Greek word · G2551

κακολογέω

kakologeō

to curse/revile

To speak evil of, revile, insult, or abuse verbally (kakos "bad" + legō "speak"). In the Greek Exodus it renders the Hebrew qillēl. HALOT gives that word a range from "declare contemptible, treat lightly" to "curse", that is, call down harm on someone. Its root qll means "to be light".

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

κακολογέω, -ῶ

(κακολόγος, slanderous), [in LXX: Exodus 21:16 22:28, 1 Samuel 3:13, Proverbs 20:20, Ezekiel 22:7 (קָלַל pi., hi.), 2Ma.4:1 * ;]

to speak ill of, revile, abuse: with accusative of person(s), Matthew 15:4, Mark 7:10" (LXX) Mark 9:39; with accusative of thing(s), Acts 19:9.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 15:4

Range of meaning

To speak evil of, revile, insult, or abuse verbally (kakos "bad" + legō "speak"). In the Greek Exodus it renders the Hebrew qillēl. HALOT gives that word a range from "declare contemptible, treat lightly" to "curse", that is, call down harm on someone. Its root qll means "to be light".

Against the English

BSB, KJV and NIV have "curses". ESV has "reviles". WEB, YLT and NASB have "speaks evil of". NLT has "speaks disrespectfully of". To modern ears "curses" suggests swearing, profanity, or a magic spell. The Greek describes contemptuous, demeaning speech or conduct toward a parent. The Hebrew behind it describes treating a parent as worthless.

How it drifted

In modern English, "cursing" mostly means foul language. That makes the law sound like it is about a teenager swearing at a parent, not about despising and discarding someone you owe.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Exodus 21:16 (21:17 in English Bibles): ho kakologōn patera autou ē mētera autou teleutēsei thanatō. Leviticus 20:9 and Proverbs 20:20 condemn the same act. The Mishnah (m. Sanhedrin 7:8) later narrowed liability to cursing a parent with the divine Name. That shows how seriously the offense was still discussed, and how the courts restricted its use.

From the study of Acts 19:9

Range of meaning

To speak evil of, insult, revile, or in strong cases curse. It is harsher than "criticize" or "disagree with."

Against the English

KJV/WEB "spake evil of" is literal. BSB "maligned" and NIV "maligned" carry the hostility well. NLT "speaking against" is weaker.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Septuagint it is used for cursing father or mother, a capital offence (Exod 21:17 [LXX 21:16]). Jesus quotes that law in Mark 7:10 and Matt 15:4. In Mark 9:39 it is used of speaking evil of Jesus.

From the study of Mark 7:10

Range of meaning

To speak evil of, insult, revile, slander, abuse verbally. In the Greek Old Testament it translates Hebrew qillel, which comes from the root qalal, 'to be light'. Qillel means to make light of someone: to treat them as worthless, show contempt, or curse them.

Against the English

KJV, BSB and NIV have 'curses'. Most modern readers hear either profanity or a spell or hex. The Hebrew word behind it is the opposite of 'honor': honor gives weight, qillel takes it away. 'Speaks evil of' (WEB, NASB) and 'reviles' (ESV) are closer to the Greek. None of them carries over the Hebrew wordplay of heavy against light.

How it drifted

English 'curse' has narrowed to two ideas: a magical curse, or swearing. The broader biblical sense of treating someone with contempt has dropped out.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament, Exodus 21:17 (21:16 in Greek numbering) reads ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ τελευτήσει θανάτῳ. Leviticus 20:9 has a parallel with κακῶς εἴπῃ, 'speaks badly of'. Proverbs 20:9a (20:20 in Hebrew) and 1 Samuel 3:13 use related ideas. Jesus quotes the same text in Matthew 15:4. Later rabbinic law (Mishnah, Sanhedrin 7:8) limited the death penalty to someone who cursed a parent using the divine Name.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 15:4 κακολογῶν speaking evil of

    For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

    Here: Literally "bad-speaking". It translates the Hebrew *meqallēl*, which means treating someone as light or contemptible, cursing or reviling them. The present tense pictures a person who does this.

Mark · 2

  1. Mark 7:10 κακολογῶν speaking evil of

    For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

    Here: Literally 'bad-speaking': insulting, reviling, running down. In Greek it translates the Hebrew qillel, which means treating someone as light or worthless. The present participle describes a person who keeps doing it, not a single slip.

  2. Mark 9:39 κακολογῆσαί to speak evil of

    “Do not stop him,” Jesus replied. “For no one who performs a miracle in My name can turn around and speak evil of Me.

    Here: A strong word: to abuse, denounce, or curse someone. Mark uses it in 7:10 for cursing father or mother. This is not mild criticism but public reviling.

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 19:9 κακολογοῦντες speaking evil of

    But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

    Here: "Bad-mouthing" the movement. This is open verbal abuse, stronger than disagreement. In the Greek Old Testament the same word is used for cursing one's parents.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.