Slander, the act of spreading false statements that harm others, is condemned throughout Scripture.
The Bible calls believers to speak truthfully and to guard their words, recognizing the power they hold.
Slander not only damages relationships but also reflects a heart far from God’s righteousness.
These verses serve as a reminder to uphold honesty and integrity in speech, to avoid gossip, and to promote peace and love.
Bible Verses About Slander
1. Proverbs 10:18 – Concealed Hatred
“Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool.”
2. James 4:11 – Do Not Speak Evil
“Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it.”
3. Psalm 101:5 – Destroying Slander
“Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate.”
4. Proverbs 16:28 – Gossip and Division
“A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.”
5. 1 Peter 2:1 – Rid of Slander
“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”
6. Colossians 3:8 – Remove Malice
“But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”
7. Proverbs 11:9 – Hypocrite’s Words
“With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape.”
8. Matthew 15:19 – From the Heart
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
9. Psalm 15:2-3 – Speaking Truth
“The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others.”
10. Ephesians 4:29 – Build Up
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
11. Titus 3:2 – Avoid Quarreling
“To slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.”
12. Proverbs 12:18 – Reckless Words
“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
13. Psalm 50:20 – Accusing Speech
“You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son.”
14. Matthew 12:36 – Account for Every Word
“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.”
15. Proverbs 18:21 – Power of the Tongue
“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
16. James 3:8 – Taming the Tongue
“But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
17. Romans 1:30 – A Mark of Sin
“They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents.”
18. Psalm 34:13 – Guard Your Tongue
“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.”
19. Colossians 4:6 – Graceful Speech
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
20. 2 Corinthians 12:20 – Discord and Slander
“For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.”
21. Proverbs 6:16-19 – God Hates Slander
“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”
22. Exodus 23:1 – False Report
“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.”
23. Psalm 140:11 – Calamity on the Slanderer
“May slanderers not be established in the land; may disaster hunt down the violent.”
24. Leviticus 19:16 – Do Not Spread Slander
“Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.”
25. Proverbs 26:20 – Gossip Dies Without Fuel
“Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.”
26. Isaiah 29:20-21 – End of the Slanderer
“The ruthless will vanish, the mockers will disappear, and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down—those who with a word make someone out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice.”
27. Luke 6:28 – Bless and Pray
“Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
28. Proverbs 15:1 – A Gentle Answer
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
29. Ephesians 5:4 – Obscene Talk
“Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”
30. Proverbs 20:19 – Avoid the Gossip
“A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.”
31. 1 Timothy 5:13 – Idleness Breeds Gossip
“Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to.”
32. Zechariah 8:17 – God’s Hatred for Lies
“Do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this, declares the Lord.”
33. 2 Timothy 3:1-3 – Slander in the Last Days
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good.”
34. Proverbs 17:9 – Cover an Offense
“Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.”
35. Matthew 7:1-2 – Judge Not
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Our Thoughts on What the Bible Says About Slander
The Bible clearly condemns slander, emphasizing the harm it causes to individuals, relationships, and communities.
From Proverbs 10:18’s warning about concealed hatred to Matthew 7:1-2’s call to avoid judgmental attitudes, these verses reveal slander’s destructive nature and the heart transformation required to overcome it.
Slander undermines trust, creates division, and dishonors God’s call for unity and love.
However, Scripture offers hope and guidance, urging believers to speak truth, seek peace, and rely on His grace for transformation.
By guarding our words, we not only honor God but also reflect His love and build harmony within His creation.