THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS - Chapter 11 - Verse 19

Verse 19. For ye suffer fools gladly. You tolerate or endure those who are really fools. This is perhaps, says Dr. Bloomfield, the most sarcastic sentence ever penned by the apostle Paul. Its sense is, "You profess to be wondrous wise. And yet you, who are so wise a people, freely tolerate those who are foolish in their boasting; who proclaim their own merits and attainments. You may allow me, therefore, to come in. for my share, and boast also, and thus obtain your favour." Or it may mean, "You are so profoundly wise, as easily to see who are fools. You have great power of discernment in this, and have found out that I am a fool, and also that other boasters are fools. Yet knowing this, you bear patiently with such fools; have admitted them to, your favour and friendship; and I may come in among the rest of the fools, and partake also of your favours." They had borne with the false apostles who had boasted of their endowments, and yet they claimed to be eminent for wisdom and discernment.

{&} "suffer fools" "bear with fools"