What Does the Bible Say About Gossip?

Ephesians 4:29 ESV / 250 helpful votes

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Proverbs 16:28 ESV / 153 helpful votes

A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.

Proverbs 11:13 ESV / 135 helpful votes

Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

Proverbs 20:19 ESV / 110 helpful votes

Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.

Proverbs 6:16-19 ESV / 102 helpful votes

There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Titus 3:2 ESV / 95 helpful votes

To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Exodus 23:1 ESV / 94 helpful votes

“You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.

Luke 6:31 ESV / 86 helpful votes

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

Psalm 34:13 ESV / 69 helpful votes

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.

James 4:11 ESV / 66 helpful votes

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.

Psalm 101:5 ESV / 62 helpful votes

Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.

Proverbs 26:20 ESV / 61 helpful votes

For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

1 Timothy 5:13 ESV / 52 helpful votes

Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.

Leviticus 19:16 ESV / 48 helpful votes

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.

Ephesians 4:32 ESV / 41 helpful votes

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Proverbs 10:18 ESV / 41 helpful votes

The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.

Romans 1:29 ESV / 39 helpful votes

They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,

Exodus 20:16 ESV / 38 helpful votes

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

James 1:26 ESV / 36 helpful votes

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.

Proverbs 15:1 ESV / 35 helpful votes

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Psalm 50:20 ESV / 35 helpful votes

You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son.

James 3:7-8 ESV / 29 helpful votes

For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Philippians 1:27 ESV / 28 helpful votes

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

Romans 2:1 ESV / 28 helpful votes

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

Matthew 7:12 ESV / 26 helpful votes

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Romans 12:2 ESV / 25 helpful votes

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Proverbs 18:8 ESV / 24 helpful votes

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

Proverbs 11:3 ESV / 24 helpful votes

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

Proverbs 26:22 ESV / 23 helpful votes

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

Titus 3:1-3 ESV / 21 helpful votes

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

Colossians 3:17 ESV / 21 helpful votes

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

2 Corinthians 12:20 ESV / 21 helpful votes

For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.

1 Timothy 5:12-14 ESV / 19 helpful votes

And so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander.

Psalm 15:1-5 ESV / 17 helpful votes

A Psalm of David. O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

Philippians 4:8 ESV / 16 helpful votes

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Romans 3:23 ESV / 15 helpful votes

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Galatians 5:13 ESV / 14 helpful votes

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV / 13 helpful votes

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

3 John 1:9-10 ESV / 11 helpful votes

I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

John 16:1-33 ESV / 7 helpful votes

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ ...

Proverbs 25:18 ESV / 4 helpful votes

A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.

41 Bible Verses about Gossip