In our fast-paced and often confusing world, we need discernment and wisdom more than ever! Whether you’re navigating personal decisions, challenging relationships, or the hurdles and surprises of everyday life, applying God's wisdom from the Bible can give us clarity and direction.
The Bible has a lot to say about wisdom and discernment – why we need it, how to look for it, and what to do with it when we find it. Check out our top 47 Bible verses about wisdom and discernment:
Bible verses about wisdom and discernment
Bible verses about seeking God’s wisdom
1. James 1:5 | "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking."
2. Colossians 1:9 | "So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding."
3. Ephesians 1:17 | "Asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God."
4. 1 Kings 3:9 | "Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”
5. Proverbs 2:3-5 | "Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God."
6. Matthew 7:7 | "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you."
7. Jeremiah 33:3 | "Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come."
8. Proverbs 4:5 | "Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them."
9. Job 12:13 | "But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his."
Bible verses about the value of wisdom
10. Proverbs 2:6 | "For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding."
11. Proverbs 3:13 | "Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding."
12. Proverbs 4:7 | "Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment."
13. Proverbs 8:11 | "For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it."
14. Proverbs 16:16 | "How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!"
15. Proverbs 23:23 | "Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment."
16. Ecclesiastes 7:12 | "Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life."
17. Proverbs 13:10 | "Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise."
18. Proverbs 24:14 | "In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short."
Bible verses about wisdom and fear of the Lord
19. Proverbs 9:10 | "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment."
20. Proverbs 1:7 | "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."
21. Psalm 111:10 | "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!"
22. Job 28:28 | "And this is what he says to all humanity: 'The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.'"
23. Proverbs 14:27 | "Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death."
24. Proverbs 15:33 | "Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor."
25. Isaiah 33:6 | "In that day he will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord will be your treasure."
Bible verses about wisdom in daily life
26. Proverbs 19:20 | "Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life."
27. Proverbs 11:2 | "Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."
28. Proverbs 18:15 | "Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge."
29. Proverbs 16:16 | "How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!"
30. Psalm 119:66 | "I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge."
31. Proverbs 12:15 | "Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others."
32. Proverbs 15:14 | "A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash."
33. Proverbs 21:11 | "If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you instruct the wise, they will be all the wiser."
34. Ecclesiastes 2:26 | "God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. This, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind."
Bible verses about spiritual wisdom
35. James 3:17 | "But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere."
36. 1 Corinthians 2:14 | "But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means."
37. Colossians 3:16 | "Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts."
38. 1 Corinthians 1:25 | "This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength."
39. Ephesians 5:15-17 | "So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do."
40. James 3:13 | "If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom."
Bible verses about discernment & understanding
41. Philippians 1:9-10 | "I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return."
42. Romans 12:2 | "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
43. Hebrews 5:14 | "Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong."
44. Proverbs 3:5-6 | "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."
45. 1 John 4:1 | "Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world."
46. Psalm 119:125 | "Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws."
47. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 | "But test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good."
What do I do with all these Bible verses?
Having access to the Bible’s wisdom is incredibly valuable, but only if you know what to do with it. Like walking around lost in the forest with a compass in your pocket, the Bible is useless if we don’t know what to do with the guidance it gives us.
As you read through this list, certain verses probably stood out to you more than others. Take those verses and find a way to keep them close. You might choose to write some on sticky notes and place them where you’ll see them regularly, or even memorize one or two each day to help them stay at the front of your mind.
Lastly, don’t just read these words, follow what they say. Like James 1:22-25 says, “Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.”
The key to living the life you actually want to live is finding God’s wisdom and following what it says!
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The Bible clearly has a lot to tell us about wisdom, but so did Jesus. Discover what Jesus had to teach us about wisdom and how he did it.
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