31 Bible Verses about Shrewdness

Behold I send you forth as sheep into the midst of wolves: be ye therefore prudent as serpents, and innocent as doves.

And his master commended the dishonest steward as having acted prudently: for the men of this world are as to their affairs wiser than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends with these unrighteous treasures, that when they fail, ye may be received 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 of wasting his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, What is this I hear of thee? give up the accounts of thy stewardship, for thou canst be no longer steward. And the steward said in himself, What shall I do? now my master takes away the stewardship from me; I am not able to work, and I am ashamed to beg.read more.
I know what I will do, that when I am turned out of my place, they may receive me into their houses. So he called his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, How much owest thou to my master? and he said, an hundred baths of oil. And he said to him, Take thy bill, and sit down and write but fifty. Then he said to another, And how much owest thou? and he said, an hundred measures of wheat: and he said to him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.

Whoever therefore heareth these words of mine, and performeth them, I will compare him to a prudent man, who built his house on a rock: and the rain fell upon it, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock.

Whosoever cometh unto me, and heareth my instructions, and observeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: he is like a man who in building an house digged deep, and laid the foundation upon a rock; and when a flood came, the torrent beat violently against that house, but could not shake it, for it was founded upon a rock.

Who then is the faithful and prudent servant, whom his lord hath set over his family to give them food in due season? blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so employed: verily I tell you, that he will set him over his whole estate.

And the Lord said, Who is indeed that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his family to give out the measure of food in due season? Happy is that servant, whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Verily I tell you, that he will set him over all that he hath.

But Jesus knew their malice, and said, Why do ye tempt me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute-money. And they brought Him a Roman Penny. And He saith unto them, Whose image and inscription is this?read more.
They answered, Cesar's. Then saith He unto them, Render therefore to Cesar the things that are Cesar's; and to God the things that are God's. And when they heard this, they marvelled, and left Him and went away.

But He knew their hypocrisy, and said to them, Why do ye tempt me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. So they brought one: and He saith to them, Whose is this image and inscription? And they said Cesar's. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Render then unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at Him.

But He perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why do ye tempt me? Shew me a penny: whose image and inscription hath it? and they answered, Cesar's. Then said He unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's, and to God the things that are God's.read more.
And they could not take hold of his word before the people: and they marvelled at his answer and said no more.

But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read what is 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 the God of the dead, but of the living.

But as to the dead, that they are raised, have ye not read in the book of Moses, how God spake to him in the bush, 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: therefore ye do greatly mistake.

Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush; for he calleth the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for to Him they are all living.

And as they continued asking Him, He raised himself up and said unto them, "Let him that is without sin among you, first cast a stone at her."

Then Herod, when he saw that he was baffled by the wise-men, was very much enraged; and he sent and slew all the male-children in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly inquired of the wise-men.

But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be satisfied: for it is not fit to take the children's bread, and throw it to the dogs. And she answered and said unto Him, True, Lord, yet the dogs under the table, eat of the children's crumbs. And He said unto her, For this saying, go thy way, the demon is gone out of thy daughter.

But he answered, It is not fit to take the children's bread and throw it to dogs: and she said, True, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters. Then Jesus answering, said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it therefore unto thee as thou desirest. And her daughter was cured from that very hour.

said, O thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, who art full of all deceit and craft, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

That we may be no longer children fluctuating and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the artful insinuations of men, and their crafty methods of deceiving;

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

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for 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 least as the serpent seduced Eve by his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the purity that is in Christ.

for we are not ignorant of his devices.

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transformed into apostles of Christ. And no wonder: for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. It is therefore no great thing, if his ministers also be transformed into ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Then the pharisees went and consulted how they might insnare Him in his discourse. And they send to Him their disciples along with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art a man of truth, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest for any man; for thou regardest not the person of men: Tell us therefore what thou thinkest, Is it lawful to give tribute to Cesar, or not?

And they send to Him some of the pharisees, and of the Herodians to insnare Him in his discourse: and these, when they came, said to Him, Master, we know that thou art a man of truth, 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 pay tribute to Cesar, or not? should we give, or should we not give? But He knew their hypocrisy, and said to them, Why do ye tempt me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

And they watched Him and sent out spies, pretending to be righteous men, to lay hold of his words, that they might deliver Him up to the power and authority of the governor. And they asked Him, saying, Master, we know that thou speakest and teachest rightly, and acceptest not the person of any, but teachest the way of God in truth: is it lawful for us to give tribute to Cesar, or not?

Now the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people were then assembled together into the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas: and were consulting how they might take Jesus by treachery and put Him to death.

Now the feast of the passover and unleavened bread was within two days: and the chief priests and the scribes were contriving how they might seize Him by treachery and put Him to death. But they said, Not on the feast-day, least 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 were consulting how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.

Be it so, that I did not burden you myself, yet, may some say, being crafty I over-reached you by subtilty.