35 Bible Verses about Worldly Wisdom

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it is written, "The one who catches the wise in their craftiness,"

This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but [is] earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

When the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food and that it [was] a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make [one] wise, then she took from its fruit and she ate. And she gave [it] also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they [were] naked. And they sewed together fig leaves and they made for themselves coverings.

Look, he does not trust in his servants and he charges his angels with error. How much more dwellers in clay houses, whose foundation [is] in the dust? They are crushed like a moth. {Between morning and evening} they are destroyed; without [anyone] regarding [it] they perish forever.read more.
[Is] not their tent cord pulled up within them? They die, but not in wisdom.'

[He] is capturing [the] wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are rushed.

"Should an abundance of words go unanswered, or {a man full of talk} be vindicated?

But {an empty-headed person} will get understanding when a wild donkey's colt is born [as] a human being.

Therefore people revered him; he does not regard any {who think that they are wise}."

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear Yahweh and retreat from evil.

Folly is a joy to him who lacks {sense}, and a person of understanding {will walk upright}. Plans go wrong when there is no counsel, but with many advisors it will succeed.

There is a way [that seems] upright {to} a man, but its end [is] the way of death.

A man of wealth [is] wise in his own eyes, but the intelligent poor sees through him.

For in much wisdom [is] much frustration, and whoever increases knowledge increases sorrow.

The heart of the wise [inclines] to his right, but the heart of the fool [inclines] to his left. Even when the fool walks along the road, he lacks sense; he tells everyone [that] he is a fool.

Ah! [Those who are] wise in their own eyes and have understanding {in their view}!

therefore look, I am again doing something spectacular and a spectacle with this spectacular people. And the wisdom of its wise men shall perish, and the discernment of its discerning ones shall keep itself hidden." Ah! Those who make a plan deep, to hide [it] from Yahweh, and their deeds are in a dark place. And they say, "Who sees us? And who knows us?" Your perversity! As if {a potter} shall be regarded as [the] clay! That [the] product of its maker [says], "He did not make me," and [the] thing made into shape says of its {potter}, "He has no understanding."

And you felt secure in your wickedness; you said, "{No one} sees me." Your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, "I [am], and besides me [there is] no one." And evil shall come upon you, you will not know; it will be on the lookout for her. And disaster shall fall upon you; you will not be able to {avert} it. And ruin shall come on you suddenly; you do not know.

Even [the] stork in heaven knows its appointed time, and [the] turtledove, and [the] swallow, and [the] song bird, they observe the time of their coming. But my people do not know the ordinance of Yahweh. How can you say, 'We [are] wise and the law of Yahweh [is] with us'? Look, surely {the lying stylus of the scribes} has made it a lie. [The] wise will be put to shame, they will be dismayed, and they will get taken. Look, they have rejected the word of Yahweh, and what [is] wisdom to them?

Thus says Yahweh, "[The] wise man must not boast in his wisdom, and the warrior must not boast in his might, [the] wealthy man must not boast in his wealth. {But only} in this must the one who boasts boast, [that] he has insight, and [that] he knows me, that I [am] Yahweh, showing loyal love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for in these [things] I delight," {declares} Yahweh.

Concerning Edom, thus says Yahweh of hosts: "Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel become lost from [those who] understand? Is their wisdom rotting?

But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be dark. Therefore if the light in you is darkness, how great [is] the darkness!

At that time Jesus answered [and] said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these [things] from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to young children.

For [although they] knew God, they did not honor [him] as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasoning, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God with the likeness of an image of mortal human beings and birds and quadrupeds and reptiles.

And I, [when I] came to you, brothers, did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling,read more.
and my speech and my preaching [were] not with the persuasiveness of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power, in order that your faith would not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but wisdom not of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing, but we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery, which God predestined before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew. For if they had known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But just as it is written, "[Things] which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and have not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him." For to us God has revealed [them] through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all [things], even the depths of God. For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man that [is] in him? Thus also no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who [is] from God, in order that we may know the things freely given to us by God, [things] which we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in [words] taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual [things] to spiritual [people]. But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand [them], because they are spiritually discerned.

Beware lest {anyone take you captive} through philosophy and empty deceit, according to {human tradition}, according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ,

O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted [to you]. Turn away from pointless empty talk and contradictions of [what is] falsely called knowledge, which some, [by] professing [it], have deviated concerning the faith. Grace [be] with you [all].

therefore look, I am again doing something spectacular and a spectacle with this spectacular people. And the wisdom of its wise men shall perish, and the discernment of its discerning ones shall keep itself hidden."

And you felt secure in your wickedness; you said, "{No one} sees me." Your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, "I [am], and besides me [there is] no one."

"For my people [are] foolish, they have not known me. They [are] foolish children, and they do not have insight. They [are] skillful at doing evil, and they do not know [how] to do good."

By your wisdom and by your understanding you have gained for yourself wealth, and you have amassed gold and silver in your treasuries.

Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the intelligence of the intelligent I will confound."

Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but wisdom not of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing,

For as many as [are the] promises of God, in him [they are] "yes"; therefore also through him [is] the "amen" to the glory of God through us.

which [things] {although they have}, to be sure, an appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and humility and unsparing treatment of the body, {do not have any value} against the indulgence of the flesh.