The Bible has a lot to say about counsel and seeking wise advice. Here is an overview of some key Bible verses about counsel:
Proverbs 15:22 – The value of wise counsel
“Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” This verse emphasizes the importance of seeking and listening to wise counsel from others. Making plans and decisions without input from wise advisers often leads to failure and mistake. There is safety and success in having many counselors to provide godly wisdom.
Proverbs 12:15 – Counsel of the wise
“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” Fools think they know best and do not listen to counsel. But the wise listen to and heed good advice from others. Wisdom involves being humble and recognizing the value of input from wise counselors.
Proverbs 19:20 – Listen to counsel
“Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.” Listening to counsel is key to gaining wisdom and avoiding foolish mistakes. Those who listen to instruction and correction become wiser over time. But those who reject counsel remain in folly.
Proverbs 11:14 – Victory through counsel
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Without wise guidance and counsel, people will often go astray and fall into trouble. But with abundant wise counsel from godly advisers, there is safety, victory and right paths.
Proverbs 1:5 – Grow in wisdom
“Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.” The wise continue to learn and grow in wisdom by listening to counsel and instruction. Obtaining guidance from wise mentors enables growth in understanding.
Proverbs 13:10 – Rejection of counsel causes conflict
“By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.” Those who arrogantly reject counsel and advice from others will experience strife and conflict. But those who take advice to heart will gain wisdom and bear fruit.
Proverbs 24:6 – Wisdom in abundance of counselors
“For by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.” With wise counsel, we can successfully handle difficult situations. Having enough advisers provides the diverse wisdom needed for breakthrough and victory.
Proverbs 20:18 – Counsel and guidance
“Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.” Godly plans and purposes are established through seeking counsel. With wise guidance, we can be victorious in spiritual warfare and in life.
2 Timothy 2:22 – Godly counsel
“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” We should associate with and seek counsel from those who are wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord, not those who would pull us into sin.
Psalm 1:1-2 – Counsel of the godly
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” We are blessed when we avoid ungodly counsel and instead delight in God’s Word.
Proverbs 27:9 – Counsel of friends
“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.” Sincere counsel from a loving friend is sweet and precious. Godly friends provide counsel that comes from their heart.
Exodus 18:19 – Hear counsel
“Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you!” Moses’ father-in-law Jethro gave him counsel that if followed, resulted in God being with him. Listening to wise counsel aligned with God’s will leads to God’s favor.
Proverbs 12:5 – Counsel of the righteous
“The thoughts of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.” The counsel and advice of the righteous is upright, honest and trustworthy. But the counsel of the ungodly is tainted and deceptive.
Proverbs 27:6 – Counsel of friends
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” While a friend’s rebuke may sting, it reflects faithfulness. Flattery from an enemy hides an underlying agenda. Seek sincere counsel from true friends.
Proverbs 1:25-26 – Rejecting counsel
“Because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you.” Rejecting godly counsel and reproof can lead to negative consequences. We reap what we sow when we stubbornly ignore wise advice.
Proverbs 19:21 – God’s counsel prevails
“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Human plans seem right but ultimately God’s counsel prevails. His purposes will come to pass regardless of human schemes.
2 Corinthians 1:12 – Godly sincerity
“For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God.” Paul provided godly counsel sincerely by the grace of God, not fleshly wisdom.
Proverbs 8:14 – Counsel belongs to God
“I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.” Supreme counsel belongs to God. His wisdom surpasses all. When facing choices, we do well to seek counsel from Him first and foremost.
Psalm 73:24 – God’s counsel leads
“You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.” As we follow God’s wise counsel, He leads us and receives us into eternal glory in heaven. His guidance is perfect.
Proverbs 28:26 – Trusting self
“Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” The fool trusts his own understanding instead of seeking wise counsel. But walking in godly wisdom brings deliverance from harm.
Proverbs 4:13 – Hold instruction
“Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.” We must cherish godly counsel and hold on to Biblical instruction. It leads the way to life and right paths.
Proverbs 12:18 – Reckless words
“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Reckless words without counsel injure others. But wise words bring counsel that heals and helps.
Numbers 31:16 – Ungodly counsel
“Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord.” Balaam gave ungodly counsel that harmed Israel. Ungodly advisers often give counsel that leads to harm.
Proverbs 1:30-33 – Rejecting counsel
“They would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” Those who stubbornly reject counsel reap negative consequences. But those who listen find security.
Proverbs 13:20 – Companions
“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” We become wise by associating with and learning from the wise. But keeping company with fools leads to trouble.
Proverbs 11:13 – Loyalty
“Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.” A gossip betrays confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps private counsel confidential.
Psalm 16:7 – God’s counsel
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.” God graciously provides needed counsel. Even in the night, He instructs those whose hearts belong fully to Him.
Psalm 33:10-11 – God’s plans
“The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.” God nullifies human counsel that opposes His purposes. His sovereign counsel endures eternally.
Isaiah 11:2 – Spirit of counsel
“And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” The Holy Spirit provides divine counsel, wisdom and understanding to those who walk in the fear of the Lord.
Isaiah 25:1 – God’s faithfulness
“O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.” We can trust God’s counsel because He is faithful and His purposes stand firm forever.
Revelation 3:18 – God’s counsel
“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen.” Jesus counsels us to pursue eternal riches from Him that outweigh worldly wealth and give us true security.
1 Kings 12:6-8 – Rejecting counsel
“Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.” Rehoboam rejected the wise counsel of the elders and as a result experienced rebellion.
2 Chronicles 10:6-9 – Rejecting counsel
“Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” And they said to him, “If you will be good to this people and please them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” The young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to the people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us’; thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins.'” Rehoboam forsook wise counsel and listened to foolish young peers, resulting in hardship.
Hebrews 12:5-6 – Discipline
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Though painful, God’s loving discipline is purifying counsel intended for our good, as a father counsels his beloved children.
Titus 2:3-5 – Counsel to women
“Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” Mature Christian women should wisely counsel younger women on godly conduct and priorities.
Proverbs 31:26 – Wisdom
“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” The woman who fears the Lord speaks wisely and gives gracious counsel from a God-fearing heart.
Job 6:24 – Considering words
“Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray. How forceful are upright words! But what does reproof from you reprove?” Job asks for counsel to understand his situation. Wise words can powerfully set us on the right path when we have erred.
Acts 15:22-31 – Unanimous decision
“Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings…” The early church made a unanimous decision through counsel at the Jerusalem council regarding ministry to the Gentiles.
Proverbs 5:12-13 – Rejection of instruction
“and you say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof! I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my instructors.” Those who despise discipline and reject instruction harm themselves and miss the protective benefit godly counsel provides.
Proverbs 10:17 – Heeding discipline
Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.” Heeding correction keeps us in the way of life. Rejecting it can lead others off course too.
Psalm 73:21-22 – Bitterness
“When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.” Bitterness makes us act like fools, rejecting God’s wisdom. We need counsel to gain perspective during times of resentment.
Proverbs 29:1 – Stubbornness
“He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.” Those who stubbornly reject repeated counsel and correction risk irreversible destruction.
Proverbs 1:7 – Fear of the Lord
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Having a reverent awe of God motivates us to heed His counsel. Fools detest His wisdom.
In summary, the Bible emphasizes the importance of seeking and heeding godly counsel, rather than relying on our limited perspective. Wise counsel helps us walk in truth and avoid harm. While fools reject discipline, the wise listen to and obey correction. As we fear the Lord, we gain knowledge and safety through following His Word. Godly counsel aligned with Scripture protects us and provides perspective we lack on our own. We would be wise to seek and submit to righteous counsel.