What Does the Bible Say About Gossip?
"He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips." — Proverbs 20:19
This verse cuts straight to the heart of what gossip is: the careless or malicious spreading of private information. The Hebrew word translated "talebearer" (רָכִיל, rakil) carries the idea of someone who wanders about trading in secrets, and Scripture's counsel is blunt — don't associate with such a person Proverbs 20:19.
Proverbs also frames deceitful speech as ultimately self-destructive: "Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel" Proverbs 20:17. Gossip may feel satisfying in the moment, but it carries bitter consequences. And a lying tongue isn't merely foolish — it's something God actively hates, since sowing discord among brethren is listed as one of the things the Lord finds detestable Proverbs 6:19.
Protestant View on Gossip
"He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool." — Proverbs 10:18
Protestant theology has long treated gossip as a violation of the ninth commandment's broader principle of protecting one's neighbor's reputation. The Westminster Larger Catechism, for instance, identifies "whispering, reproaching, scoffing" as sins of the tongue — a framework rooted directly in passages like Proverbs 6:19, which numbers "he that soweth discord among brethren" among the things the Lord hates Proverbs 6:19.
Proverbs 10:18 is especially pointed in Protestant preaching: "He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool." Reformed and evangelical teachers emphasize that gossip isn't just a social problem — it's a spiritual one, revealing a heart that harbors hatred while projecting false friendliness Proverbs 10:18.
Protestant ethicists also stress the relational damage gossip causes. Proverbs 26:28 makes the connection explicit: "A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin" Proverbs 26:28. To gossip about someone, Scripture suggests, is actually a form of hatred toward them, even when it's dressed up as concern or casual conversation.
The remedy Protestant tradition offers is truthfulness. Proverbs 12:22 declares that "lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight" Proverbs 12:22. Believers are called not merely to stop gossiping but to replace it with speech that is honest, kind, and constructive — speech that reflects God's own character.
Key takeaways
- Proverbs 20:19 calls the gossip a 'talebearer' who reveals secrets, and warns believers not to associate with such a person Proverbs 20:19.
- Lying lips are described as 'abomination to the LORD' in Proverbs 12:22, while truthful speech is called His delight Proverbs 12:22.
- Proverbs 10:18 labels the person who utters slander a 'fool,' linking gossip to hidden hatred Proverbs 10:18.
- Sowing discord among brethren — often a result of gossip — is listed among the things God hates in Proverbs 6:19 Proverbs 6:19.
- Gossip is ultimately self-destructive: Proverbs 26:28 warns that a flattering mouth 'worketh ruin' Proverbs 26:28.
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