Bible verses about

Bible Verses About Wisdom

12 verses · ESV & King James Version

Most men think of wisdom as a stock of answers — the accumulated judgement that lets you decide quickly and be right.

Proverbs keeps describing something closer to the opposite. Hearing a matter fully before answering. Taking counsel from several people rather than one. Walking with wise men long enough for it to rub off. Asking for what you lack.

Twelve passages below, including the one that catches most of us before lunch.

12 verses for when you need them

  1. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

    James 1:5 ESV

    If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

    James 1:5 KJV

    The clause men skip is “without reproach” — asking does not come with a lecture about why you should have known already. For anyone who finds admitting ignorance costly, that is the operative part of the verse.

  2. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

    Proverbs 9:10 ESV

    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

    Proverbs 9:10 KJV

    Beginning, not summit — the entry point rather than the achievement. Fear here is nearer to accurate scale than to terror: knowing what you are dealing with, and sizing yourself correctly against it.

  3. If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.

    Proverbs 18:13 ESV

    He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

    Proverbs 18:13 KJV

    The most practical verse on the page and the easiest to fail before lunch. Answering early is named as folly and shame — strong words for a habit most men mistake for decisiveness.

  4. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

    Proverbs 3:7 ESV

    Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

    Proverbs 3:7 KJV

    The warning is aimed at the man who thinks he already has this handled — which is, awkwardly, the man least likely to read the verse as being about him.

  5. Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.

    Proverbs 15:22 ESV

    Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

    Proverbs 15:22 KJV

    Many advisers, plural again. One person who agrees with you is not counsel. The proverb treats plural input as the difference between a plan failing and standing.

  6. Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

    Proverbs 13:20 ESV

    He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

    Proverbs 13:20 KJV

    Wisdom is described as catching rather than being taught. Walking with — sustained proximity, not a course. It is also the bluntest verse here about the cost of your choice of company.

  7. Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

    Proverbs 27:17 ESV

    Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

    Proverbs 27:17 KJV

    Sharpening is abrasive by definition — friction, and some material removed. The proverb is not describing comfortable friendship, which is worth remembering before deciding a friend who disagrees is a problem.

  8. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

    James 3:17 ESV

    But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

    James 3:17 KJV

    A test you can apply. Almost every quality listed is relational — peaceable, gentle, open to reason, impartial. If someone's wisdom consistently leaves conflict behind it, James gives you grounds to doubt its source.

  9. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

    1 Kings 3:9 ESV

    Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

    1 Kings 3:9 KJV

    Offered anything he wanted, Solomon asks for the capacity to do the job in front of him. Note the reason he gives: he does not think he is able. The request comes out of an accurate assessment, not modesty.

  10. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.

    Proverbs 4:7 ESV

    Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

    Proverbs 4:7 KJV

    Get is an acquisition word — the same verb a man would use about property. The proverb assumes wisdom is pursued deliberately and at cost, rather than accumulating with age.

  11. For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

    Ecclesiastes 7:12 ESV

    For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

    Ecclesiastes 7:12 KJV

    An unusually commercial comparison: both shelter you, but only one keeps you alive. Written by the richest man in the story, which gives the ranking some weight.

  12. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

    Colossians 4:5 ESV

    Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

    Colossians 4:5 KJV

    Aimed specifically at conduct toward people outside the faith. Paul treats how a man behaves with those who do not share his convictions as a matter of wisdom rather than of argument.

Read the list for what wisdom is made of here and it is mostly intake. Ask for it. Hear the matter before answering. Take counsel, plural. Walk with wise men. Let another man sharpen you. Solomon's request is for an understanding heart, and the reason he gives is that he does not think he can do the job.

Very little of it is about having the answer. Proverbs 18:13 is blunt that having one early is the failure mode, and Proverbs 3:7 aims squarely at the man who is confident he does not need the rest of the page.

James 3:17 is the one to test yourself against, because it is checkable. Peaceable, gentle, open to reason, impartial. If what you are calling wisdom keeps producing conflict, James says look again at where it came from.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version, which is in the public domain. Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.