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Friday, October 18th, 2024
the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
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Amplified Bible

Proverbs 26:5

Answer [and correct the erroneous concepts of] a fool according to his folly, Otherwise he will be wise in his own eyes [if he thinks you agree with him].

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Conceit;   Fool;   Pride;   Prudence;   Reproof;   Speaking;   Thompson Chain Reference - Conceit;   Humility-Pride;   The Topic Concordance - Speech/communication;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Wisdom literature;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Religion;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Greek Versions of Ot;   Proverbs, Book of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Fool;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Canon of the Old Testament;   Conceit;   Discrepancies, Biblical;  

Parallel Translations

New Living Translation
Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.
Update Bible Version
Answer a fool according to his folly, Or else he will be wise in his own eyes.
New Century Version
Answer fools when they speak foolishly, or they will think they are really wise.
New English Translation
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own estimation.
Webster's Bible Translation
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
World English Bible
Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
English Standard Version
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Answere thou a fool bi his fooli, lest he seme to him silf to be wijs.
English Revised Version
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Berean Standard Bible
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
Contemporary English Version
But if you answer any fools, show how foolish they are, so they won't feel smart.
American Standard Version
Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Bible in Basic English
Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.
Complete Jewish Bible
but answer a fool as his folly deserves, so that he won't think he is wise.
Darby Translation
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
King James Version (1611)
Answere a foole according to his folly, lest hee be wise in his owne conceit.
New Life Bible
Answer a fool in the way he has earned by his foolish acts, so he will not be wise in his own eyes.
New Revised Standard
Answer fools according to their folly, or they will be wise in their own eyes.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Answere a foole according to his foolishnes, least he be wise in his owne conceite.
George Lamsa Translation
But answer a fool according to your wisdom, lest he think in himself that he is wise.
Good News Translation
Give a silly answer to a silly question, and the one who asked it will realize that he's not as smart as he thinks.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Answer a dullard according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
Revised Standard Version
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But make the foole an aunswere to his foolishnesse, lest he be wyse in his owne conceipt.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
lest they drink, and forget wisdom, and be not able to judge the poor rightly.
Christian Standard Bible®
Answer a fool according to his foolishnessor he’ll become wise in his own eyes.
Hebrew Names Version
Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
King James Version
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Lexham English Bible
Answer a fool according to his folly, or else he will be wise in his own eyes.
Literal Translation
Answer a fool according to his foolishness, that he not be wise in his own eyes.
Young's Literal Translation
Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
but make ye foole an answere to his foolishnesse, lest he be wyse in his owne coceate.
THE MESSAGE
Answer a fool in simple terms so he doesn't get a swelled head.
New American Standard Bible
Answer a fool as his foolishness deserves, So that he will not be wise in his own eyes.
New King James Version
Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes.
Legacy Standard Bible
Answer a fool according to his folly,Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

Contextual Overview

4Do not answer [nor pretend to agree with the frivolous comments of] a [closed-minded] fool according to his folly, Otherwise you, even you, will be like him. 5Answer [and correct the erroneous concepts of] a fool according to his folly, Otherwise he will be wise in his own eyes [if he thinks you agree with him].

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a fool: 1 Kings 22:24-28, Jeremiah 36:17, Jeremiah 36:18, Matthew 15:1-3, Matthew 16:1-4, Matthew 21:23-27, Matthew 22:15-32, Luke 12:13-21, Luke 13:23-30, John 8:7, John 9:26-33, Titus 1:13

lest: Proverbs 26:12, Proverbs 28:11, Romans 11:25

conceit: Heb. eyes, Isaiah 5:21, Romans 12:16

Reciprocal: Proverbs 23:9 - Speak Matthew 21:24 - I also Matthew 22:22 - they marvelled Mark 11:33 - Neither Luke 20:8 - General Luke 20:26 - they could Luke 20:40 - General John 8:49 - I have not Colossians 4:6 - how

Cross-References

Genesis 12:4
So Abram departed [in faithful obedience] as the LORD had directed him; and Lot [his nephew] left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
Genesis 17:23
Then Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all the servants who were born in his house and all who were purchased with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin the very same day, as God had said to him.
Genesis 18:19
"For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and [the sons of] his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is righteous and just, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised him."
Genesis 22:16
and said, "By Myself (on the basis of Who I Am) I have sworn [an oath], declares the LORD, that since you have done this thing and have not withheld [from Me] your son, your only son [of promise],
Genesis 22:18
"Through your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have heard and obeyed My voice."
Genesis 26:1
Now there was a famine in the land [of Canaan], besides the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to Abimelech king of the Philistines.
Genesis 26:2
The LORD appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I will tell you.
Genesis 26:6
So Isaac stayed in Gerar.
Matthew 5:19
"So whoever breaks one of the least [important] of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least [important] in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 7:24
"So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, will be like a wise man [a far-sighted, practical, and sensible man] who built his house on the rock.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Answer a fool according to his folly,.... The Targum is,

"but speak with a fool in thy wisdom;''

and the Syriac version,

"yea, speak with a fool according to thy wisdom;''

which would at once remove the seeming contradiction in these words to the former, but then they are not a true version; indeed it is right, and must be the sense, that when a fool is answered, as it is sometimes necessary he should, that it be done in wisdom, and so as to expose his folly; he is to be answered and not answered according to different times, places, and circumstances, and manner of answering; he is to be answered when there is any hope of doing him good, or of doing good to others; or of preventing ill impressions being made upon others by what he has said; when the glory of God, the good of the church, and the cause of truth, require it; and when he would otherwise glory and triumph, as if his words or works were unanswerable, as follow;

lest he be wise in his own conceit; which fools are apt to be, and the rather when no answer is given them; imagining it arises from the strength of their arguments, and their nervous way of reasoning, when it is rather from a neglect and contempt of them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Two sides of a truth. To “answer a fool according to his folly” is in Proverbs 26:4 to bandy words with him, to descend to his level of coarse anger and vile abuse; in Proverbs 26:5 it is to say the right word at the right time, to expose his unwisdom and untruth to others and to himself, not by a teaching beyond his reach, but by words that he is just able to apprehend. The apparent contradiction between the two verses led some of the rabbis to question the canonical authority of this book. The Pythagoreans had maxims expressing a truth in precepts seemingly contradictory.


 
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