12 Bible Verses about Craftiness

But the serpent was subtler than all the beasts of the field which the LORD God had made; and said unto the woman, "Ah sir, that God hath said, ye shall not eat of all manner trees in the garden."

they played wilily, and went and sent ambassadors: and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles old and rent and knit together again,

That we henceforth be no more children, wavering and carried with every wind of doctrine, by the wiliness of men and craftiness, whereby they lay a wait for us to deceive us.

and held a counsel, how they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him.

He perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, "Why tempt ye me?

And they sent unto him certain of the Pharisees with Herod's servants, to take him in his words.

Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel, how they might tangle him in his words. And they sent unto him their disciples with Herod's servants, saying, "Master, we know that thou art true, and that thou teachest the way of God truly, neither carest for any man, for thou considerest not men's estate. Tell us, therefore, how thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?"

saying, "Master, Moses bade, if a man die having no children, that the brother marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There were with us seven brethren, and the first married and deceased without issue, and left his wife unto his brother. Likewise the second and the third, unto the seventh: read more.
Last of all the woman died also. Now in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? For all had her."

And as they sat at board and ate, Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, That one of you shall betray me, which eateth with me." And they began to mourn, and to say to him one by one, "Is it I?" And another said, "Is it I?" He answered, and said unto them, "It is one of the twelve and the same dippeth with me in the platter. read more.
The son of man goeth, as it is written of him: but woe be to that man, by whom the son of man is betrayed. Good were it for him, if that man had never been born." And as they ate, Jesus took bread, blessed and brake it and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; This is my body." And he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they drank all of it.

And the high priests and the scribes, the same hour went about to lay hands on him, but they feared the people. For they perceived that he had spoken this similitude against them. And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves perfect, to take him in his words, and to deliver him unto the power, and authority of the deputy. And they asked him saying, "Master, we know that thou sayest, and teachest right, neither considerest thou any man's degree, but teachest the way of God truly. read more.
Is it lawful for us to give Caesar tribute, or no?" He perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, "Why tempt ye me? Show me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it?" They answered and said, "Caesar's." And he said unto them, "Give then unto Caesar, that which belongeth unto Cesar: And to God, that which pertaineth to God." And they could not reprove his saying before the people. But they marveled at his answer, and held their peace.

But now will I speak of the LORD, and talk of God: which doeth things, that are unsearchable, and marvelous without number. Which giveth rain upon the earth, and poureth water upon all things; read more.
which setteth up them of low degree, and sendeth prosperity to those that are in heaviness; Which destroyeth the devices of the subtle, so that they are not able to perform the things that they take in hand; which compasseth the wise in their own craftiness, and overthroweth the counsel of the wicked.

Let no man deceive himself. If any man seem wise among you, let him be a fool in this world, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He compasseth the wise in their craftiness."

Therefore seeing that we have such an office, even as mercy is come on us, we faint not: but have cast from us the cloaks of unhonesty, and walk not in craftiness, neither corrupt we the word of God: but walk in open truth, and report ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

and held a counsel, how they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him.

After two days followed Easter, and the days of sweet bread. And the high priests and the scribes sought means, how they might take him by craft and put him to death.

And he said, "What shall I give thee?" And Jacob answered, "Thou shalt give me nothing at all, if thou wilt do this one thing for me: And then will I turn again and feed thy sheep and keep them. I will go about all thy sheep this day, and separate from them all the sheep that are spotted and of divers colors, and all black sheep among the lambs, and the party and spotted among the kids: And then such shall be my reward. So shall my righteousness answer for me: when the time cometh that I shall receive my reward of thee: So that whatsoever is not speckled and party among the goats and black among the lambs, let that be theft with me." read more.
Then said Laban, "Lo, I am content that it be according as thou hast said." And he took out that same day the he-goats that were party and of divers colours, and all the goats that were spotted and party coloured, and all that had white in them, and all the black among the lambs: and put them in the keeping of his sons, and set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob. And so Jacob kept the rest of Laban's sheep. Jacob took rods of green poplar, hazel, and of chestnut trees, and peeled white streaks in them and made the white appear in the staves: And he put the staves which he had peeled even before the sheep; in the gutters and watering troughs, when the sheep came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. And the sheep conceived before the staves, and brought forth streaked, spotted and party. Then Jacob parted the lambs, and turned the faces of the sheep toward spotted things, and toward all manner of black things throughout the flocks of Laban. And he made him flocks of his own by themself, which he put not unto the flocks of Laban. And always in the first bucking time of the sheep, Jacob put the staves before the sheep in the gutters, that they might conceive before the staves: But in the latter bucking time, he put them not there: so the last brood was Laban's and the first Jacob's. And the man became exceeding rich and had many sheep, maidservants, menservants, camels and asses.

And Jacob said, "Sell me this day thy birthright." And Esau answered, "Lo, I am at the point to die, and what profit shall this birthright do me?" And Jacob said, "Swear to me then this day." And he swore to him and sold his birthright unto Jacob.

But when the Inhabiters of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho, and Ai, they played wilily, and went and sent ambassadors: and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles old and rent and knit together again, and old clouted shoes upon their feet, and old raiment upon them and all their provision of bread was dried up and hoared. read more.
And they came unto Joshua, unto the host to Gilgal, and said unto him and unto the men of Israel, "We be come from a far country, now therefore make agreement with us." And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, "Peradventure you dwell among us, and then how should we make peace with you?" And they said unto Joshua, "We are thy servants." And Joshua said unto them, "What are ye, and whence come ye?" And they answered him, "From a very far country thy servants are come, in the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond Jordan, Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan which dwelt at Ashtaroth. Wherefore our elders and all the inhabiters of our country spake to us saying, 'Take victuals with you to serve by the way, and go against them, and say unto them: We are your servants.' Now therefore make a covenant of peace with us. This, our provision of bread, we took with us out of our houses, hot, the day we departed to come unto you. And now behold it is dried up and hoared. And these bottles of wine which we filled were new: and see, they be rent. And these our garments and shoes are waxen old by reason of the exceeding long journey." And the men took of their victuals, and counseled not with the mouth of the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to save their lives: and the lords of the congregation sware unto them.

she spake unto Jacob her son, saying, "Behold, I have heard thy father talking with Esau thy brother, and saying, 'bring me venison and make me meat, that I may eat and bless thee before the LORD yer I die.' Now therefore, my son, hear my voice in that which I command thee: read more.
get thee to the flock, and bring me thence two good kids, and I will make meat of them for thy father, such as he loveth. And thou shalt bring it to thy father and he shall eat, that he may bless thee before his death." Then said Jacob to Rebekah his mother, "Behold, Esau my brother is rough and I am smooth. My father shall peradventure feel me, and I shall seem unto him as though I went about to beguile him, and so shall he bring a curse upon me and not a blessing." And his mother said unto him, "Upon me be thy curse, my son, only hear my voice, and go and fetch me them." And Jacob went and fetched them and brought them to his mother. And his mother made meat of them, according as his father loved. And she went and fetched goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau which she had in the house with her, and put them upon Jacob her youngest son, and she put the skins upon his hands and upon the smooth of his neck. And she put the meat and bread which she had made in the hand of her son Jacob. And he went in to his father saying, "My father." And he answered, "Here am I, who art thou my son?" And Jacob said unto his father, "I am Esau, thy eldest son. I have done according as thou baddest me: up and sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me." But Isaac said unto his son, "How cometh it that thou hast found it so quickly my son?" He answered, "The LORD thy God brought it to my hand." Then said Isaac unto Jacob, "Come near and let me feel thee my son, whether thou be my son Esau or not." Then went Jacob to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said the voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he knew him not, because his hands were rough as his brother Esau's hands and so he blessed him. And he asked him, "Art thou my son Esau?" And he said, "That I am." Then said he, "Bring me and let me eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee." And he brought him, and he ate. And he brought him wine also, and he drank. And his father Isaac said unto him, "Come near and kiss me my son." And he went to him and kissed him. And he smelled the savour of his raiment and blessed him, and said, "See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed. God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of corn and wine. People be thy servants, and nations bow unto thee. Be lord over thy brethren, and thy mother's children stoop unto thee. Cursed be he that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee."

But the serpent was subtler than all the beasts of the field which the LORD God had made; and said unto the woman, "Ah sir, that God hath said, ye shall not eat of all manner trees in the garden." And the woman said unto the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees in the garden we may eat, but of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, said God, see that ye eat not, and see that ye touch it not: lest ye die." read more.
Then said the serpent unto the woman, "Tush, ye shall not die: but God doth know, that whensoever ye should eat of it, your eyes should be opened and ye should be as God and know both good and evil."