The Top Fifteen Bible Texts on Gossiping
Do you like to gossip? Do you like to listen to gossip? What does the Bible say about it? Tabloids thrive on gossip. Soap operas feed off of it. People around the world get a thrill from news of others failings as it makes them feel better about themselves. Gossip also gives them a chance to add some spice to their otherwise mundane lives. What does the Bible say about gossip? The Bible says so much about this topic that it is virtually impossible to give just ten so here are fifteen.
(1) “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.” (Lev. 19:16)
(2) “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” (Matt. 18:15)
(3) “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;” (1 Thess. 4:11)
(4) “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.” (James 1:26)
(5) “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” (Psa. 34:13)
(6) “16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven arean abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness thatspeaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Prov. 6:16-19)
Gossiping
(7) “A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.” (Prov. 11:13)
(8) “An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire. A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.” (Prov. 16:27-28) (See also verse 37).
(9) “He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.” (Prov. 20:19)
(10) “Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:” (Prov. 25:9)
Busy as a bee
(11) “For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.” (Jer. 20:10)
(12) “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 Tim. 5:13)
(13) “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (Prov. 18:21)
(14) “A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.” (Prov. 29:11)
(15) “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.” (Prov. 26:20)
If only we would spread the gospel the way that we so readily spread gossip! Jesus would return in no time because the whole world would know about Him and make a decision for or against Him. Let us do as the book of Titus says “To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.” (Tit 3:2) Let us refrain from speaking when called upon to carry news saying with Solomon that there is “ a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;” (Eccles. 3:7) Let us ask help from God because we cannot do it by ourselves. We are told:
“6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: … it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:6-8)
When we get help from God we will be able to stop gossiping and not be like certain people in Acts 17:21 who “spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.”
