4Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
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Cross-References
From the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
Commentary
Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible (1710)
(vv. 4-5)See here the noble security of the scripture-style, which seems to contradict itself, but really does not. Wise men have need to be directed how to deal with fools; and they have never more need of wisdom than in dealing with such, to know when to keep silence and when to speak, for there may be a time for both. 1. In some cases a wise man will not set his wit to that of a fool so far as to answer…
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