What does καταλαλέω (katalaléō) mean in the Bible?
καταλαλέω (katalaléō): To speak harmful words against someone; slander directed toward a specific target person.
Greek · G2635
καταλαλέω
To slander
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
καταλαλέω G2635
Pronunciation katalaléō
What does καταλαλέω (katalaléō) mean in the Bible?
καταλαλέω (katalaléō): To speak harmful words against someone; slander directed toward a specific target person.
Full entry for καταλαλέω (G2635) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2635?
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include speaks against (2), slander (1), they slander (1), those who slander you (1).
Where does καταλαλέω (katalaléō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at James 4:11. Its strongest book concentrations include James (3), 1 Peter (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It speaks against 2× James 4:11
slander 1× James 4:11
they slander 1× 1 Peter 2:12
those who slander you 1× 1 Peter 3:16
Show sample aligned rows
James 4:11 καταλαλεῖτε to slander Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural James 4:11 καταλαλῶν to speaks against Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular James 4:11 καταλαλεῖ to speaks against Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1 Peter 2:12 καταλαλοῦσιν to they slander Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 1 Peter 3:16 καταλαλεῖσθε to those who slander you Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row James 4:11
Aligned rows 5
Books represented 2
James 3 1 Peter 2
Source forms
καταλαλεῖ 1x katalalei James 4:11
καταλαλεῖσθε 1x katalaleisthe 1 Peter 3:16
καταλαλεῖτε 1x katalaleite James 4:11
καταλαλοῦσιν 1x katalalousin 1 Peter 2:12
καταλαλῶν 1x katalalōn James 4:11
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural 1x James 4:11
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 1x 1 Peter 2:12
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x James 4:11
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural 1x 1 Peter 3:16
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x James 4:11
Evidence Summary
Revelation
Greek word. To speak harmful words against someone; slander directed toward a specific target person.
Strong's G2635
Lexical occurrences 5 verses Greek text appearances 5 times Word forms 3 forms 5 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link James 4:11–12 Source Gloss
to slander
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
To speak harmful words against someone; slander directed toward a specific target person.
to speak evil of, rail at: in cl., with accusative; in LXX,
awith genitive,
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
5 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
James 4:11 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
καταλαλεῖτε katalaleite
I speak evil of
Read verse James 4:11 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
καταλαλῶν katalalwn
I speak evil of
Read verse James 4:11 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
καταλαλεῖ katalalei
I speak evil of
Read verse 1 Peter 2:12 Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Indicative
καταλαλοῦσιν katalalousin
I speak evil of
Read verse 1 Peter 3:16 Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Subjunctive
καταλαλῶσιν katalalwsin
I speak evil of
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 3 Aligned forms 5 Tenses Present Voices Active, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Present Active Jas 4:11 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×
Present Active Jas 4:11 1×
Indicative states a fact or reality 3×
Present Active Jas 4:11 · 1 Pet 2:12 2×
Present Passive 1 Pet 3:16 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 5 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 5
Voice
active 4 passive 1
Mood
indicative 3 imperative 1 participle 1
NT Occurrences
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Additional Occurrences
speak against, slander
New Testament Witnesses
to speak against, slander
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 5 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
καταλαλέω is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Highlights the harmful, accusatory speech James condemns. James 4:11–12
Canonical Themes
Revelation
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain