Contradiction: Proverbs 26:4 and Proverbs 26:5
By driedmango
@driedmango (356)
Philippines
April 26, 2007 11:59pm CST
or those who claim to be Christians and believers of God, the Bible is the word of God. And being so, the Bible does not contain any contradictions.
But is that true?
Let us find out the truth by searching and by reading the Bible. As the Book of Isaiah 34:16 says—
“Seek ye out the book of the Lord, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.”
At this particular point, let us read the Bible and let us try to see for ourselves if there are indeed no contradictions in the pronouncements that were written in this Book.
From my constant reading of the Bible, I would like to impart with you some of the verses that I had come across, which seem to convey contrasting ideas. Just like what Proverbs 26:4 and Proverbs 26:5 say—
Proverbs 26:4 says—
“Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.”
This verse says, “Answer not a fool according to his folly.” We know very well that, whenever the Bible urges us not to do something that is tantamount to a prohibition. We are prohibited from doing it. Therefore, we are prohibited to answer a fool according to his folly. However, if we are going to read the following verse—
Proverbs 26:5 says—
“Answer a fool according to his folly.”
The first verse that we read said, “Answer not a fool according to his folly,” while the next verse said, “Answer a fool according to his folly.”
Which of the two verses is correct? Do they contradict each other? What could be the truth?
http://www.angdatingdaan.org/segments/seg_contra_2d.htm
1 person likes this
8 responses
@Naseem00 (1996)
• Pakistan
27 Apr 07
Here is another one
KI2 24:8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
CH2 36:9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
and this one:
ACT 9:7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
ACT 22:9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
1 person likes this
@driedmango (356)
• Philippines
27 Apr 07
the first two verses might be a translation error.
The second one, a light is not a man and a man is not a light. You can not assume the light they saw is a man so I believe the two verses are not "contradicting" each other. I do believe that there is NO CONTRATIDICTION in the bible. The reason why I open up these discussions to know if someone here at myLot could actually give me the correct answer to these verses. The goal is to explain why these verses are not contradictory and not the other way around.
@driedmango (356)
• Philippines
27 Apr 07
In my opinion, 2 Kings 24:8 and 2 Chronicles 36:9 do not contradict each other. Both verses tell us that Jehoiachin reigned in Jerusalem for three months. The only problem is his age when he first reigned. Do you think it's a contradiction?
When I say contradiction, I mean a verse tells you to do this, then another verse tells you NOT to do this.
There are a lot of translation errors in the Bible. If you want, I'll prove that to you.
@lwelizabeth (288)
• United States
27 Apr 07
What version of the bible are you reading? Mine is a New Century Version, and reads:
Proverbs 26:4-5 Don't give fools a foolish answer, or you will be just like them. But answer foolds as they should be answered, or they will think they are really wise.
I also have a New World Translation version of the bible, and Proverbs 26:4-5 reads:
Proverbs 26:4-5 Do not answer anyone stupid according to his foolishness, that you yourself also may not become equal to him. Answer someone stupid according to his foolishness, that he may not become somone wise in his own eyes.
@ReyM21 (281)
• Philippines
22 May 07
The word of God is very powerful and it would lose it's power if it contradicts itself, and more, God would not be God of truth at all because you see it's loopholes. It this your point? I knew contradictions arises if someone doesn't know Bible truths, read 1 Corinthians 2:10-16.
In Psalm 18:30 it says: "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.", now, it contradicts you, right?
@systems (459)
• India
29 May 08
Many contradictions are present and those are corrected in next versions.. there are about 80 versions of bible it seams!!
I dont know still how many versions would come in future..
@angies (132)
• Australia
7 May 07
Provers 26:4 says Do not answer anyone stupid according to his foolishness, that he may not become equal to him
In other words if you converse with a fool you may become one yourself.
Proverbs 26:5 says Answer someone stupid according to his foolishness, that he maynot become someone wise in his own eyes.
Which means you need to correct his foolish ideas before he gets to full of himself.
@00BleedingShadow00 (784)
• Philippines
29 May 08
You can't force people to believe the bible. Bible is the word of God. It should be perfect and should not have flaws. Anyone who's interested to read the 101 contradictions of the Bile, just PM me. :0)
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
4 May 07
..they're both true.. sometimes it is best to not respond to a fool.. and at other times, to answer a fool according to his own folly..
@jessemt35 (294)
• Qatar
1 May 07
There is no contradiction to these two verses from Proverbs the problem with these is the word fool and we know that in the english language there are many different connotation to these word, it may mean crazy, no brainer or ignorant. In these verses
IMHO the first is address to a person who persist in his stupidity and indeed you will be as stupid and foolish as he is if you answer him because he continues to insist in his stupidity on the other verse it address those person who ignorance pretends to know everything and indeed you may answer him least he maintain that view . The problem with the translation is that the original language does have a specific description of the word fool it is used as general term for craziness, insanity, ignorance, or stupidity and the meaning of the word depends upon the entire verse of the text. And by the way I don't think the bible is a book of prohibitions rather for me it is a guidebook for living with a purpose.
