31 Bible Verses about Shrewdness

Lo! I send you forth as sheep into the midst of wolves. Be therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

And the lord commended the unjust steward for having done wisely; for the sons of this world are wiser toward their generation than the sons of light. And I say to you, Make to yourselves friends with the unrighteous mammon; that, when it faileth, ye may be received into everlasting habitations.

And he said also to the disciples, There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was accused to him as wasting his goods. And he called him, and said to him, What is this that I hear of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do, now that my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? I cannot dig, I am ashamed to beg.read more.
I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, I may be received into their houses. So he called to him every one of his lords debtors, and said to the first, How much dost thou owe my lord? And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said to him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then he said to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. He saith to him, Take thy bond, and write eighty.

Every one then that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened to a wise man, who built his house upon a rock; and the rain descended, and the streams came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock.

Every one that cometh to me and heareth my sayings and doeth them, I will show you whom he is like. He is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid its foundation on a rock; and when a flood arose, the stream dashed against that house, and could not shake it; because it was well built.

Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord placed over his household, to give them their food in due season? Happy is that servant whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Truly do I say to you, that he will place him in charge of all his substance.

And the Lord said, Who then is the faithful, the wise steward, whom his lord will place over his household, to give the portion of food in due season? Happy is that servant whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. I say to you in truth, that he will place him in charge of all his substance.

But Jesus, perceiving their wickedness, said, Why are ye trying me, hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. And they brought to him a denary. And Jesus saith to them, Whose is this image and inscription?read more.
They say, Caesars. Then saith he to them, Render then to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods. And hearing this, they wondered, and left him, and went away.

Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, seeing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why are ye trying me? Bring me a denary, that I may see it. And they brought one. And he saith to them, Whose is this image and inscription? And they said to him, Caesars. And Jesus said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods. And they marveled at him exceedingly.

But perceiving their craftiness, he said to them, Show me a denary. Whose image and inscription hath it? And they answered and said, Caesars. And he said to them, Render then to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods.read more.
And they could not take hold of his words before the people; and marveling at his answer, they held their peace.

But concerning 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"? He is not a God of the dead, but of the living.

And concerning the dead, that they are raised, have ye not read in the book of Moses, at 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 err greatly.

But that the dead are raised, even Moses hath shown at the Bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is not a God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to 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 a stone at her.

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been deceived by the magians, was greatly enraged; and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the magians.

And he said to her, Let the children be filled first; for it is not well to take the childrens bread and throw it to the little dogs. But she answered, and saith to him, Yea, Lord; even the little dogs under the table eat of the childrens crumbs. And he said to her, For this saying go thy way; the demon hath gone out of thy daughter.

But he answering said, It is not allowable to take the childrens bread, and throw it to the little dogs. And she said, Yea, Lord; for the little dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the table of their masters. Then Jesus answering said to her, O woman, great is thy faith; be it done to thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was cured from that hour.

and said, O full of all deceit, and of all mischief, son of the Devil, enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and borne about by every wind of teaching, through the dishonest tricks of men, and their cunning in the wily arts of error;

For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nought the discernment of the discerning."

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

but I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve by his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from singleheartedness toward Christ.

that Satan might not gain an advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

For such are false apostles, deceitful workmen, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder; for even Satan transformeth himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing, then, if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Then the Pharisees went and consulted together how l they might ensnare him in speech. 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 thou carest for no one; for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us, therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

And they send to him some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to ensnare him in speech. And they come and say to him, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and carest for no one; for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, seeing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why are ye trying me? Bring me a denary, that I may see it.

And they kept watch on him, and sent forth spies feigning themselves to be righteous men, that they might take hold of his words, in order to deliver him up to the civil power and to the authority of the governor. And they asked him, saying, Teacher, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and hast no regard to the person of men, but teachest the way of God truly. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the court of the palace of the highpriest, named Caiaphas; and took counsel together that they might seize Jesus by craft, and put him to death.

And two days after was the passover, and the feast of unleavened bread; and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might seize him by craft, and put him to death. For they said, Not at the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.

Now the feast of unleavened bread, which is called the passover, was drawing near; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might kill him; for they feared the people.

But be it so; I at least was not a charge to you; but yet, being crafty, I caught you with guile.