e-v'-l-spek'-ing:
Occurs twice in English Versions:
(1)1Pe 2:1it is the translation of katalalia, "a speaking against," rendered "backbiting" in2Co 12:20; compare katalalos, "backbiter" (Ro 1:30); the verb katalaleo is rendered to "speak against" (1Pe 2:12;Jas 4:11;1Pe 3:16);
(2) of blasphemia, "what is hurtful to the good name of anyone," "detraction," "slander" (Eph 4:31the Revised Version (British and American), "railing"; compare1Ti 6:4;Jude 1:9;Col 3:8); the verb blasphemeo is rendered to "speak evil of" (Ro 14:16;1Co 10:30;Tit 3:2, etc.); to "speak evil" occurs inMr 9:39as the translation of kakologeo, "lightly (the Revised Version (British and American) "quickly") speak evil of me";Ac 19:9the King James Version "spake evil of that way." InPs 140:11, we have "evil-speaker" as the translation of 'ish lashon, "a man of tongue"; so the Revised Version (British and American). The wrong thing condemned as evil-speaking seems to be essentially detraction, what is hurtful to the reputation, and it is often too lightly regarded even among Christians.
W. L. Walker