Verse 16

Then I said, Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man's wisdom is not respected, and his words are not given a hearing.

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 7:19 : 19 Wisdom makes a wise man stronger than ten rulers in a town.
  • Prov 21:22 : 22 A wise man goes up into the town of the strong ones, and overcomes its strength in which they put their faith.
  • Prov 24:5 : 5 A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.
  • Mark 6:2-3 : 2 And when the Sabbath day had come, he was teaching in the Synagogue; and a number of people hearing him were surprised, saying, From where did this man get these things? and, What is the wisdom given to this man, and what are these works of power done by his hands? 3 Is not this the woodworker, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were bitter against him.
  • John 7:47-49 : 47 Then the Pharisees said to them, Have you, like the others, been given false ideas? 48 Have any of the rulers belief in him, or any one of the Pharisees? 49 But these people who have no knowledge of the law are cursed.
  • Eccl 9:18 : 18 Wisdom is better than instruments of war, but one sinner is the destruction of much good.
  • Prov 10:15 : 15 The property of the man of wealth is his strong town: the poor man's need is his destruction.
  • John 9:24-34 : 24 So they sent a second time for the man who had been blind and they said to him, Give glory to God: it is clear to us that this man is a sinner. 25 He said in answer, I have no knowledge if he is a sinner or not, but one thing I am certain about; I was blind, and now I see. 26 Then they said to him, What did he do to you? how did he give you the use of your eyes? 27 His answer was: I have said it before, but your ears were shut: why would you have me say it again? is it your desire to become his disciples? 28 And they were angry with him and said, You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We are certain that God gave his word to Moses: but as for this man, we have no knowledge where he comes from. 30 The man said in answer, Why, here is a strange thing! You have no knowledge where he comes from though he gave me the use of my eyes. 31 We have knowledge that God does not give ear to sinners, but if any man is a worshipper of God and does his pleasure, to him God's ears are open. 32 In all the years nobody has ever before seen the eyes of a man blind from birth made open. 33 If this man did not come from God he would be unable to do anything. 34 Their answer was: You came to birth through sin; do you make yourself our teacher? And they put him out of the Synagogue.
  • 1 Cor 1:26-29 : 26 For you see God's design for you, my brothers, that he has not taken a great number of the wise after the flesh, not the strong, not the noble: 27 But God made selection of the foolish things of this world so that he might put the wise to shame; and the feeble things that he might put to shame the strong; 28 And the low things of the world, and the things without honour, did God make selection of, yes, even the things which are not, so that he might make as nothing the things which are: 29 So that no flesh might have glory before God.
  • Jas 2:2-6 : 2 For if a man comes into your Synagogue in fair clothing and with a gold ring, and a poor man comes in with dirty clothing, 3 And you do honour to the man in fair clothing and say, Come here and take this good place; and you say to the poor man, Take up your position there, or be seated at my feet; 4 Is there not a division in your minds? have you not become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Give ear, my dear brothers; are not those who are poor in the things of this world marked out by God to have faith as their wealth, and for their heritage the kingdom which he has said he will give to those who have love for him? 6 But you have put the poor man to shame. Are not the men of wealth rulers over you? do they not take you by force before their judges?