin? Here are a few of the most insightful teachings the New Testament has to offer on the dangers of the sin of gossip.

What James says about gossip:

"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)

"Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it." (James 4:11)

The book of James has some classic lines about gossip. For example, in James 1:26, the brother of Jesus declares that we're not practicing true religion if we can't control our tongues and avoid spreading slander or gossip about others.

What Paul says about gossip:

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29)

"The women of the Church are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." (1 Timothy 3:11)

"Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." (1 Timothy 2:11-12, KJV)

"And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not." (1 Timothy 5:13, KJV)

"For I am afraid that when I come to visit you, I may find slander, gossip, and disorder among you." (2 Corinthians 12:20)

"And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful." (Romans 1:28-31)

As the author of nearly half of the New Testament, it will be no surprise that the Apostle Paul spoke frequently about the dangers of gossiping. He regularly called it out for what it is—sin! And he did not hesitate to be critical of the practice, regardless of who engaged in it.

Among his most important statements on the impropriety of gossip are the following:

To the Saints in Ephesus, he counseled to avoid unwholesome talk and instead focus on words that build others up, benefiting those who listen (Ephesians 4:29). Christians are urged to be builders, not destroyers.

To his convert, Timothy, Paul emphasized that the women of the Church should be worthy of respect, avoiding malicious talk and being temperate and trustworthy in everything (1 Timothy 3:11; Titus 2:3). Paul also cautioned against idleness and busybody behavior among widows, emphasizing the importance of avoiding nonsense talk (1 Timothy 5:13).

While it may sound like stereotyping, Paul didn't believe gossip was solely a "female problem." In his letter to the Saints at Corinth, he lamented the presence of slander, gossip, and disorder among both female and male members (2 Corinthians 12:20).

In his letter to the Saints in Rome, Paul pointed out that certain immoral individuals, regardless of gender, engaged in gossip and slander. These individuals were described as "God-haters" who lacked understanding, fidelity, love, and mercy (Romans 1:29-31). This description aligns with the harm caused by gossip, as it damages the very beings whom God created and loves.

Conclusion

From the earliest of times, God—through His prophets and even through His Holy Son, Jesus—has condemned the practice of gossiping. He has made it clear that engaging in this sin is a fool’s errand, and the gossiper will surely be called to account (on judgment day) for all whom he harmed through his idle gossip and all the ways in which he sinned because of it. There is so much wisdom in the Holy Bible about this insidious sin. And even our own practical experience of being hurt by those who have gossiped about us should be a strong reminder to never spread rumors about others. As the early 20th-century humorist, Will Rogers (1879-1935), counseled, “So live that you wouldn’t be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.”