What does the Bible say about wisdom and knowledge?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible teaches that true wisdom and knowledge begin with reverent fear of the Lord and are gracious gifts He gives to those who seek Him in faith. James 1:5 invites believers to ask God for wisdom, confident in His generosity. Proverbs 1:7 and Psalm 111:10 place the fear of the Lord at the foundation of understanding, while Proverbs 2:1-22 teaches that God grants wisdom to guard His people in righteous paths. Wisdom is more valuable than wealth because it preserves life, as Ecclesiastes 7:12 says. The Spirit resting on Christ is the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge in Isaiah 11:2, and all true treasures of wisdom are found in Him, not in hollow human philosophy (Colossians 2:8).
Top passages, ranked by readers
Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- James 1:5 5 votes
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
- Proverbs 1:7 5 votes
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
- Psalms 111:10 3 votes
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
- Proverbs 2:1-22 3 votes
My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God. For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it.
- Ecclesiastes 7:12 3 votes
For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
- Isaiah 11:2 2 votes
Yahweh’s Spirit will rest on him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh.
- Colossians 2:8 2 votes
Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elemental spirits of the world, and not after Christ.
- Proverbs 2:6 2 votes
For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
- James 3:17 2 votes
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
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