“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.”
Context: Wisdom is described as something to ask for plainly, without being made to feel foolish for asking.
Bible Verses About Wisdom
Wisdom in Scripture is practical skill in living well, not cleverness. It begins with reverence and shows up in how you treat people and handle money, words and time.
Proverbs supplies the definitions; James turns them into requests you can pray.
Compiled and reviewed by the Verse & Light editorial team · last reviewed 2026-09-20 · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
The passages
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.”
Context: The programme statement of the whole book: knowledge starts with the fear of the Lord.
“Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding. For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.”
Context: Wisdom valued above silver and rubies — an economic comparison, deliberately.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Context: A restatement of the theme at the hinge of the book, before the collected proverbs begin.
“that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.”
Context: Paul locates the treasures of wisdom in Christ, writing against impressive-sounding alternatives.
“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.”
Context: A test for wisdom by its behaviour: peaceable, gentle, merciful, without partiality.
Questions to sit with
- Which decision needs wisdom rather than more information?
- Whose wise counsel could you seek this week?
- Which mark of wisdom in James 3:17 is missing from how you argue?
A prayer
Original devotional writing by the Verse & Light editorial team — not part of the Bible text
God, give me wisdom for the choice in front of me, and the humility to take advice when it comes. Amen.
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