All who hate me whisper about me, imagining the worst.
I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror. My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life.
A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.
Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.
Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.
For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior.
