42 Bible Verses about Authority, of human institutions

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections. For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou doest that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but from God: the powers that are, are ordained by God. Whoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

And surely your blood of your lives will I require: at the hand of every beast will I require it: and at the hand of man, at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoever sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

And he changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth kings, and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor: And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:read more.
And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

Jesus answered, Thou couldst have no power against me; except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me to thee hath the greater sin.

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme;

Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates, and the gates shall not be shut;

Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations.

And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.

And say to them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.

For, for this cause ye pay tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Or to governors, as to them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well.

Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but from God: the powers that are, are ordained by God.

Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute to Cesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Show me the tribute-money. And they brought to him a penny.read more.
And he saith to them, Whose is this image, and superscription? They say to him, Cesar's. Then saith he to them, Render therefore to Cesar, the things which are Cesar's; and to God, the things that are God's.

And when they had come, they say to him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Cesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it: and he saith to them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said to him, Cesar's.read more.
And Jesus answering, said to them, Render to Cesar the things that are Cesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they wondered at him.

Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Cesar, or not? But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, Why tempt ye me? Show me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Cesar's.read more.
And he said to them, Render therefore to Cesar the things which are Cesar's, and to God the things which are God's.

Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For, for this cause ye pay tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme; Or to governors, as to them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well.

My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

But Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken to you rather than to God, judge ye.

But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male-children alive.

And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to thee.

But if not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

They say to him, Cesar's. Then saith he to them, Render therefore to Cesar, the things which are Cesar's; and to God, the things that are God's.

And Jesus answering, said to them, Render to Cesar the things that are Cesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they wondered at him.

And he said to them, Render therefore to Cesar the things which are Cesar's, and to God the things which are God's.

By faith Moses when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

I exhort therefore, that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray to the LORD for it: for in the peace of it ye shall have peace.

And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go. And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. But Paul said to them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privately? no verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.read more.
And the sergeants told these words to the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans. And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.

And they gave him audience to this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a man from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know for what cause they cried so against him.read more.
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest; for this man is a Roman. Then the chief captain came, and said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yes. And the chief captain answered, With a great sum I obtained this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born. Then forthwith they departed from him who were about to examine him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

Now when Festus had come into the province, after three days he ascended from Cesarea to Jerusalem. Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, And desired favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.read more.
But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Cesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. Let them therefore, said he, who among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there is any wickedness in him. And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down to Cesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment-seat, commanded Paul to be brought. And when he had come, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood around, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove; While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Cesar have I committed any offense. But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go to Jerusalem, and there be judged concerning these things before me? Then said Paul, I stand at Cesar's tribunal, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I am an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there is none of these things of which these accuse me, no man may deliver me to them. I appeal to Cesar. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed to Cesar? to Cesar thou shalt go.