Serpents in the Bible

In Genesis, Moses described the serpent as crafty. Genesis 3:1 (NET) Now the serpent was more shrewd than any of the wild animals that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Is it really true that God said, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard’?”

So are serpents portrayed as good animals (reptiles) in the Bible or bad? Surprisingly, both. The serpent in the garden tempted Eve. But in Matthew 10:16 (NET), Jesus told his disciples, “I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”