What is gossip?

Proverbs 11:13A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.

Gossip is unconfirmed information about a person or group. A person called a “gossip” is someone who spreads that information. Some Scriptures about gossip mention “telling secrets.” In other words, sometimes the information being spread is true, or at least partly true, though it was shared in confidence. The truth of a secret doesn’t make gossiping about it right.

Proverbs 16:28A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.

One type of gossip accuses someone of saying something against another person. This sort of gossip can be planted to undermine a perfectly good friendship. Left unchecked, such gossip can destroy a relationship and completely undermine a community’s unity.

Proverbs 20:19A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.

Some people can’t stop talking; they are “chatterers.” And often their conversations are filled with gossip—idle chatter. We need to confront such people as they spread gossip.