40 Bible Verses About Fools

Foolishness is a topic the Bible does not shy away from. From Proverbs to the teachings of Jesus, Scripture is filled with guidance on how to identify, avoid, and deal with fools. Fools, according to Scripture, reject instruction, despise wisdom, and often lead themselves into trouble. 

Here, we will explore 40 Bible verses about fools, understand what the Bible says about fools, and look at examples of fools in the Bible.

What Does the Bible Say About Fool?

The Bible describes a fool as someone who lacks wisdom, refuses correction, and often speaks or acts in ways that lead to harm. A fool is not necessarily someone who lacks intelligence but rather someone who chooses to reject God’s guidance. Proverbs, Psalms, and other books of the Bible provide insight into the characteristics and consequences of folly.

Some common traits of a fool, according to the Bible, include:

• Rejecting wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7)
• Speaking without thinking (Proverbs 29:11)
• Mocking sin (Proverbs 14:9)
• Trusting in their own heart rather than God (Proverbs 28:26)

Examples of Fools in the Bible

The Bible doesn’t just speak in general terms; it gives real-life examples of people who acted foolishly. These stories are preserved to teach us lessons and encourage us to pursue wisdom.

• Nabal (1 Samuel 25) – Nabal was a wealthy but foolish man who refused to help David and his men. His arrogance led to his downfall, and he died shortly after an encounter with David’s men.
• The Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21) – Jesus told the parable of a rich man who stored up wealth for himself but was not “rich toward God.” His foolishness was in trusting material possessions rather than seeking eternal riches.
• Pharaoh (Exodus 5-14) –  Pharaoh’s refusal to listen to Moses and release the Israelites resulted in devastating plagues and the destruction of his army in the Red Sea.
• King Saul (1 Samuel 13:8-14) – Saul acted foolishly by offering a sacrifice instead of waiting for the prophet Samuel. His impatience cost him the kingdom.
• The Foolish Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) – In Jesus’ parable, five virgins were called foolish because they failed to prepare their lamps with oil. They missed the arrival of the bridegroom, symbolizing spiritual unpreparedness.

40 Bible Verses About Fools

Here are 40 handpicked bible verses about fools that reveal their mindset, their behavior, and the consequences of their actions.

Old Testament Verses on Fools

• Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
• Proverbs 10:18 – “Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool.”
• Proverbs 12:15 – “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.”
• Proverbs 14:16 – “The wise fear the Lord and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure.”
• Proverbs 15:5 – “A fool spurns a parent’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.”
• Proverbs 17:7 – “Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—how much worse lying lips to a ruler!”
• Proverbs 17:28 – “Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.”
• Proverbs 18:2 – “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.”
• Proverbs 18:6-7 – “The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating. The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives.”
• Proverbs 26:11 – “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.”
• Proverbs 26:12 – “Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.”
• Proverbs 28:26 – “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.”
• Proverbs 29:11 – “Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.”
• Psalm 14:1 – “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”
• Psalm 53:1 – “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.'”
• Ecclesiastes 5:3 – “A fool’s voice is known by his many words.”
• Ecclesiastes 7:9 – “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.”
• Ecclesiastes 10:2 – “The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.”
• Ecclesiastes 10:12 – “Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.”
• Isaiah 32:6 – “For fools speak folly, their hearts are bent on evil.”

New Testament Verses on Fools

• Matthew 5:22 – “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment… and anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”
• Matthew 7:26 – “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”
• Matthew 25:2-3 – “Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.”
• Luke 12:20 – “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.’”
• Romans 1:22 – “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.”
• 1 Corinthians 1:20 – “Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
• 1 Corinthians 3:18-19 – “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:10 – “We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ.”
• 2 Timothy 2:23 – “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.”
• Titus 3:9 – “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.”
• James 2:20 – “Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?”
• 1 Peter 2:15 – “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.”

Additional Proverbs on Fools

• Proverbs 19:1 – “Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.”
• Proverbs 19:3 – “A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.”
• Proverbs 20:3 – “It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.”
• Proverbs 23:9 – “Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words.”
• Proverbs 26:1 – “Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.”
• Proverbs 26:4-5 – “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.”
• Proverbs 29:9 – “If a wise person goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.”
• Proverbs 30:32 – “If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth!”

How to Avoid Being a Fool According to the Bible

To avoid falling into the trap of foolishness, the Bible offers practical steps:

• Seek wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God.” (James 1:5)
• Surround yourself with wise people: Wisdom is contagious, so is foolishness.
• Accept correction: Don’t be offended by feedback; learn from it.
• Control your tongue: Foolishness often comes from unchecked speech.
• Acknowledge God: Reverence for God is the foundation of all true wisdom.

Conclusion

The Bible strongly warns against foolishness and encourages believers to seek wisdom. Fools reject instruction, act without thinking, and refuse to acknowledge God’s authority. By learning from Scripture, we can choose wisdom over folly and walk in obedience to God’s will.

By reflecting on these Bible verses about fools, we can examine our own lives and seek to grow in wisdom. Let us strive to be wise, listening to God’s Word and walking in His truth.

Read also: 40 Powerful Bible Verses About the Flesh