Cleverness (4 Occurrences)

1 Corinthians 1:17
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News-not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn't be made void.
(See NAS)

1 Corinthians 1:19
For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing."
(See NAS RSV)

Ephesians 4:14
So we shall no longer be babes nor shall we resemble mariners tossed on the waves and carried about with every changing wind of doctrine according to men's cleverness and unscrupulous cunning, making use of every shifting device to mislead.
(WEY)

Isaiah 25:11
And if he puts out his hands, like a man stretching out his hands in swimming, the Lord will make low his pride, however expert his designs.
(See NIV)

Cliff (11 Occurrences)

Unscrupulous (2 Occurrences)

Waves (43 Occurrences)

Ingenuity (1 Occurrence)

Resemble (15 Occurrences)

Device (17 Occurrences)

Mariners (7 Occurrences)

Mislead (13 Occurrences)

Babes (18 Occurrences)

Corinth (13 Occurrences)

Changing (31 Occurrences)

Cleverly (2 Occurrences)

Shifting (3 Occurrences)

Men's (76 Occurrences)

Result (73 Occurrences)

Plagues (28 Occurrences)

Egypt (596 Occurrences)

(n.) The quality of being clever; skill; dexterity; adroitness.3834. panourgia -- cleverness, craftiness
... cleverness, craftiness. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: panourgia
Phonetic Spelling: (pan-oorg-ee'-ah) Short Definition: cunning, craftiness ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3834.htm - 7k

4907. sunesis -- a running together, spec. understanding
... Word Origin from suniemi Definition a running together, spec. understanding NASB
Word Usage cleverness (1), insight (1), understanding (5). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4907.htm - 7k

4678. sophia -- skill, wisdom
... wisdom."]. Word Origin from sophos Definition skill, wisdom NASB Word Usage
cleverness (1), learning (1), wisdom (49). wisdom. From ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4678.htm - 7k

Innocent Alypius, Being Apprehended as a Thief, is Set at Liberty ...
... Book VI. Chapter IX."Innocent Alypius, Being Apprehended as a Thief,
is Set at Liberty by the Cleverness of an Architect. 14. ...
/.../chapter ix innocent alypius being apprehended.htm

The Beginning and End of Wisdom
... are violent and impatient; if you are selfish and self-conceited; if you are weak
and self-indulgent, given up to your own pleasures, your cleverness will be ...
/.../kingsley/the good news of god/sermon xxii the beginning and.htm

Daily Bread.
... heathen possessed. They would shut God out of the world of Nature, and see
in a harvest-field only man's cleverness and energy. Let ...
/.../the life of duty a years plain sermons v 2/sermon lxii daily bread.htm

Chapter iii
... This was a purely harmless cleverness, after the pattern of (Matthew 10:16). ... But
her advantages are sufficient amply to offset the cleverness of the attack. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter iii.htm

Manasseh
... It is the easiest thing in the world to undo and overturn; there is no cleverness
and courage required for destroying, the cleverness and courage are called ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/milligan/men of the bible some lesser-known/manasseh.htm

Cast Your Eye Round the Room in which You Sit...
... Cleverness shall be left for men and wisdom for women. For cleverness kills
wisdom; that is one of the few sad and certain things. ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 17 cast your eye.htm

1 Cor. Ii. 1, 2
... not so: for neither doth the Spirit enter into an unclean soul, nor, having entered
in, can it ever be subdued; even though all possible cleverness of speech ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily vi 1 cor ii.htm

The Attack on the Scriptures
... All this was quite true; but the Jews forgot that mere cleverness does not make
a man or woman good, and that the fear of God is the beginning of all true ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter vi the attack on.htm

John 0. 297222222 "To Whom?"
... an age of greedy pursuit of pleasure and impatience of restraint, an age of idolatry
of intellect, and extravagant admiration of so-called cleverness, an age ...
/.../chapter xi john 0 297222222 to.htm

The Romance of M. Renan. By Napoleon Roussel.
... We say this without any reference either to its style or to its scientific character;
but with respect to the marvelous cleverness with which its author colors ...
/.../the romance of m renan and the christ of the gospels/the romance of m renan.htm

Cleverness (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The quality of being clever; skill; dexterity;
adroitness. Multi-Version Concordance Cleverness (4 Occurrences). ...
/c/cleverness.htm - 7k

Cliff (11 Occurrences)

/c/cliff.htm - 10k

Unscrupulous (2 Occurrences)
... babes nor shall we resemble mariners tossed on the waves and carried about with
every changing wind of doctrine according to men's cleverness and unscrupulous ...
/u/unscrupulous.htm - 7k

Waves (43 Occurrences)
... babes nor shall we resemble mariners tossed on the waves and carried about with
every changing wind of doctrine according to men's cleverness and unscrupulous ...
/w/waves.htm - 18k

Ingenuity (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (n.) Curiousness, or cleverness in design or contrivance; as, the ingenuity of
a plan, or of mechanism. 3. (n.) Openness of heart; ingenuousness. ...
/i/ingenuity.htm - 7k

Resemble (15 Occurrences)
... babes nor shall we resemble mariners tossed on the waves and carried about with
every changing wind of doctrine according to men's cleverness and unscrupulous ...
/r/resemble.htm - 11k

Device (17 Occurrences)
... babes nor shall we resemble mariners tossed on the waves and carried about with
every changing wind of doctrine according to men's cleverness and unscrupulous ...
/d/device.htm - 14k

Mariners (7 Occurrences)
... babes nor shall we resemble mariners tossed on the waves and carried about with
every changing wind of doctrine according to men's cleverness and unscrupulous ...
/m/mariners.htm - 8k

Mislead (13 Occurrences)
... babes nor shall we resemble mariners tossed on the waves and carried about with
every changing wind of doctrine according to men's cleverness and unscrupulous ...
/m/mislead.htm - 10k

Babes (18 Occurrences)
... babes nor shall we resemble mariners tossed on the waves and carried about with
every changing wind of doctrine according to men's cleverness and unscrupulous ...
/b/babes.htm - 12k

Cleverness, as a concept, is often associated with mental acuity, quickness of understanding, and skillful problem-solving. In the Bible, cleverness can be seen in both positive and negative lights, depending on its application and the heart behind it.

Positive Aspects of Cleverness

Cleverness, when aligned with wisdom and righteousness, is portrayed positively in Scripture. The Bible often commends those who use their intellect and skills for godly purposes. For instance, in the construction of the Tabernacle, God endowed Bezalel with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship (Exodus 31:3, BSB). This divine gifting enabled him to execute the intricate designs required for the holy sanctuary, demonstrating that cleverness, when inspired by God, serves a noble purpose.

Proverbs frequently highlights the value of wisdom and understanding, which can be seen as forms of cleverness. Proverbs 8:12 (BSB) states, "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion." Here, cleverness is associated with prudence and discretion, qualities that lead to righteous living and decision-making.

Negative Aspects of Cleverness

Conversely, the Bible warns against cleverness that is rooted in deceit or used for selfish gain. The serpent in the Garden of Eden is described as "more cunning than any beast of the field" (Genesis 3:1, BSB). This cleverness, however, was used to deceive Eve, leading to the fall of humanity. This narrative illustrates how cleverness, when divorced from truth and righteousness, can lead to destructive outcomes.

The Apostle Paul cautions against being led astray by those who use clever arguments to deceive. In Colossians 2:4 (BSB), he writes, "I say this so that no one will deceive you by smooth rhetoric." Here, cleverness is associated with persuasive speech that can lead believers away from the truth of the Gospel.

Cleverness in the New Testament

In the New Testament, Jesus Himself demonstrates a form of cleverness in His interactions with the Pharisees and other religious leaders. His responses to their attempts to trap Him in His words reveal a profound wisdom and understanding. For example, when asked whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, Jesus replied, "Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s" (Mark 12:17, BSB). This answer not only avoided their trap but also conveyed a deeper spiritual truth.

The Apostle Paul also exemplifies cleverness in his missionary work. In Acts 17, Paul uses the Athenians' altar to an unknown god as a starting point to proclaim the Gospel, demonstrating an astute understanding of his audience and an ability to communicate effectively within their cultural context.

Cleverness and Humility

The Bible encourages believers to seek wisdom and understanding, but it also emphasizes the importance of humility. James 3:13 (BSB) advises, "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom." Cleverness, when coupled with humility, becomes a tool for serving others and glorifying God, rather than for self-promotion or manipulation.

In summary, cleverness in the biblical context is a double-edged sword. It can be a gift from God, used for His glory and the benefit of others, or it can be a tool for deceit and self-serving purposes. The key lies in the heart and intentions of the individual, aligning cleverness with the wisdom and righteousness that come from a relationship with God.What Greek gods are mentioned in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Why did Satan think he could defeat God? | GotQuestions.org

What is the purpose of the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus