In 2 Corinthians 11:19, Paul is speaking sarcastically: the Corinthians are so willing to put up with foolish people that they will gladly tolerate fools while they think of themselves as wise. Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, a congregation that was tempted to follow flashy speakers who bullied and exploited them, and he is pointing out the irony of their choices.
For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.
2 Corinthians 11:19 (WEB)
What 2 Corinthians 11:19 Means
The verse opens with “For you bear with the foolish gladly,” which means the Corinthians were patient with people who acted foolishly. “Bear with” here means to put up with, to tolerate, or to endure. Paul’s point is that they were quick to accept foolishness from others, even when it harmed them.
The second half, “being wise,” is the sharp twist. Paul is saying that the Corinthians thought of themselves as wise while tolerating this behavior, and so he exposes the contradiction. The verse does not promise anything directly; it is a rebuke and a piece of irony that sets up the following verses, where Paul describes the abuse they accepted.
The Context of 2 Corinthians 11:19
Second Corinthians is one of the letters Paul wrote to the church he had founded in Corinth. Paul had a tense relationship with parts of that congregation, partly because rival teachers had come in and questioned his authority and his credentials. In chapter 11 he reluctantly begins to boast about his own sufferings and service, something he admits is foolish, in order to defend his ministry.
Verses 16 to 18 show Paul setting up this boasting and asking the Corinthians to bear with him as though he were a fool. Verse 19 then turns the tables: if they can gladly put up with foolish people, surely they can put up with Paul’s boasting. Verses 20 to 22 go on to list the ways these rival teachers mistreated the church, which makes verse 19 read as a pointed and painful accusation.
Key Phrases in 2 Corinthians 11:19
Proverbs 3:7
Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
(WEB)
This verse warns against thinking of ourselves as wise in our own eyes. It fits well with 2 Corinthians 11:19, since Paul exposes the Corinthians’ false sense of wisdom.
2 Corinthians 11:20
For you bear with a man, if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, if he strikes you on the face.
(WEB)
The verse that follows shows exactly what kind of mistreatment the Corinthians were tolerating. Reading it alongside verse 19 makes clear what Paul is rebuking.
A Short Prayer From 2 Corinthians 11:19
Lord, show me where I have been patient with what harms me or others, and where I have called something wise when it was only impressive. Give me a clear mind to tell the difference between true wisdom and loud confidence. Help me to value humility, faithfulness, and care for others above status and charm. Guard my heart from the quiet compromises that make me tolerate what I should question. Amen.
