Bible Strands
Proverbs 26:4
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The wisdom author addresses a general reader within a collection of practical sayings, issuing a warning about how to handle irrational opponents. The words — כְּסִיל (ke.sil) translates as "a fool," and פֶּן (pen-) functions as "lest," framing the prohibition against mirroring foolish behavior. The thread — The text explicitly contrasts with Proverbs 26:5, which commands answering a fool to prevent self-conceit, while 1 Peter 3:9 and Jude 1:9 similarly address handling hostility without descending to the opponent's level. Why it lands — The verse demands restraint from matching irrational speech, because doing so only adopts the fool's distorted perspective rather than correcting it.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
- 1 Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
- Jude 1:9 But even the archangel Michael, when he disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, did not presume to bring a slanderous charge against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
- 1 Kings 12:14 and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”
- Proverbs 17:14 To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
- Judges 12:1 Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”
- 2 Samuel 19:41 Soon all the men of Israel came to the king and asked, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and bring the king and his household across the Jordan, together with all of David’s men?”
- 1 Kings 12:16 When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home,
- 2 Kings 14:8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said.
- Isaiah 36:21 But the people remained silent and did not answer a word, for Hezekiah had commanded, “Do not answer him.”