50 Powerful Bible Verses on Wisdom and Knowledge
What if there was something that would make your life and relationships better? Wisdom will do that! The Bible verses on wisdom and knowledge below, will cause you to chase after God and His wisdom with reckless abandon. Wisdom comes from the Ultimate Source of wisdom- God. He has graciously left His Word to help us know Him, live our best life and engage in relationships well. Additionally, all we have to do is ask for more wisdom and He will give it lavishly! Can you believe God, in His kindness, has given us access to as much wisdom as we desire through the Bible and dependence on Him. He is a good, good Father. Let’s dive in and see what all the buzz about wisdom and knowledge is about…
What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
Wisdom and knowledge, both recurring themes in the Bible, are related but not synonymous. The dictionary defines wisdom as “the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting.” Knowledge, on the other hand, is “information gained through experience, reasoning, or acquaintance.” Knowledge can exist without wisdom, but not the other way around. One can be knowledgeable without being wise. Knowledge is knowing how to use a gun; wisdom is knowing when to use it and when to keep it holstered.
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I want to add another word picture of the difference between knowledge and wisdom as it relates to our relationships. Think of the Bible verse about speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), we need both knowledge and wisdom. First, we need to have knowledge of the Truth. Knowing when to speak it to someone requires wisdom. I bet you can think of another word picture of wisdom and knowledge- leave it in the comments!
Bible Verses on Wisdom and Knowledge from the Book of Proverbs
1. Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
2. Proverbs 2:6 – “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
3. Proverbs 2:10-11 – “For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you.”
4. Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
5. Proverbs 3:13-14 – “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.”
6. Proverbs 4:7 – “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.”
7. Proverbs 8:11 – “For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.”
8. Proverbs 9:9 – “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”
9. Proverbs 9:10 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”
10. Proverbs 10:13 – “On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.”
11. Proverbs 11:2 – “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”
12. Proverbs 13:10 – “By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.”
13. Proverbs 14:33 – “Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.”
14. Proverbs 15:33 – “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.”
15. Proverbs 16:16 – “How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.”
16. Proverbs 17:24 – “The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.”
17. Proverbs 18:15 – “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.”
18. Proverbs 19:20 – “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.”
19. Proverbs 20:15 – “There is gold and abundance of costly stones, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.”
20. Proverbs 21:30 – “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.”
21. Proverbs 23:23 – “Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.”
22. Proverbs 31:26 – “She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”
More Bible Verses on Wisdom and Knowledge
23. Ecclesiastes 2:26 – “For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.”
24. Ecclesiastes 7:12 – “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.”
25. Ecclesiastes 8:1 – “Who is like the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.”
26. Isaiah 11:2 – “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.”
27. Daniel 2:20-21 – “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons
28. Daniel 12:3 – “And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”
29. Matthew 10:16 – “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
30. Romans 11:33 – “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”
31. Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
32. 1 Corinthians 1:25 – “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
33. 1 Corinthians 1:27 – “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
34. 1 Corinthians 1:30 – “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”
35. 1 Corinthians 2:6-7 – “Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.”
36. 1 Corinthians 3:18-19 – “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness.'”
37. 1 Corinthians 12:8 – “For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit.”
38. Colossians 2:2-3 – “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
39. James 1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
40. James 3:13 – “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.”
41. James 3:17 – “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”
42. 1 Kings 4:29 – “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore.”
43. Job 12:13 – “With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.”
44. Psalm 111:10 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”
45. Isaiah 11:9 – “They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
46. Hosea 4:6 – “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
47. Colossians 2:2-3 – “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
48. 2 Peter 1:5-6 – “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness.”
49. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
50. Colossians 3:10 – “and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”
Key Lessons About Wisdom and Knowledge
1. God is the Ultimate Source of Wisdom
Through the collection of Bible verses on wisdom and knowledge, the first key takeaway is… God is the Ultimate Source of Wisdom. God’s wisdom is the only way to acquire true wisdom. When we come to Him for wisdom, He graciously provides an understanding mind. He does this through His indwelling Holy Spirit, His Word and through prayerful dependence on Him. We are not wise apart from our Father’s instruction and steadfast love.
2. Humility Precedes Wisdom
Human wisdom depends on human tradition. If we are seeking our own understanding rather than godly wisdom, then we are walking in the way of fools. It’s prideful to reject the Ultimate Source of wisdom and knowledge. This is why it’s vital to approach God with humility. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. When we have a heart of humility, we come to God with open hearts and open hands ready to receive. It is humility that enables us to accept instruction and wise counsels.
3. God’s Word is Full of Wisdom
God has graciously provided the the Bible. The Bible is full of spiritual wisdom and hidden treasures to renew and transform us from the inside out. If you desire great understanding and a heart of wisdom; Being in the Word of God is your greatest resource. It is the book the wise listen to more than anything else. Consequently, it is the wisest thing you can do with your life.
4. Prayerful Dependence on God Enables the Wise Person
God delights to lavish more wisdom on us when we ask Him, according to James. Could it really be as simple as asking for more? Yes! We can confidently approach the Throne of God and simply ask Him to lavish us with more wisdom. And He will do that for us. We can also depend on His Holy Spirit to help us navigate His Word. The Holy Spirit illuminates God’s Word to us, enlightening us to His hidden treasures.
5. Wisdom (or lack of) Guides Our Life and Relationships
We can live our life with wisdom or without wisdom. The Bible verses on wisdom and knowledge give us much incentive to grow in understanding of God and His Word. Many of the Proverbs emphasize the value of wisdom. God’s Word is how we learn how to engage with the world around us and take thoughts captive. The Bible teaches us who our Glorious Father is and how we can rest in Him and His steadfast love. Scripture makes straight paths before us, enables good judgment and ability to walk in the way of wisdom. A life without wisdom and knowledge leads to foolishness, difficulty in living and relating. Why not lean into God for something as vital as wisdom?
Wrapping Up Bible Verses On Wisdom and Knowledge
After reviewing the list of Bible verses on wisdom and knowledge, I felt motivated to get into God’s Word! I deeply desire to have sound wisdom as I navigate my life and relationships. More wisdom makes me a better wife, mother and counselor. In order to have more wisdom, we must acknowledge that God alone is the Souce of wisdom and knowledge. Then we need to approach God with humility, recognizing we do not have wisdom apart from Him and His Word. Next, utilize your greatest tools to gain more wisdom- the Sword of the Spirit and Praying in the Spirit. The benefits of more wisdom is knowing your Heavenly Father, living a purposeful life and relating well with others. How will you be working with God to gain more wisdom? Leave your answer in the comments and share this article with someone!
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Before I read the Bible I’ll ask for wisdom and revelation for the word I am about to read,thank you.
That is a wonderful reminder for us all, Karin!
[…] Check This Out! Powerful Bible Verses About Wisdom & Knowledge […]
Thank you for the free verses about wisdom and knowledge.
Thank you. I am going to print and study!!!!
[…] Powerful Bible Verses About Wisdom & Knowledge […]
Thank you for some wonderful information. I intend to use it to enhance my knowledge of not just who Jesus is but what has been done on my behalf, thank you God our Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit.
I’ve been encouraged through reading of the Word of God through which is hidden all the treasures of life that I need, moreso my spirit enlightened.
I wouldn’t be such a person whom I am today if it wasn’t the wisdom and Knowledge I acquired after understanding that the only source of my good judgement and healthier living is only to be rooted deep into the word of God. Thank you so much.