What is Gossip?

 ψιθυρισμοί,  (Psithurismos) is a word found only in II Corinthians 12:20 and is usually translated "gossip" or "slander." The term is so closely related to our next word we must examine them together. (see note at bottom of page)
 ψιθυριστάς (Psithuristes) or a "whispering" and sometimes translated "gossip" or "talebearer" is only found in Romans 1:29. (see note at bottom of page)

If we just look at these words at face value, we miss the actual definitions according to the Lexicons. For example: Our word found in II Corinthians 12:20 has the idea when used in a bad sense of a "secret" or "whispering in secret." So gossip defined properly needs to have the element of secrecy involved (BAUER, ARNDT, GINGRICH, P. 901).

If we look at the root word we find that the origin comes from that of a snake making a hissing sound (A Greek Grammar of the Greek New Testament in light of Historical research. A.T. Robertson, p. 152).  The implications of this are (1) the thing being said is meant to do damage (2) and the thing being said is in secret.

Now, we have what I think is a Biblical definition of gossip or tale bearing. It is something meant to do harm and something said in secret.  If we pay close attention to the context of Romans chapter one, we see that it also needs to be something that isn't true, since they were refusing to acknowledge the one true God.

There is often an effort to use Colossians 3:8 where the word "blaspemina" is characterized as evil speech. However, those who misuse the idea of blaspheming try and apply this idea to speech that is true when as noted above, to be slander, it must be something said that is not true.

Websters definition of slander ought to suffice

Slander \Slan"der\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slandered; p. pr. &

vb. n. Slandering.]

1. To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false

report; to tarnish or impair the reputation of by false

tales maliciously told or propagated; to calumniate.

[1913 Webster]

To speak or report things that are true does not qualify as slander.

The Greek Definition of Col.3:8

βλασφημία (blasphēmia, 988), -ας, ἡ, railing, reviling, (Vulg. blasphemia);
a. univ. slander, detraction, speech injurious to another’s good name: Mt. xii. 31; xv. 19; Mk. iii. 28; vii. 22; Eph. iv. 31; Col. iii. 8; 1 Tim. vi. 4; Jude 9 (κρίσις βλασφημίας, i. q. κρίσις βλάσφημος in 2 Pet. ii. 11, a judgment pronounced in reproachful terms); Rev. ii. 9.
b. specifically, impious and reproachful speech injurious to the divine majesty: Mt. xxvi. 65; Mk. ii. 7 [R G]; xiv. 64; Lk. v. 21; Jn. x. 33; Rev. xiii. 5 [not Lchm.]; ὄνομα or ὀνόματα βλασφημίας i. q. βλάσφημα (cf. AV. § 34, 3 b.; [B. § 132, 10]): Rev. xiii. 1; xvii. 3 [R G Tr, see γέμω]; τοῦ πνεύματος, gen. of obj., Mt. xii. 31; πρὸς τὸν θεόν, Rev. xiii. 6. (Eur., Plat., Dem., al.; for נֶאָצָה Ezek. xxxv. 12.) [BB. DD. s. v. Blasphemy; Campbell, Diss. on the Gospels, diss. ix. pt. ii.]*

ψιθυρισμός (psithurismos, 5587), -οῦ, ὁ, (ψιθυρίζω, to whisper, speak into one's ear), a whispering, i. e. secret slandering, (Vulg. susurratio, Germ. Ohrenbläserei): joined w. καταλαλιά [cf. Ro. i. 29 (30)], 2 Co. xii. 20; Clem. Rom. 30, 3; 35, 5. (Plut.; Sept. for לַחַשׁ, of the magical murmuring of a charmer of snakes, Eccl. x. 11.)*

ψιθυριστής (psithuristēs, 5588), -οῦ, ὁ, (see the preced. word), a whisperer, secret slanderer, detractor, (Germ. Ohrenbläser): Ro. i. 29 (30). (At Athens an epithet of Hermes, Dem. p. 1358, 6; also of ὁ Ἔρως and Aphrodite, Suidas p. 3957 c.; [cf. W. 24].)*

by Warren L Rogers