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Bible in Plain English
Matthew 10:16
“Behold, I am sending you as lambs among wolves; be therefore crafty as snakes and innocent as doves.”
Sometimes believers intentionally misinterpret this verse for selfish reasons.
They cunningly used the bible verse as a backup for their unprincipled and unscrupulous acts towards the honest believers and well meaning people around them.
The English dictionary pens down the word “cunning” as a synonym of being shrewd or crafty but truth be told, there is no need for a lamb to be cunning among his fellow lambs.
Jesus’ words in the text forms two things; an instruction and admonition.
“I am sending you” is an order/instruction/command.
The admonition part is the part that says be crafty(shrewd) as snakes and innocent as doves and this is a character to be put on by the lamb only when he finds himself among wolves(people of the world).
Other Bible versions of the same verse use the word wise to replace crafty. This I think should be the focus and a better expression of the intended meaning of being crafty.
With adequate understanding, the word wise is a safer term when dealing with both believers and non-believers as wisdom is a principal thing and in all our getting the bible charges us to get wisdom and understanding.
As Christians, misappropriate use of the word crafty in this bible verse to justify our knavish and deceptive ways is unacceptable and shouldn’t be encouraged among believers.Being wise is a requirement for every believer in order to deal with men of all belief systems however, cunningness in a deceptive and dishonest way is not expected of a believer and should be shunned outrightly.
Conclusively, we are charged to be wise but not to be cunning in a deceptive manner when dealing with believers and non believers.
Remain in the wisdom of the spirit.
Zacchaeus O. Bamgbaiye
