14 Powerful Bible Verses That Show What God Thinks About Gossip

_{We don’t want to think gossip is a sin, because we all do it easily. These Bible verses about gossip tell us what God really thinks about it.}

I walked away from the conversation, and immediately my heart was full of shame. What had started as a simple conversation between me and my bestie, had turned into a big “he said, she said” gossip fest.

God had been dealing with me about my gossip issue. And I thought I was getting it under control. But those few minutes proved I’m not quite there yet.

Gossip is the sin of good church ladies. You know the ones that look like they’re living at the foot of the cross. The ones that want us to think they’re perfect.

I know this, because I have been, and sometimes still am, that lady.

Gossip feels innocent. It’s easy to convince ourselves it’s not gossip. It’s certainly not a sin.

God has some things to say about gossip. Not pretty things. He doesn’t see it as innocent. In fact, when He lists the seven sins He hates the most, gossip is one of them.

Not as innocent as we thought, huh?

What is Gossip According to the Bible?

The word “gossip” isn’t actually in the Bible. But you’ll find several words that meant the same thing.

• backbiting tongue
• sowing discord
• whispering
• slander
• busybody
• guile
• speaking evil
• tattling

When we truly identify gossip for what it is, we see just how ugly God sees it. After all, to “speak evil of a brother or sister” sounds a lot worse than gossip.

Gossip is a problem for both men and women in the church. But as a woman, I can say firsthand that it is a huge struggle for me.

When I’m with friends, I often find myself turning to gossip to fill the conversation. And maybe to make myself feel better about my own mistakes and shortcomings.

These Bible verses about gossip make me see myself as a gossiping woman–something I truly don’t want to be!

Read on to see what the Bible says about the tongue and gossip, and how we can overcome this sin.

Bible Verses About Gossip

Yes, gossip is a sin. Before we can move forward, we have to recognize Biblical truth. God is very clear that backbiting and slander are wrong, and He hates it.

Proverbs 6:16-19

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.

Nothing creates discord in families or groups of friends like gossip. And God hates it. It’s just as serious to Him as murder. Not what we want to hear, right?

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Proverbs 16:28

A froward man soweth strife: And a whisperer separateth chief friends.
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God says a lot about gossip in Proverbs! This verse is another reminder that gossip hurts people. Whispering about others literally destroys friendships.

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Proverbs 10:18

He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

In the end, no matter what you call it–gossip, slander, backbiting, guile–it’s foolish. And if we participate enough, we start to look foolish.

Proverbs 10:19

In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: But he that refraineth his lips is wise.

We don’t usually set out to gossip. Sometimes it happens when we talk a lot.

Ouch. That’s a tough pill to swallow. Mainly because I am a talker. I love intimate, one-on-one conversations with friends.

If I’m not careful, these times of fellowship can easily lead to bashing others. And that’s wrong, whether I mean it to be, or not.

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Proverbs 17:9

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; But he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

Have you ever known something about someone you know shouldn’t be shared? It’s so hard to keep a secret like that!

Even if what you’re saying is true, gossip is a sin. Keeping things private, between you and God is an act of love.

Once again, Proverbs reminds us that gossip separates friends.

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Proverbs 21:23

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never talked about someone else and finished the conversation feeling better. Maybe I’m able to justify myself in the short term.

But I know that gossip is wrong, and I feel convicted afterward. What’s the best way to prevent the shame that follows gossip?

Avoid it altogether.

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Proverbs 11:2

An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

A hypocrite is a person who says one thing but lives something different. A person who uses their tongue to destroy someone else is a hypocrite–pretending to be a servant of Christ, but hurting others.

A person who is wise has the knowledge of God, and that knowledge will spare them a lot of heartaches.

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Proverbs 18:21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
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How crazy is it to think that a little tongue has so much power? Most of us don’t have power to cause literal life or death with our tongues.

But we can bring life or death to someone’s spirit. Think of a time when someone said someone nice to you, and it just made your day.

On the flip side, you can probably think of someone who said something mean to you. And it broke your heart.

Our tongues have the power to bring life or death to someone else. Words can tear people down, or build them up.

Years ago I read this saying, “Stick and stones only bread bones. Words can shatter the soul.”

We shouldn’t use our words as weapons to hurt someone else. But that is what gossip does.

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Matthew 12:36

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.‬‬

One day we will stand before God and give account for all the words we’ve spoken. Even the ones we didn’t think we’re a big deal.

I don’t want to have to be held accountable to God for gossiping or talking about others behind their backs.

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Psalm 34:13

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

Guile is a word that just sounds ugly. It means “sly or cunning intelligence.” I know I’ve been guilt of slipping in a sly word here and there.

I don’t want to think of myself as being evil. But gossip is ugly, and it’s evil. The Bible says to stay away and avoid it.

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1 Thessalonians 4:11

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

There’s something in every one of us that wants to know what everyone else is doing. We like to compare ourselves to others and see how we measure up.

Instead, the Bible tells us to do our own work, mind our own business, and not worry about what the Joneses have…or are doing.

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Ephesians 4:29

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.

What do the words that come out of your mouth say about you? Do your words give grace to others?

Gossip and backbiting tear others down. God says our words should be used to build others up. The things you say about someone else really tell more about you than them.

Be a person who tries to see the best in others so that you never have negative, ugly things to say.

1 Timothy 5:13

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.

Being idle often leads to gossip. We see this pretty often in our age of social media. We spend our time scrolling through social media. While we aren’t “wandering from house to house” as Timothy says, we might as well be.

So many rumors and slanders get started on social media, and they’re so easy to repeat. Especially since we usually don’t know the hurt experienced on the other side of the screen.

It’s best to follow the advice from 1 Thessalonians 4:11 and stay busy with our own work. There’s truth to the old saying, “Idle hands are the devil’s playground.

James 1:26

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 spelled it out in black and white. If a person thinks she (or he!) is a good Christian, but can’t control her tongue, she’s deceiving herself.

This is a pretty harsh verse. But it’s solid proof that God sees the sin of gossip as a really big deal. So much that He says religion is vain in the life of a gossip.

James 3:5

Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

Most of us would never think of lifting a hand to hurt someone else. But our tongue is another matter!

It’s such a small part of the body, but it causes more harm than just about any other. It has the power to destroy a friend in just a few seconds.

A backbiting tongue starts a little fire, but before long it has destroyed everything in its path.

Leviticus 19:16

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.

It doesn’t get much more clear than this command from God to the children of Israel! Don’t be a talebearer!

The Consequences of Gossip

The Bible is very clear about what happens to those who gossip. They cause hurt and pain to others and tear apart relationships.

Most of us know someone who is a gossip, and we avoid them.

You know who I mean. You cringe when you see her number on your phone or notice her walking towards you after church.

A person who uses their tongue to tear others down soon has no true friends. She may seem popular. In fact, she’s often the center of attention in a group.

But she has no respect, and no one trusts her. A whisperer isn’t the kind of person you want to confide in!

She probably doesn’t even realize how others feel about her. She thinks people like her because she’s always “in the know.”

The truth is, a person who gossips is a fool. She doesn’t know the damage she’s causing.

As a woman who loves God, and wants to serve Him, I don’t want to be guilty of gossip.

3 Steps to Stop Gossiping

We can see now that gossip is a serious sin. It’s also easy to fall into! If we want to stop being a gossip, here are 3 things to do:

1. Identify What Gossip Is.

Gossip takes a lot of forms. In the church it can even appear as a prayer request. You should certainly pray for people, and even ask others to join you in prayer. But you don’t need to know (or share) the details of a person’s life in order to pray for them.

Gossip can also be complaining. When we feel less than another woman, we often feel the need to justify ourselves. We do this by identifying her faults (real or not) to someone else.

When you start to identify what gossip is according to the Bible, you might be surprised how much you actually participate.

After you know what it is, and see when and where it crops up, you can take the next step to stop gossiping.

2. Ask God for Help.

God never identifies a sin without giving us a way to escape it. Psalm 141:3 says “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep a door of my lips.”

If you really struggle with gossip, ask God to put a door on your lips. Ask Him to show you when you are about to become a “whisperer.”

His grace is sufficient. If you want to stop gossiping at church, or anywhere, He will help you.

3. Get an accountability partner.

Ask someone to hold you accountable to your commitment to stop gossiping about others. It might mean she calls you each week to see how you’re doing. Or, you might call her when you’ve had a slip-up.

No matter how you work with an accountability partner, make sure she is someone you can trust. Ask her to pray with you for victory over this sin in your life.

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The sin of gossip is real. And it’s something most of us deal with. It’s been a struggle for me for year. But God is helping me. He’s helping me to see how ugly gossip is, and why He doesn’t want me to do it.

Quitting gossip isn’t a quick-fix. It takes time, conscious effort and a lot of prayer. But it is possible with God’s help.

And He wants to help if you ask.

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