Slander

Dr. Couch, where does the word Slander come from? What does it mean in Greek? ANSWER: The word is "diabolos" and it is two words put together, dia=through, or thoroughly, and bolos=that means to throw. We get the word "ball" from bolos. The word diabolos is used 38 times in the NT. 35 times it is translated as the "devil." Twice it is translated as "accuser" (2 Tim. 3:3; Titus 2:3) and once as "slanderers" (1 Tim. 3:11). The word is used as a verb only once, "diaballomai." Jesus told His disciples that a steward, a servant, was "reported" to his rich owner that he was squandering his possessions (Luke 16:1). The word translated "reported" is meaning that the steward was "slandered" before his master, the rich man. The NAS translates the word "diaballomai" as "reported" and this is wrong. It should be translated that the man was "slandered" before his master. To slander someone is to "throw an accusation against them." This is what Satan, the devil, does to us. Thanks for asking. --Dr. Mal Couch (12/10)