31 Bible Verses about Shrewdness

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely; for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. And I say to you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

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 calling him, he said to him, Why hear I this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship, for thou canst be no longer steward. And the steward said in himself, What shall I do? For my lord taketh away the stewardship from me. I cannot dig, to beg I am ashamed.read more.
I know what to do, that when I am removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So having called to him every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou to my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. He said to him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? He said, An hundred measures of wheat. He saith, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.

Therefore whosoever heareth these my sayings, and doth them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell not; for it was founded on a rock.

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doth them, I will shew you to whom he is like. He is like a man, who built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream broke vehemently upon that house, but could not shake it; for it was founded on a rock.

Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath appointed ruler over his houshold, to give them food in due season? Happy is that servant, whom his Lord coming shall find so doing. Verily I say to you, he will make him ruler over all his goods.

And the Lord said, Who is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his housoold, to give the allowance of food in due season? Happy is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Verily I say to you, he will set him over all that he hath.

But Jesus knowing their wickedness, said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute-mony. And they brought to him a penny. He saith to them, Whose is this image and superscription?read more.
They say to him, Cesar's. Then said he to them, Render therefore to Cesar the things that are Cesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And hearing it they marvelled. And they left him and went away.

Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a penny, that I may see it. And he saith, Whose is this image and superscription? They say to him, Cesar's. And Jesus answering said to them, Render to Cesar the things that are Cesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.

But he observing their craftiness, said to them, Why tempt ye me? Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answering said, C?sar's. He said, Render therefore to C?sar the things which are C?sar's, and to God the things which are God's.read more.
And they could not take hold of his words before the people; and marvelling at his answer, they held their peace.

But touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

And touching the dead, that they rise, Have ye oot read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake to thim, 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 the God of the living. Ye therefore greatly err.

But that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord, The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living; so that all live to him.

And as they continued asking him, he raised himself and said to them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Then Herod, seeing that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sending forth, slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the confines thereof, from two years old and under; according to the time which he had exactly inquired of the wise men.

But Jesus said to her, Let the children first be satisfied; for it is not right to take the childrens bread and cast it to the dogs. She answered and said to him, True, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. And he said to her, For this saying, go: the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

But he answering said, It is not right, to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. And she said, True, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table. And Jesus answering said to her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee as thou wilt. And her daughter was healed from that hour.

and fixing his eyes upon him, said, O full of all guile and all mischief, thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

That we may be no longer children, fluctuating to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, by cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive:

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and abolish the understanding of the prudent.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; as it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

But I fear lest as the serpent deceived Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from simplicity toward Christ.

Lest Satan get an advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing, if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose ends shall be according to their works.

Then went the Pharisees and consulted, how to insnare him in his talk. And they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth; neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute to Cesar, or not?

And they send to him certain of the Pharisees, and of the Herodians, to catch him his talk. And they coming say to him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man; for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Cesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a penny, that I may see it.

And watching him, they sent forth spies, feigning themselves to be just men, to take hold of his discourse, that they might deliver him to the power and authority of the governour. And they asked him, saying, Master, we know, that thou speakest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou persons, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful for us, to give tribute to C?sar, or no?

Then the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled together, at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas. And consulted, how they might apprehend Jesus by subtlety and kill him.

And after two days was the feast of the passover and of unleavened bread; and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might apprehend him by subtlety, and put him to death. But they said, Not at the feast, lest there be a tumult of the people.

Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; but they feared the people.

But be it so: I did not burden you: but being crafty, I caught you with guile.