31 Bible Verses about Shrewdness

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

And the lord praised the unjust steward, because he did wisely; for the children of this life are wiser, for their generation, than the children of light. And I tell you, Make yourselves friends of the riches procured by injustice, that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles.

AND he also said to the disciples, There was a certain rich man that had a steward; and he was accused to him of wasting his property. And calling him, he said to him, What is this which I hear of you? Render an account of your stewardship; for you can be no longer a steward. And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, because my lord takes the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg.read more.
I know what I will do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. And calling each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, How much do you owe my lord? And he said, A hundred baths [1,350 gallons] of oil. And he said to him, Take your bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then he said to another, And how much do you owe? And he said, A hundred cors [1,445 bushels] of wheat. And he said to him, Take your bill, and write eighty.

Every one, therefore, that hears these words of mine and performs them, I will liken to a wise man who built his house on the 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 the rock.

Every one that comes to me, and hears my words and does them, I will show you whom he is like. He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid the foundation on the rock; and when there was a flood, the stream beat against that house and could not shake it, because it was built on a rock.

Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom the Lord has placed over his family to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he comes, shall find so doing. I tell you truly, that he will place him over all his estates.

And the Lord said, Who then is a faithful, a wise steward, whom the lord shall place over his family, to give them their proper food in due time? Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing. I tell you truly, that he will set him over all his property.

Jesus knowing their wickedness, said, Why do you hypocrites try me? Show me the tribute money. And they brought him a denarius [14 cents]. And he said to them, Whose is this image and this inscription?read more.
They said to him, Caesar's. Then he said to them, Give therefore Caesar's dues to Caesar, and God's to God. And hearing, they wondered, and went away and left him.

Shall we pay? or shall we not pay? But he knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why do you try me? Bring me a denarius [14 cents], that I may see it. And they brought him one. And he said to them, Whose is this figure, and the inscription? And they said to him, Caesar's. And Jesus said, Render Caesar's dues to Caesar, and God's to God. And they wondered at him.

And perceiving their craftiness, he said to them, Show me a denarius [14 cents]. Whose figure and inscription has it? And they answered and said, Caesar's. And he said to them, Render therefore Caesar's dues to Caesar, and God's to God.read more.
And they were not able to take advantage of his word before the people; and they wondered at his answer, and were silent.

But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you 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 a God of the dead, but of the living.

But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, how God spoke to him at the bush, 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; you greatly err.

But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord, The God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob. But God is not [a God] of the dead, but of the living; for all live to him.

And when they continued asking him, rising up, he said to them, Let him that has not sinned among you first cast the stone at her.

Then Herod seeing that he was despised by the Magi, was exceedingly angry, and sent and destroyed all the children in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the precise time which he had learned of the Magi.

And he said to her, Suffer the children first to be filled; it is not right to take the children's bread, and cast it to the little dogs. And she answered and said to him, Yes, Lord; for even the little dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. And he said to her, For this speech, go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.

But he answered and said, It is not right to take the children's bread and cast to the dogs. But she said, Yes, Lord; for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the table of their masters. Then Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, great is your faith! Be it to you as you wish; and her daughter was cured from that hour.

said, O full of all deceit and all craft, son of a devil, enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

that we may be no longer children, driven about like waves and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the art of men, and the craftiness of deceitful wiles,

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the intelligent.

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

but I fear lest as the serpent deceived Eve with his craftiness, so also your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ.

that we may not be circumvented by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

For such false apostles, deceitful laborers, transform themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder; for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing, therefore, if his ministers transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Then the Pharisees went and took counsel to ensnare him in his words. And they sent to him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God in truth, and care not for any man; for you regard not the face of men. Tell us, therefore, what you think; is it right to pay tribute to Caesar or not?

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and Herodians to ensnare him in his words. And they came and said to him, Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no one, for you respect not the face of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar or not? Shall we pay? or shall we not pay? But he knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why do you try me? Bring me a denarius [14 cents], that I may see it.

And they sent spies to watch him, who pretended to be righteous men, that they might take advantage of his speech, to deliver him to the power and authority of the procurator. And they asked him saying, Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, and respect no person, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful for us to pay tribute to Caesar, or not?

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were assembled in the court of the chief priest, who was called Caiaphas, and they took counsel to seize Jesus by stratagem, and kill him.

AND after two days was the passover and the unleavened bread. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might take him by deception, and kill him. But they said, Not at the feast, lest there be a tumult of the people.

AND the feast of unleavened bread approached, called the passover. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might destroy him, for they feared the people.

Be it so, I was not burdensome to you; but being crafty I caught you with deceit.