What Does the Bible Say About Prudence?

Proverbs 27:12 ESV / 138 helpful votes

The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

Proverbs 8:12 ESV / 107 helpful votes

“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.

Proverbs 13:16 ESV / 91 helpful votes

Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.

1 Peter 4:7 ESV / 63 helpful votes

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

Proverbs 15:5 ESV / 47 helpful votes

A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

Proverbs 14:15 ESV / 46 helpful votes

The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.

John 16:13 ESV / 37 helpful votes

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Proverbs 15:2 ESV / 34 helpful votes

The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.

2 Peter 3:9 ESV / 30 helpful votes

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Proverbs 22:3 ESV / 30 helpful votes

The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

Proverbs 19:14 ESV / 27 helpful votes

House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 ESV / 24 helpful votes

But test everything; hold fast what is good.

Proverbs 17:28 ESV / 22 helpful votes

Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

John 14:26 ESV / 21 helpful votes

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Proverbs 1:1-7 ESV / 18 helpful votes

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, ...

Joshua 1:9 ESV / 16 helpful votes

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Jeremiah 23:1-40 ESV / 15 helpful votes

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ...

Proverbs 8:1-36 ESV / 14 helpful votes

Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. ...

Proverbs 14:8 ESV / 13 helpful votes

The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.

1 Samuel 16:18 ESV / 13 helpful votes

One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.”

Ephesians 1:7 ESV / 12 helpful votes

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Psalm 91:1-16 ESV / 10 helpful votes

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, ...

1 Samuel 25:32-33 ESV / 10 helpful votes

And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand!

1 Timothy 3:2 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

1 Corinthians 12:28 ESV / 9 helpful votes

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

Proverbs 12:15-17 ESV / 9 helpful votes

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult. Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.

Hebrews 8:13 ESV / 8 helpful votes

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Philippians 2:5-8 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV / 8 helpful votes

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Matthew 25:1-15 ESV / 8 helpful votes

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ...

Hosea 4:6 ESV / 8 helpful votes

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.

Ecclesiastes 10:3 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.

1 Corinthians 14:12 ESV / 7 helpful votes

So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

Revelation 13:1-18 ESV / 6 helpful votes

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. ...

Ephesians 1:8 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

Romans 12:2-4 ESV / 6 helpful votes

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. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,

John 3:16-17 ESV / 6 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Proverbs 2:6-13 ESV / 6 helpful votes

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; ...

Revelation 1:5 ESV / 5 helpful votes

And from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; ...

Ephesians 6:1-7 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, ...

Acts 15:1-41 ESV / 5 helpful votes

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” ...

Jeremiah 49:7 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Concerning Edom. Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Is wisdom no more in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom vanished?

1 Timothy 2:12 ESV / 4 helpful votes

I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.

Matthew 11:16-17 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

Psalm 65:1-13 ESV / 4 helpful votes

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song. Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple! By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; ...

Ephesians 1:1-23 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, ...

Ephesians 2:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes

By abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,

48 Bible Verses about Prudence

Proverbs 27:12 ESV / 138 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 8:12 ESV / 107 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 13:16 ESV / 91 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Peter 4:7 ESV / 63 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 15:5 ESV / 47 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 14:15 ESV / 46 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 16:13 ESV / 37 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 15:2 ESV / 34 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Peter 3:9 ESV / 30 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 22:3 ESV / 30 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 19:14 ESV / 27 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Thessalonians 5:21 ESV / 24 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 17:28 ESV / 22 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 14:26 ESV / 21 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 1:1-7 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Joshua 1:9 ESV / 16 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 23:1-40 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 8:1-36 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 14:8 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Samuel 16:18 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 1:7 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 91:1-16 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Samuel 25:32-33 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Timothy 3:2 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 12:28 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 12:15-17 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hebrews 8:13 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Philippians 2:5-8 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 25:1-15 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hosea 4:6 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ecclesiastes 10:3 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 14:12 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 13:1-18 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 1:8 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 12:2-4 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16-17 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 2:6-13 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 1:5 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 6:1-7 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 15:1-41 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 49:7 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Timothy 2:12 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 11:16-17 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 65:1-13 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 1:1-23 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 2:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Suggest a Verse

Enter a Verse Reference (e.g., John 3:16-17)