43 Bible Verses about Civil authorities

Jesus answered, You could have no authority against Me unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.

Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but of God; the authorities that exist are ordained by God.

And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah said to him, Behold the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall reign over My people.

And Jehovah said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have seen a king for Me among his sons.

He also chose David His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds; from following the ewes great with young He brought him to feed Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance.

By me kings reign and princes decree justice. Princes rule by me, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.

And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant. And I have also given him the beast of the field to serve him.

And say to them, So says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will set his throne on these stones that I have hidden. And he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.

And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.

This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.

O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your 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. He killed whom he would, 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 put down from the throne of his kingdom, 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 animals, and his dwelling was with the wild asses. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens, until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that He appoints over it whomever He will.

For it is a servant of God to you for good. For if you practice evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a servant of God, a revenger for wrath on him who does evil.

So says Jehovah to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have made strong in order to humble nations before him. And I will loosen 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, says Jehovah, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and will bring them against this land, and against its people, and against all these nations all around. And I will completely destroy them, and make them a waste, and a hissing, and everlasting ruins.

For because of this you also pay taxes. For they are God's servants, always giving attention to this very thing.

It is joy to the just to do judgment, but ruin shall be to the workers of iniquity.

Then be in obedience to every ordinance of men, because of the Lord, whether to a king as supreme, or to governors as sent by Him for vengeance on evildoers, but for praise on well-doers.

Whoever sheds man's blood, his blood shall be shed by man; for He made man in the image of God.

And whoever will not do the Law of your God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily on him, whether it is to death, or to exile, or to confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.

For He shall deliver the needy when he cries; and the poor with no helper. He shall have pity on the poor and needy and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence; and their blood shall be precious in His sight.

And he fed them according to the pureness of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion; but his favor is like dew on the grass.

The king establishes the land by judgment; but he taking bribes tears it down.

For if I am an offender or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing of which these accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.

For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the bad. And do you desire to be not afraid of the authority? Do the good, and you shall have praise from it. For it is a servant of God to you for good. For if you practice evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a servant of God, a revenger for wrath on him who does evil.

for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

My son, fear Jehovah and the king; and do not fellowship with those who are given to change; for their trouble shall rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin of them both?

Put them in mind to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to every good work,

And when they had come to Capernaum, those who received the didrachmas came to Peter and said, Does your master not pay the didrachmas? He said, Yes. And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? From their sons, or from strangers? Peter said to Him, From strangers. Jesus said to him, Then truly the sons are free.read more.
But lest we should offend them, go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. And when you have opened its mouth, you shall find a stater; take that, and give it to them for Me and you.

Then the Pharisees left and took counsel that they might entangle Him in words. And they sent their disciples out to Him along with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that you are true, and that you teach the way of God in truth. Nor do you care for anyone, for you do not regard the person of men. Therefore tell us; what do you think? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?read more.
But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why do you tempt Me, hypocrites? Show Me the tribute money. And they brought a denarius to Him. And He said to them, Whose image and inscription is this? They said to Him, Caesar's. Then He said to them, Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's.

And they sent certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians to Him, to catch Him in His words. And coming, they said to Him, Teacher, we know that you are true and you care about no one. For you do not look to the face of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But knowing their hypocrisy, He said to them, Why do you tempt Me? Bring me a denarius so that I may see.read more.
And they brought it. And He said to them, Whose image and inscription is this? And they said to Him, Caesar's. And answering Jesus said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at Him.

And they watched and sent forth spies, pretending themselves to be righteous men, so that they might seize upon a word of His, that they might deliver Him in this way to the power and authority of the governor. And they asked Him, saying, Teacher, we know that you say and teach rightly, and do not accept the person of anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not?read more.
But He perceived their craftiness and said to them, Why do you tempt Me? Show Me a coin. Whose image and inscription does it have? They answered and said, Caesar's. And He said to them, Therefore render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's.

And Peter and the apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

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

And Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, Give me your vineyard so that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near my house. And I will give you a better vineyard than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you the worth of it in silver. And Naboth said to Ahab, Far be it from me, by Jehovah, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you.

But Daniel laid on his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's food, nor with the wine which he drank. So he asked permission of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His Angel and has delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and have changed the king's words and have given their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God.

All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, and the officials and governors, have planned together to establish a royal law, and to make a strong ban that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except from you, O king, he shall be thrown into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the ban and sign the writing, so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be changed. Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the ban.read more.
And when he had learned that the document was signed, Daniel went to his house. And his windows were open in his roof room toward Jerusalem; and he kneeled on his knees three times a day and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.

They said to Him, Caesar's. Then He said to them, Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's.

And answering Jesus said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at Him.

And He said to them, Therefore render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's.

But Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it is right before God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.

By faith Moses, having been born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child. And they were not afraid of the king's commandments.