ψῐθῠρ-ιστής G5588
whisperers, those who spread secret slander or gossip
People who engage in covert slander or gossip, speaking malicious things in secret. Paul condemns such individuals in Romans 1:29 within his comprehensive indictment of pagan society, listing 'whisperers' alongside other moral failures. The term across languages (Spanish 'murmuradores', French 'calomniateur', English 'gossips', German 'Verleumder') consistently identifies those who damage reputations through secretive, malicious speech rather than open confrontation.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Those who practice covert slander or malicious gossip. Romans 1:29 includes 'whisperers' in Paul's dark portrait of humanity apart from God, identifying them as people who undermine others through secretive accusation and rumor-spreading, reflecting the social fragmentation that results from rejecting divine truth. 1×
AR["نَمّامينَ"]·ben["কানাঘুষাকারী,"]·DE["Verleumder"]·EN["gossips"]·FR["calomniateur"]·heb["לוֹחֲשִׁים"]·HI["कानाफूसी-करनेवाले"]·ID["pengumpat,"]·IT["bisbigliare"]·jav["gosip,"]·KO["수군거리는-자들"]·PT["mexeriqueiros"]·RU["шептунов"]·ES["murmuradores"]·SW["wenye-kunong'ona,"]·TR["fısıldayıcılar"]·urd["کان-بھرنے-والے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ψῐθῠρ-ιστής, οῦ, ὁ, whisperer, at Athens as epithet of Hermes, Refs 4th c.BC+; of Ἔρως, Refs: perhaps compare Mercurius Susurrio, Refs __2 slanderer, NT