<p>5:12 <i>For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret</i>- The sin of Ham in relation to Noah's drunkenness included the fact that he told his brothers about Noah's shame (Gen. 9:22). This incident seems to be alluded to by Paul when he says that it is a shame to speak of what sinners do in secret. A large amount of the communication which would be called 'gossip' includes the communication of sinful things which would be better not entering the minds of saints in any case- one tends to gossip about a neighbour's adultery rather than his lost cat. So the appeal here is to rebuke such wrong behaviour- but directly to the person responsible, and not by way of gossip. Nothing of course is ultimately done &quot;in secret&quot;, so as so often in the Bible, this is recorded from the mistaken perspective of the persons involved, without specific correction. The language of demons is another example.</p>