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Consequences of Speaking Negative Words Over Others

Speaking negative words over others, often termed evil-speaking or slander, carries significant consequences in biblical and theological traditions, affecting the speaker, the hearer, and the subject of the words. The Bible explicitly forbids such speech and warns of severe repercussions [2].

The Old Testament, particularly the wisdom literature, frequently addresses the destructive power of the tongue. Proverbs warns that a "false tongue hateth the afflicted, and a flattering mouth causeth ruine" [5]. It also suggests that those who plot harm for others often experience similar negative outcomes themselves [7]. The Psalms declare that God will "put to death anyone who says evil of his neighbour secretly" and finds a "man with a high look and a heart of pride" to be disgusting [4]. Ezekiel describes divine judgment as a "reproach and a taunt" and "astonishment" to surrounding nations, executed in "anger and in wrath, and in wrathful rebukes" [3].

The New Testament reinforces these prohibitions. Evil-speaking is forbidden in Titus 3:2 and James 4:11, with punishments denounced in 1 Corinthians 5:11 and 6:10 [2]. The apostle Paul lists "saying evil of others" among characteristics of those "without natural love" and "bitter haters" [1]. Torrey's Topical Textbook categorizes various forms of negative speech, including slander, whispering, backbiting, evil surmising, tale-bearing, babbling, tattling, and defaming, all of which are considered an abomination to God and forbidden [6]. These actions are understood to originate from an "evil heart" [6].

Rabbinic tradition emphasizes the profound spiritual and physical consequences of malicious speech, known as lashon hara. The Midrash Rabbah interprets Ecclesiastes 5:5 ("Do not allow your mouth to bring sin upon your flesh") as referring to those who engage in malicious speech, suggesting it can lead to physical affliction, such as leprosy [11]. The Babylonian Talmud states that anyone who speaks malicious speech "increases his sins until the heavens" [12, 13, 14]. Reish Lakish, a prominent rabbi, used Psalms 73:9 ("They have set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth") to illustrate how the sin of malicious speech, though spoken on earth, reaches God [12, 13, 14].

Furthermore, rabbinic teachings highlight the far-reaching damage of malicious speech. A saying from Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) recorded in the Babylonian Talmud asserts that "malicious speech about a third party, kills three people": the one who speaks it, the one who accepts it, and the one about whom it is spoken [16, 17]. This underscores the communal harm caused by such words. Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, addresses the severe consequences of blasphemy, a specific form of negative speech directed against God, stating that a blasphemer is liable for stoning if they curse God's name with one of His unique names in the presence of witnesses [15].

Theological interpretations across traditions also address the destructive nature of negative words. John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed commentator, notes that a "fool's mouth is his destruction" because "his contentions, and quarrels, and evil speaking, lawsuits are commenced against him, which bring ruin upon himself and his family now" [8]. He adds that "for his idle and wicked words he will be condemned hereafter" [8]. Charles Hodge, one theologian, connects "speaking evil of his work" to grieving the Holy Spirit, which he considers a significant calamity for individuals, churches, and nations [10]. Thomas Aquinas, a Scholastic theologian, defines "to curse" (maledicere) as "to speak ill" (malum dicere). He distinguishes between merely asserting another's evil (which pertains to backbiting) and other forms of speaking ill [9].

The consistent message across these traditions is that negative words are not merely idle sounds but possess a potent capacity for harm, incurring divine displeasure and bringing destructive consequences upon individuals and communities.

Sources

  1. II Timothy “II Timothy 3:3 (BBE) — Without natural love, bitter haters, saying evil of others, violent and uncontrolled, hating all good,”
  2. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Evil-speaking — Is expressly forbidden (Titus 3:2; James 4:11), and severe punishments are denounced against it (1 Cor. 5:11; 6:10). It is spoken of also with abhorrence (Ps. 15:3; Prov. 18:6, 7), and is foreign to the whole Christian character and the example of Christ.”
  3. Ezekiel “So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment, to the nations that are around you, when I shall execute judgments on you in anger and in wrath, and in wrathful rebukes; (I, Yahweh, have spoken it;) -- Ezekiel 5:15”
  4. Psalms “Psalms 101:5 (BBE) — I will put to death anyone who says evil of his neighbour secretly; the man with a high look and a heart of pride is disgusting to me.”
  5. Proverbs “Proverbs 26:28 (Geneva1599) — A false tongue hateth the afflicted, and a flattering mouth causeth ruine.”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Slander — An abomination to God -- Pr 6:16,19. Forbidden -- Ex 23:1; Eph 4:31; Jas 4:11. Includes Whispering. -- Ro 1:29; 2Co 12:20. Backbiting. -- Ro 1:30; 2Co 12:20. Evil surmising. -- 1Ti 6:4. Tale-bearing. -- Le 19:16. Babbling. -- Ec 10:11. Tattling. -- 1Ti 5:13. Evil speaking. -- Ps 41:5; 109:20. Defaming. -- Jer 20:10; 1Co 4:13. Bearing false witness. -- Ex 20:16; De 5:20; Lu 3:14. Judging charitably. -- Jas 4:11,12. Raising false reports. -- Ex 23:1. Repeating matters. -- Pr 17:9. Is a deceitful work -- Ps 52:2. Comes from the evil heart -- Mt 15:19; Lu 6:45.”
  7. Proverbs (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Proverbs 26:27: 26:27 People usually receive the bad consequences they intend for others (see 1:17-19).”
  8. Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 18:7: A fool's mouth is his destruction,.... The cause of it; for his contentions, and quarrels, and evil speaking, lawsuits are commenced against him, which bring ruin upon himself and his family now; as well as for his idle and wicked words he will be condemned hereafter, Mat 12:35; there is a world of iniquity in the mouth and tongue of a wicked man, which bring destruction upon himself and others, Jam 3:6; and his lips are the snare of his soul; from speaking in his own defence, he says things which should not be said, and by which he is entangled yet more and more;”
  9. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of Cursing, Art. 1: Article: Whether it is lawful to curse anyone? I answer that, To curse [maledicere] is the same as to speak ill [malum dicere]. Now "speaking" has a threefold relation to the thing spoken. First, by way of assertion, as when a thing is expressed in the indicative mood: in this way "maledicere" signifies simply to tell someone of another's evil, and this pertains to backbiting, wherefore tellers of evil [maledici] are sometimes called backbiters. Secondly, speaking is related to the thing spoken, b”
  10. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 138: ordinances, which exist in the world. And consequently that the greatest calamity that can befall an individual, a church, or a people, is that God should take his Holy Spirit from them. And as this is a judgment which, according to the Scriptures, does often come upon individuals, churches, and people, we should above all things dread lest we should grieve the Spirit or quench his influences. This is done by 675 resistance, by indulgence in sin, and especially, by denying his agency and speaking evil of his work. “Whosoever speaketh a w”
  11. Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Devarim Rabbah 6:10: This is what the verse said: “Do not allow your mouth to bring sin upon your flesh” (Ecclesiastes 5:5). The Rabbis say: This verse is speaking of those who engage in malicious speech. How so? “Do not allow your mouth.” What does this mean? Once the mouth [of a person] utters malicious speech, it has committed a sin against his body, in that it causes it to be afflicted [by leprosy]. That is the meaning of: “to bring sin upon your flesh,” as the mouth commits a sin against the flesh. What is meant by, “and do not say before the angel that it was a mistake”? ”
  12. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 68b.30:11: And Reish Lakish says: Anyone who speaks malicious speech increases his sins until the heavens, as it is stated: “They have set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth” (Psalms 73:9). In other words, while his tongue walks on the earth, his sin reaches the heavens.”
  13. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 68a.30:11: And Reish Lakish says: Anyone who speaks malicious speech increases his sins until the heavens, as it is stated: “They have set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth” (Psalms 73:9). In other words, while his tongue walks on the earth, his sin reaches the heavens.”
  14. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 15b.11: And Reish Lakish says: Anyone who speaks malicious speech increases his sins until the heavens, as it is stated: “They have set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth” (Psalms 73:9). In other words, while his tongue walks on the earth, his sin reaches the heavens.”
  15. Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 2:9: [The fact that] a blasphemer retracts his statements in the midst of speaking is of no consequence. Rather, once he utters blasphemy in the presence of witnesses, he is [liable for execution by] stoning. Should a person curse God's name with the name of a false god, the zealous may strike him and slay him. If the zealous do not slay him and he is brought to court, he is not [condemned to] be stoned. [That punishment is administered] only when one curses God's name with another one of His unique names.”
  16. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 68a.30:21: In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they say: Third speech, i.e., malicious speech about a third party, kills three people. It kills the one who speaks malicious speech, and the one who accepts the malicious speech when he hears it, and the one about whom the malicious speech is said.”
  17. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 68b.30:21: In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they say: Third speech, i.e., malicious speech about a third party, kills three people. It kills the one who speaks malicious speech, and the one who accepts the malicious speech when he hears it, and the one about whom the malicious speech is said.”
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