63 Bible Verses about Shrewdness
Most Relevant Verses
I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
The master of the dishonest manager praised him for doing a shrewd thing. People of this world are more astute at handling their affairs than people who belong to the light. Jesus continued: I tell you, make friends for yourselves with worldly wealth. That way when it gives out, you will be welcomed in the eternal home.
Jesus told his disciples: There was a rich man who had a servant who managed his property. The rich man learned that the manager was accused of wasting his master's money. He said: 'Is it true what I hear about you? Give me a complete accounting of your management of my property for you may not be my manager any longer.' The servant thought: 'I am fired from my job. What shall I do? I am not strong enough for heavy work and I am ashamed to beg.read more.
I know what I will do when my job is gone. My friends will welcome me in their homes.' He called all the people who were in debt to his master. He asked the first one: 'How much do you owe my master?' One hundred barrels of olive oil,' he said. 'Here is your bill,' he told him; 'settle for fifty.' He asked another: 'How much do you owe?' 'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he answered. 'Here is your bill. Pay eight hundred bushels.'
Everyone who hears my words, and does them is like a wise man that builds his house on a rock. The rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it did not fall. It was built on a solid rock foundation.
Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you to whom he is like. He is like a man building a house. He dug and laid a deep foundation upon the rock. A flood sent a stream of water against the house and could not shake it because it was well built.
A prudent man conceals knowledge. The heart of fools proclaims foolishness.
The simple believes every word, but the prudent man gives thought to his steps.
A fool despises his father's instruction, but he who accepts discipline is prudent.
The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge. The ear of the wise one searches for knowledge.
Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his lord put in charge of his other servants, to give them their food at the proper time? That servant is blessed when his lord comes and finds him doing his will. I tell you, he will put him in charge of everything he owns.
The Lord said: Who is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master shall appoint over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? That servant will be blessed when his master comes and finds him doing so. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all that he has.
Jesus perceived their wickedness. He said: Why do you test me, you hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. They brought a penny (denarius) to him. He asked: Whose image and superscription is on this coin?read more.
Caesar's, they said. Then he said: Pay Caesar the things that are Caesar's. Pay God the things that are God's. When they heard it, they were amazed and left him.
Should we pay or should we not pay? Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them: Why do you test me? Show me a denarius. And they brought it. He said to them: Whose is this image and superscription? They said: Caesar's. Jesus said: Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. They greatly marveled at him.
He perceived their craftiness, and replied: Show me a denarius. Whose image and superscription does it have? They said, Caesar's. He said to them: Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.read more.
They were not able to apprehend him in front of the people. They were amazed by his answer and kept quiet.
Concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you read that which was spoken to you by God? God said: 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' God is not the God of the dead, but of the living!
It is a fact that the dead will be raised again. Have you not read the account of the burning bush in the book of Moses? Did you notice 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. You are greatly mistaken.
Even Moses showed that the dead are raised when he was near the bush and he called Jehovah the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Exodus 3:6-14) He is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live for him.
Go and make sure once more. Find out for certain where he is and who has seen him there. I hear that he is very cunning. Find out exactly the places where he hides. Be sure to bring back a report to me right away. Then I will go with you. If he is still in the region, I will hunt him down, even if I have to search the whole land of Judah.
Joab son of Zeruiah knew the king was still thinking about Absalom. Joab sent someone to Tekoa to get a wise woman from there. He told her: Please act like a mourner. Dress in mourning clothes. Do not use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time. Go to the king and speak to him in this way. Then Joab told her exactly what to say.
The people of Israel heard of Solomon's decision and were all filled with deep respect for him. They knew then that God had given him the wisdom to settle disputes fairly.
He wisely placed his sons in every region of Judah and Benjamin, in every fortified city. He gave them allowances and obtained many wives for them.
Daniel answered the officer appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Test your servants, please, for ten days. Give them vegetables to eat and water to drink. You compare our appearance and the appearance of the young people who eat the king's special food. Then you deal with us according to what you see.
Herod saw that the astrologers tricked him and he was furious. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys two years old and younger in or near Bethlehem. This matched the time he learned from the astrologers.
He said to her: Let the children be fed first. It is not proper to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. She answered: Yes Lord, even the dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs. Then he replied: Thanks to your answer you may leave for the demon has gone out of your daughter.
He said: It is not right to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs. She said: Yes, Lord; but even the dogs take the scraps from under their masters' table. O woman, Jesus replied, your faith is great! Let your desire be done. And her daughter was made well from that hour.
They devise evil plans and say: We will commit the perfect crime. The thoughts and the heart of man are deep.
They conspire with cunning against your people. They plot against your cherished ones.
([Psalm of David]) Rescue me from evil people, O Jehovah. Keep me safe from violent people. They plan evil things in their hearts. They start conflicts (fights) (wars) every day. They make their tongues as sharp as a snake's fang. Their lips hide the venom of poisonous snakes.
He met an evil hearted woman dressed seductively like an immoral woman.
And said: You child of the devil, full of all subtlety and mischief, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of Jehovah?
We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error.
O Jehovah, you are faithful to those who are faithful to you, and completely good to those who are faultless. You are pure to those who are pure, but hostile to those who are wicked.
In dealing with faithful people you are faithful. With innocent people you are innocent. With pure people you are pure. In dealing with devious people you are clever.
He keeps shrewd (crafty) (cunning) people from carrying out their plans so that they cannot do anything successfully. He catches the wise with their own craftiness. The plans of schemers are quickly halted.
An ungodly person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth. He winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers. Fraud is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.read more.
His disaster will come suddenly. Suddenly he is broken beyond repair.
A good man obtains favor from Jehovah. He will condemn a man of wicked intentions.
You are doomed! You think you are wise. You think you are so very clever.
I am Jehovah, your savior. I am the one who created you. I am Jehovah, the Creator of all things. I alone stretched out the heavens! No one helped me when I made the earth (I was by myself) (Who was with me?). I make fools of fortunetellers and frustrate the predictions of astrologers. The words of the wise I refute and show that their wisdom is foolishness.
It is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. (Isaiah 29:14)
I will do things that shock and amaze them. I will destroy the wisdom of those who claim to know and understand (discern).
For the wisdom of this age is foolishness with God. It is written: He catches the wise in their own craftiness (deception). (Job 5:13) And again: Jehovah knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain (useless) (empty). (Psalm 94:11)
He who is quick-tempered deals foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
The north wind drives away rain. So does an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds will be lead away from the simplicity and the purity (cleanness) that is toward Christ.
Now the serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals Jehovah God had made. He said to the woman: Did God really say, you must not eat from any tree in the garden?
that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder for even Satan fashions himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
The Pharisees took counsel how they might trap him in his talk. They sent their disciples with the Herodians to Jesus. They said: Teacher we know you are truthful. You teach the way of God in truth. And you are not partial to the influence of men. Tell us what you think? Is it lawful to pay the poll tax to Caesar, or not?
Pharisees and Herodians went to him that they might catch him in talk. Teacher, they said, we know that you are truthful, and not concerned about what other people think. You truthfully teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay or should we not pay? Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them: Why do you test me? Show me a denarius.
They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous. The spies listened for something in his speech to deliver him up to the authority of the governor. Teacher, they said, we know that you are right in what you say and teach. You are not partial and do not play favorites. Rather you teach the way of God truthfully. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
The chief priest and the elders of the people assembled at the court of Caiaphas, the high priest. All of them, using deceit, worked together to capture Jesus and kill him.
It was just two days until the feast of the Passover and the unleavened bread. The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might quietly capture and kill him. They said: Not during the feast for it might cause the people to riot.
The feast of unleavened bread was near. This is called the Passover. The chief priests and the scribes searched for a way to put him to death. But they feared the people.
Jacob answered: I will give it to you if you give me your birthright as the firstborn son. Esau said: All right! I am about to die. What good are rights as firstborn to me? Jacob answered: First make a vow that you will give me your birthright. Esau made the vow and gave his rights as firstborn to Jacob.
Then she took Esau's best clothes and dressed Jacob in them. She also covered the smooth part of his hands and neck with goatskins.
We must outsmart them or they will increase in number. If war breaks out they will leave the country and join our enemies to fight against us.
When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, They resorted to a ruse (scheme) (trick). They acted as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, worn out, torn, and mended. They had worn out and patched shoes on their feet, they wore old garments; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.read more.
They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel: We come from a distant country, make a treaty with us.
Amnon had a friend named Jonadab. He was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab usually knew how to get what he wanted.
Sanballat and Geshem sent to me saying: Come; let us have a meeting in one of the little towns in the lowland of Ono. But their purpose was to do me evil. I sent men to them saying: I am doing a great work, so that it is not possible for me to come. Should the work to be stopped while I go away from it and come to you? They sent this to me four times. I sent them the same answer.read more.
Then Sanballat sent his servant to me a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. There was written in it: It has been heard among the nations what Geshem is saying, / He is saying that you and the Jews are hoping to make yourselves free from the king's authority. That this is why you are building the wall. They say that it is your purpose to be their king. And that you have prophets preaching about you in Jerusalem, and saying: 'There is a king in Judah.' Now an account of these things will be sent to the king. So come now, and let us have a discussion. I responded to him, saying: No such things as you say are being done. They are only a fiction you have made up yourself. They hoped to put fear in us, saying: Their hands will become feeble and give up the work so that it may not get done. But now, O God, make my hands strong. And I went to the house of Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined in his house. He said: Let us have a meeting in the house of God, inside the Temple, and let the doors be closed for they will come to kill you. Truly, in the night they will come to kill you. I replied: Am I the sort of man to go in flight? What man, in my position, would go into the Temple to keep safe? I will not go in. Then it became clear to me that God had not sent him. He spoke prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat paid him money to do so. For this reason they paid him money, in order that I might be overcome by fear and do what he said and do wrong. Then they would have reason to say evil about me and put shame on me.
Just the same, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning.
