Proverbs 23:9 Cross References

Proverbs 23:9

9: Don't waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.

"Don't give what is holy to unholy people. Don't give pearls to swine! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get a smart retort. Anyone who rebukes the wicked will get hurt.
So don't bother rebuking mockers; they will only hate you. But the wise, when rebuked, will love you all the more.

But the people were silent and did not answer because Hezekiah had told them not to speak.

The people said, "Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but you say that those who obey your teaching will never die!

When arguing with fools, don't answer their foolish arguments, or you will become as foolish as they are.
When arguing with fools, be sure to answer their foolish arguments, or they will become wise in their own estimation.

But after they had argued back and forth among themselves, they left with this final word from Paul: "The Holy Spirit was right when he said to our ancestors through Isaiah the prophet,
'Go and say to my people, You will hear my words, but you will not understand; you will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning.
For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes--so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.'
So I want you to realize that this salvation from God is also available to the Gentiles, and they will accept it."

He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, "This babbler has picked up some strange ideas." Others said, "He's pushing some foreign religion."

Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe.
God's way seems foolish to the Jews because they want a sign from heaven to prove it is true. And it is foolish to the Greeks because they believe only what agrees with their own wisdom.
So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense.
But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God.

But when the Jewish leaders saw the crowds, they were jealous; so they slandered Paul and argued against whatever he said.
Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, "It was necessary that this Good News from God be given first to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life--well, we will offer it to Gentiles.

"Why, that's very strange!" the man replied. "He healed my eyes, and yet you don't know anything about him!
Well, God doesn't listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will.
Never since the world began has anyone been able to open the eyes of someone born blind.
If this man were not from God, he couldn't do it."
"You were born in sin!" they answered. "Are you trying to teach us?" And they threw him out of the synagogue.

When they heard Paul speak of the resurrection of a person who had been dead, some laughed, but others said, "We want to hear more about this later."

Some of them said, "He has a demon, or he's crazy. Why listen to a man like that?"

Fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline.

The Pharisees who were standing there heard him and asked, "Are you saying we are blind?"

Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you are so wise! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are well thought of, but we are laughed at.
To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, without enough clothes to keep us warm. We have endured many beatings, and we have no homes of our own.
We have worked wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.
We respond gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world's garbage, like everybody's trash--right up to the present moment.

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