Evil-Speaking
Evil-Speaking [1]
ē -v 'l -spēk´ing : Occurs twice in English Versions: (1) 1 Peter 2:1 it is the translation of καταλαλιά , katalaliá , "a speaking against," rendered "backbiting" in 2 Corinthians 12:20; compare katálalos , "backbiter" ( Romans 1:30 ); the verb katalaléō is rendered to "speak against" ( 1 Peter 2:12; James 4:11; 1 Peter 3:16 ); (2) of βλασφημία , blasphēmı́a , "what is hurtful to the good name of anyone," "detraction," "slander" ( Ephesians 4:31 the Revised Version (British and American), "railing"; compare 1 Timothy 6:4; Judges 1:9; Colossians 3:8 ); the verb blaspheméō is rendered to "speak evil of" ( Romans 14:16; 1 Corinthians 10:30; Titus 3:2 , etc.); to "speak evil" occurs in Mark 9:39 as the translation of kakologéō , "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 Psalm 140:11 , we have "evil-speaker" as the translation of 'ı̄sh lāshōn , "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 .
