Craftiness, Crafty
Craftiness, Crafty
lit., “all-working,” i.e., doing everything (pan, “all,” ergon, “work”), hence, “unscrupulous conduct, craftiness,” is always used in a bad sense in the NT, Luk 20:23; 1Co 3:19; 2Co 4:2; 2Co 11:3; Eph 4:14, AV, “cunning craftiness.” See SUBTLETY. In the Sept. it is used in a good sense, Pro 1:4; Pro 8:5; indifferently in Num 24:22; Jos 9:4.
“cunning, crafty,” is found in 2Co 12:16, where the Apostle is really quoting an accusation made against him by his detractors. In the Sept. it is used in a good sense in Pro 13:1; Pro 28:2.
primarily, “a bait,” hence, “fraud, guile, deceit,” is rendered “craft” in the AV of Mar 14:1 (RV “subtilty”). See DECEIT, GUILE, SUBTLETY.