Category
109 Bible verses about raising slander
Think about how often you hear gossip or feel tempted to spread it. Ephesians 4:29 encourages us to "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." It really makes you think about the power of your words, doesn't it?
What God wants for us, I believe, is to use our words to build others up, not tear them down. When we speak negatively about someone, it not only hurts them, but it also reflects poorly on us. Our words reveal our character and values, you know? It's like that saying, "What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart."
Leviticus 19:16 also hits home: "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." This reminds us of the importance of truth and justice. We're called to protect our neighbors, not endanger them with harmful words.
So, I hope this little reflection encourages you, as it does me, to be mindful of our words. Instead of tearing others down, let's focus on speaking truth, promoting justice, and building each other up. If we follow these biblical principles, we can create a society where gossip has no place, and honesty and respect flourish.
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
These six things doth the LORD hate: Yea, seven are an abomination unto him:A proud look, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, Feet that be swift in running to mischief,A false witness that speaketh lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren.
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, Him will I cut off: Him that hath an high look And a proud heart will not I suffer.
In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.
For He that will love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile:
For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.
having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, And from a deceitful tongue.
being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD.
A talebearer revealeth secrets: But he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.
being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, And thy tongue frameth deceit.Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; Thou slanderest thine own mother's son.
Let the lying lips be put to silence; Which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: But perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, And from a deceitful tongue.What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, And they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.Thou lovest evil more than good; And lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: But he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: So where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
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.
I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me.
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
The lip of truth shall be established for ever: But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.They compassed me about also with words of hatred; And fought against me without a cause.
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: His words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: But the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
The proud have forged a lie against me: But I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: But through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, And loving favour rather than silver and gold.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: Therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
Who whet their tongue like a sword, And bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
For it was not an enemy that reproached me; Then I could have born it: Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; Then I would have hid myself from him:But it was thou, a man mine equal, My guide, and mine acquaintance.We took sweet counsel together, And walked unto the house of God in company.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: But the froward tongue shall be cut out.The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: But the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.
Open rebuke is better Than secret love.Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, And layeth up deceit within him;When he speaketh fair, believe him not: For there are seven abominations in his heart.Whose hatred is covered by deceit, His wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.
As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: As he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, So let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; And discover not a secret to another:Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, And thine infamy turn not away.
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, And the tongue that speaketh proud things:Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; Our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
A naughty person, a wicked man, Walketh with a froward mouth.He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, He teacheth with his fingers;Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; He soweth discord.Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; Suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: Under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: But the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue Is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, Which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: All that see them shall flee away.
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, And hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.He made a pit, and digged it, And is fallen into the ditch which he made.His mischief shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: But he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, He shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.
He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: But a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
As a mad man who casteth firebrands, Arrows, and death,So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, And saith, Am not I in sport?
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; But he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.