'Clever' in the Bible

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth [I openly and joyfully acknowledge Your great wisdom], that You have hidden these things [these spiritual truths] from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants [to new believers, to those seeking God’s will and purpose].

The master praised the dishonest servant manager for being so clever, because worldly people are more clever than enlightened people in dealing with their own.

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize—not with clever words, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect.

For it is written,“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”

My message and my preaching were not accompanied by clever, wise words, but by a display of the Spirit's power,

Granting that I have not been a burden to you, was I a clever schemer who trapped you by some trick?

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed like waves and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, or by clever strategies that would lead us astray.

When we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, we did not follow any clever myths. Rather, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.