Evil-speaking

e-v'-l-spek'-ing:

Occurs twice in English Versions:

(1) 1 Pet 2:1 it is the translation of katalalia, "a speaking against," rendered "backbiting" in 2 Cor 12:20; compare katalalos, "backbiter" (Rom 1:30); the verb katalaleo is rendered to "speak against" (1 Pet 2:12; Jas 4:11; 1 Pet 3:16);

(2) of blasphemia, "what is hurtful to the good name of anyone," "detraction," "slander" (Eph 4:31 the Revised Version (British and American), "railing"; compare 1 Tim 6:4; Jude 1:9; Col 3:8); the verb blasphemeo is rendered to "speak evil of" (Rom 14:16; 1 Cor 10:30; Titus 3:2, etc.); to "speak evil" occurs in Mark 9:39 as the translation of kakologeo, "lightly (the Revised Version (British and American) "quickly") speak evil of me"; Acts 19:9 the King James Version "spake evil of that way." In Ps 140:11, we have "evil-speaker" as the translation of 'ish lashon, "a man of tongue"; so the Revised Version (British and American). The wrong thing condemned as evil-speaking seems to be essentially detraction, what is hurtful to the reputation, and it is often too lightly regarded even among Christians.

See Blasphemy; Railing; Slander.

W. L. Walker

slan'-der (substantive, dibbah, "slander"; diabolos, "slanderer"; verb raghal, "to slink about" as a talebearer, lashan, "to use the tongue," "to slander"; diaballo, "to calumniate," "to slander"; and other words): Slander (etymologically a doublet of "scandal," from OFr. esclandre, Latin scandalum, "stumblingblock") is an accusation maliciously uttered, with the purpose or effect of damaging the reputation of another. As a rule it is a false charge (compare Matt 5:11); but it may be a truth circulated insidiously and with a hostile purpose (e.g. Dan 3:8, "brought accusation against," where Septuagint has diaballo, "slander"; Luke 16:1, the same Greek word). Warnings, condemnations and complaints in reference to this sin are very frequent, both in the Old Testament and New Testament. Mischievous "tale-bearing" or "whispering" is condemned (Lev 19:16; Ezek 22:9). There are repeated warnings against evil-speaking (as in Ps 34:13; Prov 15:28; Eph 4:31; Col 3:8; Jas 4:11; 1 Pet 3:10), which is the cause of so much strife between man and man (Prov 16:27-30), and which recoils on the speaker himself to his destruction (Ps 101:5; Ps 140:11). Especially is false witness, which is "slander carried into a court of justice," to be condemned and punished (Exod 20:16; Deut 19:16-21; compare Prov 12:17; Prov 14:5; Prov 14:25; Prov 19:5; Prov 21:28; Prov 24:28). Special cases of slander more than usually mean are when a wife's chastity is falsely impeached by her husband (Deut 22:13-19), and when one slanders a servant to his master (Prov 30:10). Even a land may be slandered as well as persons (Num 14:36). Slanderers and backbiters are mentioned in some of Paul's darkest catalogues of evildoers (Rom 1:29; Rom 1:30; 2 Cor 12:20; 2 Tim 3:3). To refrain from slander is an important qualification for citizenship in theocracy (Ps 15:1; Ps 15:3; Ps 24:3; Ps 24:4) and for a place in the Christian church (1 Tim 3:11; Titus 2:3). Jesus Himself was the victim of slanders (Matt 11:19) and of false testimony (Matt 27:63). The apostles, too, came in for a full share of it (e.g. Acts 24:5 f; 28:22; 2 Cor 6:8). In the case of Paul, even his central doctrine of justification was "slanderously reported" as if it encouraged immorality (Rom 3:8). The devil (= "the calumniator") is represented as the great accuser of God's people (Rev 12:10), the slanderer paragraph excellence (compare Job 1:9-11; Zech 3:1).

See also CRIMES; PUNISHMENTS.

D. Miall Edwards