EVIL-SPEAKING
e-v'-l-spek'-ing:

Occurs twice in English Versions:

(1) 1Pe 2:1 it is the translation of katalalia, "a speaking against," rendered "backbiting" in 2Co 12:20; compare katalalos, "backbiter" (Ro 1:30); the verb katalaleo is rendered to "speak against" (1Pe 2:12; Jas 4:11; 1Pe 3:16);

(2) of blasphemia, "what is hurtful to the good name of anyone," "detraction," "slander" (Eph 4:31 the Revised Version (British and American), "railing"; compare 1Ti 6:4; Jude 1:9; Col 3:8); the verb blasphemeo is rendered to "speak evil of" (Ro 14:16; 1Co 10:30; Tit 3:2, etc.); to "speak evil" occurs in Mr 9:39 as the translation of kakologeo, "lightly (the Revised Version (British and American) "quickly") speak evil of me"; Ac 19:9 the King James Version "spake evil of that way." In Ps 140:11, we have "evil-speaker" as the translation of 'ish lashon, "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.

W. L. Walker

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