Bible Dictionaries
Guile

Holman Bible Dictionary

Crafty or deceitful cunning; teachery; duplicity; deceit. Jacob dressed in his brother's clothes with the goatskins on his arms and neck is Scripture's best-known illustration of guile (Genesis 27:35; KJV, subtilty; modern translations, deceitfully). Jesus perhaps had this image of Jacob (Israel) in mind when pronouncing Nathanael “an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile” (John 1:47; compare John 1:51 with Genesis 28:12 ). 1 Peter 2:22 describes Christ as one without guile in His mouth. Paul encouraged Christians to be “guileless as to what is evil” ( Romans 16:19 NRSV; compare 1 Peter 2:1 ), that is, innocent or naive when it comes to evil.