For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
Parallel translations
- WEB For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.
- BSB For you gladly tolerate fools, since you are so wise.
- NKJV For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise!
- NASB For you, being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly.
- NLT After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul wryly observes that the 'wise' Corinthians gladly tolerate fools, hinting at their patience with the false teachers. The irony rebukes their misplaced tolerance.
Overview
With biting irony, Paul says the supposedly wise Corinthians put up with fools easily, alluding to their acceptance of the boastful intruders. If they bear with such fools, surely they can bear with Paul's necessary 'foolishness.' The sarcasm aims to awaken them to their dangerous gullibility.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- 1 Cor 4:10We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
- 1 Cor 10:15I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
- 1 Cor 8:1Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
- Rev 3:17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
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Christ at the center
In Christ all God's promises are 'Yes and Amen'; though rich, he became poor to make us rich, and in him God reconciles the world, making us new creations.
How 2 Corinthians 11:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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