63 Bible Verses about Shrewdness
Most Relevant Verses
Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves; be therefore prudent as the serpents, and guileless as the doves.
And the lord praised the unrighteous steward because he had done prudently. For the sons of this world are, for their own generation, more prudent than the sons of light. And I say to you, Make to yourselves friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, that when it fails ye may be received into the eternal tabernacles.
And he said also to his disciples, There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and he was accused to him as wasting his goods. And having called him, he said to him, What is this that I hear of thee? give the reckoning of thy stewardship, for thou canst be no longer steward. And the steward said within himself, What shall I do; for my lord is taking the stewardship from me? I am not able to dig; I am ashamed to beg.read more.
I know what I will do, that when I shall have been removed from the stewardship I may be received into their houses. And having called to him each one of the debtors of his own lord, he said to the first, How much owest thou to my lord? And he said, A hundred baths of oil. And he said to him, Take thy writing and sit down quickly and write fifty. Then he said to another, And thou, how much dost thou owe? And he said, A hundred cors of wheat. And he says to him, Take thy writing and write eighty.
Whoever therefore hears these my words and does them, I will liken him to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock; and the rain came down, and the streams came, and the winds blew and fell upon that house, and it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.
Every one that comes to me, and hears my words and does them, I will shew you to whom he is like. He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock; but a great rain coming, the stream broke upon that house, and could not shake it, for it had been founded on the rock.
The simple believeth every word; but the prudent man heedeth his going.
A fool despiseth his father's instruction; but he that regardeth reproof becometh prudent.
The heart of an intelligent man getteth knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
Who then is the faithful and prudent bondman whom his lord has set over his household, to give them food in season? Blessed is that bondman whom his lord on coming shall find doing thus. Verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all his substance.
And the Lord said, Who then is the faithful and prudent steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give the measure of corn in season? Blessed is that bondman whom his lord on coming shall find doing thus; verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he has.
But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said, Why tempt ye me, hypocrites? Shew me the money of the tribute. And they presented to him a denarius. And he says to them, Whose is this image and superscription?read more.
They say to him, Caesar's. Then he says to them, Pay then what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God. And when they heard him, they wondered, and left him, and went away.
Should we give, or should we not give? But he knowing their hypocrisy said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a denarius that I may see it. And they brought it. And he says to them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said to him, Caesar's. And Jesus answering said to them, Pay what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God. And they wondered at him.
But perceiving their deceit he said to them, Why do ye tempt me? Shew me a denarius. Whose image and superscription has it? And answering they said, Caesar's. And he said to them, Pay therefore what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God.read more.
And they were not able to take hold of him in his expressions before the people, and, wondering at his answer, they were silent.
But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not God of the dead, but of the living.
But concerning the dead that they rise, have ye not read in the book of Moses, in the section of the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Ye therefore greatly err.
But that the dead rise, even Moses shewed in the section of the bush, when he called the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob; but he is not God of the dead but of the living; for all live for him.
But when they continued asking him, he lifted himself up and said to them, Let him that is without sin among you first cast the stone at her.
Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his track is, who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtilly. And see, and ascertain all the lurking-places where he hides himself, and come ye again to me with sure information, that I may go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout the thousands of Judah.
And Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom. And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said to her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments, I pray, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that hath a long time mourned for the dead; and come to the king, and speak after this manner to him. And Joab put the words into her mouth.
And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.
And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all the fortified cities; and he gave them food in abundance. And he desired for them a multitude of wives.
And Daniel said to the steward, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink; then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the youths that eat of the king's delicate food: and as thou shalt see, deal with thy servants.
Then Herod, seeing that he had been mocked by the magi, was greatly enraged; and sent and slew all the boys which were in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years and under, according to the time which he had accurately inquired from the magi.
But Jesus said to her, Suffer the children to be first filled; for it is not right to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. But she answered and says to him, Yea, Lord; for even the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. And he said to her, Because of this word, go thy way, the demon is gone out of thy daughter.
But he answering said, It is not well to take the bread of the children and cast it to the dogs. But she said, Yea, Lord; for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the table of their masters. Then Jesus answering said to her, O woman, thy faith is great. Be it to thee as thou desirest. And her daughter was healed from that hour.
They devise iniquities: We have it ready, the plan is diligently sought out. And each one's inward thought and heart is deep.
For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou hast chosen the tongue of the crafty.
{To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.} Free me, O Jehovah, from the evil man; preserve me from the violent man: Who devise mischiefs in their heart; every day are they banded together for war. They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.
And behold, there met him a woman in the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart.
said, O full of all deceit and all craft: son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness; wilt thou not cease perverting the right paths of the Lord?
in order that we may be no longer babes, tossed and carried about by every wind of that teaching which is in the sleight of men, in unprincipled cunning with a view to systematized error;
With the gracious thou dost shew thyself gracious; With the upright man thou dost shew thyself upright; With the pure thou dost shew thyself pure; And with the perverse thou dost shew thyself contrary.
With the gracious thou dost shew thyself gracious; with the upright man thou dost shew thyself upright; With the pure thou dost shew thyself pure; and with the perverse thou dost shew thyself contrary.
He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, and their hands carry not out the enterprise. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness; and the counsel of the wily is carried headlong:
A man of Belial, a wicked person, is he that goeth about with a perverse mouth; he winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; deceits are in his heart; he deviseth mischief at all times, he soweth discords.read more.
Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly: in a moment shall he be broken, and without remedy.
A good man obtaineth favour of Jehovah; but a man of mischievous devices will he condemn.
Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb: I am Jehovah, the maker of all things; who alone stretched out the heavens, who did spread forth the earth by myself; he that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and set aside the understanding of the understanding ones.
therefore, behold, I will proceed to do marvellously with this people, to do marvellously, even with wonder, and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their intelligent ones shall be hid.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written, He who takes the wise in their craftiness. And again, The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise that they are vain.
He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly, and a man of mischievous devices is hated.
But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craft, so your thoughts should be corrupted from simplicity as to the Christ.
And the serpent was more crafty than any animal of the field which Jehovah Elohim had made. And it said to the woman, Is it even so, that God has said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
that we might not have Satan get an advantage against us, for we are not ignorant of his thoughts.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And it is not wonderful, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Then went the Pharisees and held a council how they might ensnare him in speaking. And they send out to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth, and carest not for any one, for thou regardest not men's person; tell us therefore what thou thinkest: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
And they send to him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might catch him in speaking. And they come and say to him, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and carest not for any one; for thou regardest not men's person, but teachest the way of God with truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not? Should we give, or should we not give? But he knowing their hypocrisy said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a denarius that I may see it.
And having watched him, they sent out suborned persons, pretending to be just men, that they might take hold of him in his language, so that they might deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor. And they asked him saying, Teacher, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest no man's person, but teachest with truth the way of God: Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together to the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas, and took counsel together in order that they might seize Jesus by subtlety and kill him;
Now the passover and the feast of unleavened bread was after two days. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might seize him by subtlety and kill him. For they said, Not in the feast, lest perhaps there be a tumult of the people.
Now the feast of unleavened bread, which is called the passover, drew nigh, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.
And Jacob said, Sell me now thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am going to die, and of what use can the birthright be to me? And Jacob said, Swear unto me now. And he swore unto him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
And Rebecca took the clothes of her elder son Esau, the costly ones which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son; and she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck;
Come on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass that, if war occur, they take side with our enemies and fight against us, and go up out of the land.
And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, then they also acted with craft, and they went prepared as on a journey, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine-flasks, old and rent and tied up; and old and patched sandals upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.read more.
And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, From a far country are we come; and now make a covenant with us.
And Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man.
that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it and come down to you? And they sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them in the same manner.read more.
Then sent Sanballat his servant to me in this manner the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand, in which was written: It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel, for which cause thou buildest the wall, and according to these words thou wilt become their king. And thou hast also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning thee at Jerusalem saying, There is a king in Judah! And now it will be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together. And I sent to him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart. For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be slackened from the work, that it be not carried out. Now therefore strengthen my hands! And I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabeel, who had shut himself up. And he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple; for they are coming to kill thee; even in the night are they coming to kill thee. And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, could go into the temple, and live? I will not go in. And I perceived, and behold, God had not sent him; for he pronounced this prophecy against me; and Tobijah and Sanballat had hired him. Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have wherewith to spread an evil report, that they might reproach me.
But be it so. I did not burden you, but being crafty I took you by guile.
