31 Bible Verses about Shrewdness

Remember, I am sending you out as my Messengers like sheep among wolves. So be as wise as serpents, and as blameless as doves.

His master complimented this dishonest steward on the shrewdness of his action. And indeed men of the world are shrewder in dealing with their fellow-men than those who have the Light. And I say to you 'Win friends for yourselves with your dishonest money,' so that, when it comes to an end, there may be a welcome for you into the Eternal Home.

Jesus said to his disciples: "There was a rich man who had a steward; and this steward was maliciously accused to him of wasting his estate. So the master called him and said 'What is this that I hear about you? Give in your accounts, for you cannot act as steward any longer.' 'What am I to do,' the steward asked himself, 'now that my master is taking the steward's place away from me? I have not strength to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.read more.
I know what I will do, so that, as soon as I am turned out of my stewardship, people may welcome me into their homes.' One by one he called up his master's debtors. 'How much do you owe my master?' he asked of the first. 'Four hundred and forty gallons of oil,' answered the man. 'Here is your agreement,' he said; 'sit down at once and make it two hundred and twenty.' And you, the steward said to the next, 'how much do you owe?' 'Seventy quarters of wheat,' he replied. 'Here is your agreement,' the steward said; 'make it fifty-six.'

Everyone, therefore, that listens to this teaching of mine and acts upon it may be compared to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock. The rain poured down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, for its foundations were upon the rock.

Every one who comes to me and listens to my teaching and acts upon it--I will show you to whom he may be compared. He may be compared to a man building a house, who dug, and went deep, and laid the foundation upon the rock. Then, when a flood came, the river swept down upon that house, but had no power to shake it, because it had been built well.

Who, then is that trustworthy, careful servant, who has been placed by his master over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this. I tell you that his master will put him in charge of the whole of his property.

"Who, then," replied the Master, "is that trustworthy steward, the careful man, who will be placed by his master over his establishment, to give them their rations at the proper time? Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this. His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property.

Perceiving their malice, Jesus answered: "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin with which the tax is paid." And, when they had brought him a florin, He asked: "Whose head and title are these?"read more.
"The Emperor's," they answered: on which he said to them: "Then pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God." They wondered at his answer, and left him alone and went away.

Should we pay, or should we not pay?" Knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus said to them: "Why are you testing me? Bring me a florin to look at." And, when they had brought it, he asked: "Whose head and title are these?" "The Emperor's," they said; And Jesus replied: "Pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God." And they wondered at him.

Seeing through their deceitfulness, Jesus said to them: "Show me a florin. Whose head and title are on it?" "The Emperor's," they said; and Jesus replied: "Well then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God."read more.
They could not lay hold of this answer before the people; and, in their wonder at his reply, they held their tongues.

As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God-- 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living."

As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."

As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord--'The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Now he is not God of dead men, but of living. For in his sight all are alive."

OMITTED TEXT

When Herod found that he had been trifled with by the Astrologers, he was very angry. He sent and put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and the whole of that neighborhood, who were two years old or under, guided by the date which he had ascertained from the Astrologers.

"Let the children be satisfied first," answered Jesus. "For it is not fair to take the children's food, and throw it to dogs." "Yes, Master," she replied; "even the dogs under the table do feed on the children's crumbs." "For saying that," he answered, "you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter."

"It is not fair," replied Jesus, "to take the children's food and throw it to dogs." "Yes, Master," she said, "for even dogs do feed on the scraps that fall from their owners' table." "Your faith is great," was his reply to the woman; "it shall be as you wish!" And her daughter was cured that very hour.

"You incarnation of deceit and all fraud! You son of the Devil! You opponent of all that is good! Will you never cease to divert 'the straight paths of the Lord'? Listen!

Then we shall no longer be like infants, tossed backward and forward, blown about by every breath of human teaching, through the trickery and the craftiness of men, towards the snares of error;

For Scripture says-'I will bring the philosophy of the philosophers to nought, and the shrewdness of the shrewd I will make of no account.'

For in God's sight this world's wisdom is folly. Scripture tells of-'One who catches the wise in their own craftiness,' And it says again-'The Lord sees how fruitless are the deliberations of the wise.'

Yet I fear that it may turn out that, just as the Serpent by his craftiness deceived Eve, so your minds may have lost the loyalty and purity due from you to the Christ.

So as to prevent Satan from taking advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Men of this stamp are false apostles, treacherous workers, disguising themselves as Apostles of Christ! And no wonder; for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of Light. It is not surprising, therefore, if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of Righteousness. But their end will be in accordance with their actions.

Then the Pharisees went away and conferred together as to how they might lay a snare for Jesus in the course of conversation. They sent their disciples, with the Herodians, to say to him: "Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and that you teach the way of God honestly, and are not afraid of any one; for you pay no regard to a man's position. Tell us, then, what you think. Are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not?"

Afterwards they sent to Jesus some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to set a trap for him in the course of conversation. These men came to him and said: "Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and are not afraid of any one, for you pay no regard to a man's position, but teach the Way of God honestly; are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not? Should we pay, or should we not pay?" Knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus said to them: "Why are you testing me? Bring me a florin to look at."

Having watched their opportunity, they afterwards sent some spies, who pretended to be good men, to catch Jesus in the course of conversation, and so enable them to give him up to the Governor's jurisdiction and authority. These men asked Jesus a question. They said: "Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and that you do not take any account of a man's position, but teach the Way of God honestly; Are we right in paying tribute to the Emperor or not?"

Then the Chief Priests and the Councillors of the Nation met in the house of the High Priest, who was called Caiaphas, And plotted together to arrest Jesus by stealth and put him to death;

It was now two days before the Festival of the Passover and the Unleavened bread. The Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law were looking for an opportunity to arrest Jesus by stealth, and to put him to death; For they said: "Not during the Festival, for fear of a riot."

The Feast of the Unleavened Bread, known as the Passover, was near. The Chief Priest and the Teachers of the Law were looking for an opportunity of destroying Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.

You will admit that I was not a burden to you but you say that I was "crafty" and caught you "by a trick"!