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
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καταλαλέωG2635
Pronunciationkatalaléō
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 Itspeaks against2×James 4:11
slander1×James 4:11
they slander1×1 Peter 2:12
those who slander you1×1 Peter 3:16
Show sample aligned rows
James 4:11καταλαλεῖτεtoslanderVerb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralJames 4:11καταλαλῶνtospeaks againstVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularJames 4:11καταλαλεῖtospeaks againstVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular1 Peter 2:12καταλαλοῦσινtothey slanderVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural1 Peter 3:16καταλαλεῖσθεtothose who slander youVerb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowJames 4:11
Aligned rows5
Books represented2
James31 Peter2
Source forms
καταλαλεῖ1xkatalaleiJames 4:11
καταλαλεῖσθε1xkatalaleisthe1 Peter 3:16
καταλαλεῖτε1xkatalaleiteJames 4:11
καταλαλοῦσιν1xkatalalousin1 Peter 2:12
καταλαλῶν1xkatalalōnJames 4:11
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural1xJames 4:11
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural1x1 Peter 2:12
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular1xJames 4:11
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural1x1 Peter 3:16
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular1xJames 4:11
Evidence Summary
Revelation
Greek word. To speak harmful words against someone; slander directed toward a specific target person.
Strong'sG2635
Lexical occurrences5 versesGreek text appearances5 timesWord forms3 forms5 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkJames 4:11–12Source Gloss
to slander
Extended definitionSource: 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 corpusGreek 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 4:11Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
καταλαλεῖτεkatalaleite
I speak evil of
Read verseJames 4:11Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
καταλαλῶνkatalalwn
I speak evil of
Read verseJames 4:11Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
καταλαλεῖkatalalei
I speak evil of
Read verse1 Peter 2:12Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Indicative
καταλαλοῦσινkatalalousin
I speak evil of
Read verse1 Peter 3:16Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Subjunctive
καταλαλῶσινkatalalwsin
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 groups3Aligned forms5TensesPresentVoicesActive, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Imperativecommand or strong request1×
Present ActiveJas 4:111×
Participleverbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality1×
Present ActiveJas 4:111×
Indicativestates a fact or reality3×
Present ActiveJas 4:11 · 1 Pet 2:122×
Present Passive1 Pet 3:161×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 5 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present5
Voice
active4passive1
Mood
indicative3imperative1participle1
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