9 Bible Verses about Politics

So Pilate, [because he] wanted {to satisfy} the crowd, released for them Barabbas. And [after] he had Jesus flogged, he handed [him] over so that he could be crucified.

So Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people [and] said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people, and behold, [when I] examined [him] before you, I found nothing in this man as basis for the accusation which {you are making} against him But neither [did] Herod, because he sent him back to us. And behold, nothing deserving death {has been done} by him. read more.
Therefore I will punish him [and] release [him]." But they all cried out in unison, saying, "Take this man away, and release for us Barabbas!" (who had been thrown in prison because of a certain insurrection that had taken place in the city, and [for] murder) And Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed [them] again, but they kept crying out, saying, "Crucify! Crucify him! So he said to them a third [time], "Why? What wrong has this man done? I found no basis for an accusation {deserving death} in him. Therefore I will punish him [and] release [him]." But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries [that] he be crucified. And their cries prevailed. And Pilate decided [that] their demand should be granted. And he released the one who had been thrown into prison because of insurrection and murder, whom they were asking for, but Jesus he handed over to their will.

And he said, "Why? What wrong has he done?" But they began to shout even louder, saying, "Let him be crucified!" So Pilate, [when he] saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but instead an uproar was developing, took water [and] washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this man. You see to [it]!" And all the people answered [and] said, "His blood [be] on us and on our children!" read more.
Then he released Barabbas for them, but [after] he had Jesus flogged, he handed [him] over so that he could be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's residence [and] gathered the whole cohort to him.

Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" And [when he] had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, "I find no basis for an accusation against him. But it is your custom that I release for you one [prisoner] at the Passover. So do you want [me] to release for you the king of the Jews?"

And Pilate came outside again and said to them, "Behold, I am bringing him outside to you, so that you will know that I find no basis for an accusation against him." Then Jesus came outside wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and he said to them, "Behold the man!" So when they saw him, the chief priests and the officers shouted, saying, "Crucify! Crucify!" Pilate said to them, "You take him and crucify [him]! For I do not find a basis for an accusation against him." read more.
The Jews replied to him, "We have a law, and according to the law he ought to die, because he made himself out to be the Son of God!" So when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid, and he entered into the governor's residence again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus did not give him an answer. So Pilate said to him, "Will you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you, and I have authority to crucify you?" Jesus replied to him, "You would not have any authority over me unless it was given to you from above. For this [reason] the one who handed me over to you has greater sin." From this [point on] Pilate was seeking to release him, but the Jews shouted, saying, "If you release this man, you are not a friend of Caesar! Everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar!" So Pilate, [when he] heard these words, brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat, in the place called The Stone Pavement (but Gabbatha in Aramaic).

For Herod, [after] arresting John, bound him and put [him] in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because John had been saying to him, "It is not permitted for you to have her." And [although he] wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd, because they looked upon him as a prophet. read more.
But [when] Herod's birthday celebration took place, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst [of them] and pleased Herod. Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. And coached by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter!" And [although] the king was distressed, because of his oaths and his {dinner guests} he commanded [the request] to be granted. And he sent [orders] [and] had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought [it] to her mother.

For Herod himself had sent [and] arrested John and bound him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not permitted for you to have your brother's wife." So Herodias held a grudge against him and was wanting to kill him, and was not able [to do so]. read more.
For Herod was afraid of John, [because he] knew him [to be] a righteous and holy man and protected him. And [when he] listened to him, he was greatly perplexed, and [yet] he listened to him gladly. And a suitable day came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers and military tribunes and the most prominent [men] of Galilee. And [when] the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced and pleased Herod and {his dinner guests}, the king said to the girl, "Ask me [for] whatever you want, and I will give [it] to you." And he swore to her, "Anything whatever you ask me for I will give you, up to half my kingdom!" And she went out [and] said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" And she said, "The head of John the baptizer." And she came in immediately with haste to the king [and] asked, saying, "I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately." And [although he] was deeply grieved, the king, because of his oaths and {dinner guests}, did not want to refuse her. And immediately the king sent an executioner [and] ordered [him] to bring his head. And he went [and] beheaded him in the prison. And he brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.

Suddenly Zadok [was] there, and all of the Levites with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people passed out of the city. The king said to Zadok, "Let the ark of God return to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of Yawheh, he will let me return and let me see him in his dwelling place. But if he says, 'I take no pleasure in you,' then {I am ready}. Let him do to me that which [is] good in his eyes. read more.
Then the king said to Zadok the priest, "[Are] you a seer? Return to the city in peace, [with] Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons with you. See, I [am] waiting at the fords of the wilderness until a word comes from you all to inform me." So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and they remained there.

Then a wise woman from the city called out, "Listen, listen! Please speak to Joab [to] come near here so that I may speak to you." Then he came near to her, and the woman asked, "[Are] you Joab?" And he said, "I [am]." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He said, "I [am] listening." Then she said, "In former times, {they would always say}, 'By all means, let them inquire in Abel,' and so they settled things. read more.
I [am] one of the faithful representatives of Israel. You [are] seeking to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow the inheritance of Yahweh?" Then Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow or I should destroy. That is not the matter. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, whose name [is] Sheba the son Bicri, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Give only him to us, and I will depart from the city." The woman said to Joab, "Look, his head [is] being thrown down to you over the wall." The woman went to all of the people with her wise plan, so they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bicri and threw [it] to Joab. Then he blew the horn and dispersed from the city, each to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, "Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, but our lord David does not know? So then, come, let me advise you please, {that you may save} your life and the life of your son, Solomon. Come, go to King David and say to him, 'Have you not, my lord the king, sworn to your servant, "Surely Solomon your son shall become king after me. And he will sit on my throne"? But why is Adonijah king?' read more.
While you are still there speaking with the king, I will enter after you, and {I will confirm your words}." So Bathsheba went to the king in the private room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunnamite was attending the king. Bathsheba knelt and bowed down before the king, and the king asked, "{What do you want}?" She said to him, "My lord, you swore by Yahweh your God to your servant, 'Solomon your son surely shall become king after me, and he will sit upon my throne!' But now, look! Adonijah has become king! And now, my lord the king, you do not know! He has sacrificed oxen and sheep and fattened animals {in abundance}, and he has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he did not invite. But as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all of Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. It shall be that when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be [considered as] sinners." While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came [in]. They told the king, "Nathan the prophet is here." He came into the presence of the king and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. Nathan said, "My lord the king, have you said, 'Adonijah shall be king after me and he shall sit on my throne'? "For he went down today and sacrificed oxen, sheep, and fattened animals {in abundance}. He invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and look, they are eating and drinking before him. They have also said, "Long live King Adonijah! But me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Solomon your servant he did not invite. If it was from my lord the king that this thing has happened, [then all is well,] but if not, you must let your servants know who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him." Then King David answered and said, "Summon Bathsheba for me." Then she came before the king and stood in his presence. Then the king swore and said, "{As Yahweh lives}, who has saved my life from all trouble, surely as I swore to you by Yahweh the God of Israel, saying, 'Solomon your son shall surely be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,' surely I shall do so this [very] day." Then Bathsheba knelt with her face to the ground and did obeisance to the king, and she said, "May my lord, King David, live forever." Then King David said, "Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada," and they came before the king. The king said to them, "Take with you all the servants of your lord, and let them make Solomon my son ride on my mule, and bring him down to Gihon. Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel. Blow on the trumpet and say, 'Long live King Solomon!' Then you shall go up after him, and let him come and sit on my throne; he shall be king in my place. I have appointed him to be leader over Israel and Judah." Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, "Amen! So may Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, confirm it! As Yahweh was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David." Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went down, and they let Solomon ride on the mule of King David, and they brought him to Gihon. Then Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent, and he anointed Solomon. They blew on the trumpet, and all the people said, "Long live King Solomon!" All the people went up after him, and the people were playing on the flutes and rejoicing [with] great joy, and the earth shook with their noise.

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, [and] kneeling down [she] asked something from him. And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Say that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your kingdom." But Jesus answered [and] said, "You do not know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." read more.
He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but [is] for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

So Bathsheba went to the king in the private room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunnamite was attending the king. Bathsheba knelt and bowed down before the king, and the king asked, "{What do you want}?" She said to him, "My lord, you swore by Yahweh your God to your servant, 'Solomon your son surely shall become king after me, and he will sit upon my throne!' read more.
But now, look! Adonijah has become king! And now, my lord the king, you do not know! He has sacrificed oxen and sheep and fattened animals {in abundance}, and he has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he did not invite. But as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all of Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. It shall be that when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be [considered as] sinners."

Absalom used to rise early in the morning, and he stood {beside} the road [at] the gate; {anyone} who had a legal dispute to bring to the king for judgment Absalom would call to him and say, "{Where are you from?}" And he would say, "Your servant [is] from one of the tribes of Israel." Then Absalom would say to him, "Look, your case [is] good and right, but for you there is no hearing with the king." Then Absalom would say, "{Oh, that someone would} appoint me as judge in the land, that {anyone} might come to me who had a legal dispute or a case, and I would give him justice." read more.
It happened whenever anyone drew near to do obeisance to him, that he would stretch his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. Absalom did like this to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

Then the [other] administrators and satraps {began to seek} to find pretext against Daniel {in connection with the kingdom}, but they were not able to find any pretext and {corruption} {because} he was trustworthy, and no negligence or {corruption} {could be found in him}. Then these men {said}, "We will not find any pretext against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God." So the administrators and the satraps conspired {with respect to} the king and so they said to him, "Darius, O king, live {forever}! read more.
All of [the] administrators of the kingdom, and the prefects, the satraps, the counselors and the governors took counsel [and have] agreed to establish an edict of the king and to enforce a decree that {whoever} will seek a prayer from any god or human except from you [for] up to thirty days will be thrown into {the lion pit}. Now, O king, establish the edict and you must sign the document [so] that [it] cannot be changed, according to [the] law of [the] Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked." {So} the king, Darius, signed the writing and the interdict. Now {when} Daniel realized that the document was signed, he went to his house ({now he had windows in his upper room that were open} toward Jerusalem), and three times {daily} he knelt on his knees and prayed and [gave] praise before his God, {just as} he had been doing {previously}. Then these men came as a group and they found Daniel praying and pleading for mercy before his God. Then they approached {and spoke with the king} concerning the edict of the king, "{Did you not sign an edict} that any person who would seek [anything] from any God or human within thirty days except from you, O king, would be thrown into {the lion pit}?" The king answered and said, "The matter [as you have just stated] is certain according to [the] law of [the] Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked." Then {they responded} and said before the king, "Daniel, who [is] from {the exiles} of Judah, {is not paying any attention} to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, {and three times daily} he says his prayer." Then the king, when he heard that {report}, he was extremely distressed over it; and {concerning Daniel} {he was determined} to rescue him. And until the setting of the sun he was making every effort to deliver him. Then these men came as group to the king and {said}, "Recall, O king, that [with respect to] [the] law of [the] Medes and Persians that {any} decree or edict that the king establishes cannot be changed."

[The] wicked prowl about when vileness [is] exalted among [the] children of humankind.