Revile

Revile - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

REVI'LE, v.t. [re and vile.]

To reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language.

She revileth him to his face.

Thou shalt not revile the gods. Exo 22.

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you. Mat 5.

REVI'LE, n. Reproach; contumely; contemptuous language. [Not in use.]

Slander - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

SLA'NDER, n.

1. A false tale or report maliciously uttered. and tending to injure the reputation of another by lessening him in the esteem of his fellow citizens, by exposing min to impeachment and punishment, or by impairing his means of lining; defamation. Slander, that worst of poisons, ever finds an easy entrance to ignoble minds.

2 Disgrace; reproach; disreputation; ill name.

SLA'NDER, v.t. To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false report respecting one; to tarnish or impair the reputation of one by false tales, maliciously told or propagated.

re-vil'.

See CRIMES; PUNISHMENTS.

slan'-der (substantive, dibbah, "slander"; diabolos, "slanderer"; verb raghal, "to slink about" as a talebearer, lashan, "to use the tongue," "to slander"; diaballo, "to calumniate," "to slander"; and other words): Slander (etymologically a doublet of "scandal," from OFr. esclandre, Latin scandalum, "stumblingblock") is an accusation maliciously uttered, with the purpose or effect of damaging the reputation of another. As a rule it is a false charge (compare Mt 5:11); but it may be a truth circulated insidiously and with a hostile purpose (e.g. Da 3:8, "brought accusation against," where Septuagint has diaballo, "slander"; Lu 16:1, the same Greek word). Warnings, condemnations and complaints in reference to this sin are very frequent, both in the Old Testament and New Testament. Mischievous "tale-bearing" or "whispering" is condemned (Le 19:16; Eze 22:9). There are repeated warnings against evil-speaking (as in Ps 34:13; Pr 15:28; Eph 4:31; Col 3:8; Jas 4:11; 1Pe 3:10), which is the cause of so much strife between man and man (Pr 16:27-30), and which recoils on the speaker himself to his destruction (Ps 101:5; 140:11). Especially is false witness, which is "slander carried into a court of justice," to be condemned and punished (Ex 20:16; De 19:16-21; compare Pr 12:17; 14:5,25; 19:5; 21:28; 24:28). Special cases of slander more than usually mean are when a wife's chastity is falsely impeached by her husband (De 22:13-19), and when one slanders a servant to his master (Pr 30:10). Even a land may be slandered as well as persons (Nu 14:36). Slanderers and backbiters are mentioned in some of Paul's darkest catalogues of evildoers (Ro 1:29,30; 2Co 12:20; 2Ti 3:3). To refrain from slander is an important qualification for citizenship in theocracy (Ps 15:1,3; 24:3,4) and for a place in the Christian church (1Ti 3:11; Tit 2:3). Jesus Himself was the victim of slanders (Mt 11:19) and of false testimony (Mt 27:63). The apostles, too, came in for a full share of it (e.g. Ac 24:5 f; 28:22; 2Co 6:8). In the case of Paul, even his central doctrine of justification was "slanderously reported" as if it encouraged immorality (Ro 3:8). The devil (= "the calumniator") is represented as the great accuser of God's people (Re 12:10), the slanderer paragraph excellence (compare Job 1:9-11; Zec 3:1).

See also CRIMES; PUNISHMENTS.

D. Miall Edwards

Definition

A slander consists of negative, defaming things spoken (not written) about another person. To say such things (not to write them) about someone is to slander that person. The person saying such things is a slanderer.

• Slander may be a true report or a false accusation, but its effect is to cause others to think negatively of the person being slandered.
• To “slander” could be translated as to “speak against” or to “spread an evil report” or to “defame.”
• A slanderer is also called an “informer” or a “tale-bearer.”

(See also: blasphemy)

Bible References

• 1 Corinthians 4:13
• 1 Timothy 3:11
• 2 Corinthians 6:8-10
• Mark 7:20-23

Word Data

• Strong’s: H1681, H1696, H1848, H3960, H5791, H7270, H7400, H8267, G09870, G09880, G12280, G14260, G26360, G26370, G30590, G30600