Proverbs 23:9
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9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
who will only despise the wisdom of your words.(A)
Matthew 7:6
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Profaning the Holy
6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.(A)
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Proverbs 9:7-8
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General Maxims
7 Whoever corrects a scoffer wins abuse;
whoever rebukes the wicked gets hurt.(A)
8 Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you;
rebuke the wise, and he will love you.(B)
Proverbs 26:4-5
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4 Do not answer fools according to their folly,
lest you be a fool yourself.(A)
5 Answer fools according to their folly,
lest they be wise in their own eyes.(B)
John 10:20
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20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?”(A)
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Isaiah 36:21
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21 But they were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s command was, “Do not answer him.”
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Proverbs 1:7
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7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.(A)
1 Corinthians 1:21-24
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21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of the proclamation, to save those who believe.(A) 22 For Jews ask for signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentiles,(B) 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
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Acts 28:25-28
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25 So they disagreed with each other, and as they were leaving Paul made one further statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah,
26 ‘Go to this people and say,
You will indeed listen but never understand,
and you will indeed look but never perceive.
27 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
otherwise they might look with their eyes
and listen with their ears
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.’
28 “Let it be known to you, then, that this salvation of God has been sent to the gentiles; they will listen.”[a]
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- 28.28 Other ancient authorities add 28.29, And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, arguing vigorously among themselves
Acts 17:32
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32 When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, but others said, “We will hear you again about this.”
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Acts 17:18
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18 Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this pretentious babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.)
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Acts 13:45-46
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45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and blaspheming, they contradicted what was spoken by Paul.(A) 46 Then both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you reject it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we are now turning to the gentiles.(B)
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John 9:30-34
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30 The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will.(A) 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.
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John 8:52
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52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’(A)
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Luke 16:14
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The Law and the Kingdom of God
14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him.(A)
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1 Corinthians 4:10-13
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10 We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are sensible people in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.(A) 11 To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are naked and beaten and homeless,(B) 12 and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;(C) 13 when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.
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John 9:40
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40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?”(A)
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