Thematic Bible: Rulers'


Thematic Bible











especially those who yield to their physical nature and indulge in passions that defile them, and despise authority. Rash, headstrong men! They stand in no awe of majesty, but deride beings against whom even angels far superior to these beings in strength and power bring no abusive charge before the Lord.











In that same way these dreamers defile the body, make light of authority, and deride majesty. Verse ConceptsDefilement, Objects OfCivic DutiesHonouring RulersAnarchyMisleading DreamsRespecting Authority





"I did not know, brothers," said Paul, "that he was high priest, for the Scripture says, 'You shall not say anything against any ruler of your people.' " Verse ConceptsApologizingethics, socialCivic DutiesHonouring RulersResistanceSelf DefenceMagistratesIs It Really?Attitudes Towards Kings






"I think myself fortunate, King Agrippa," said he, "that it is before you that I am to defend myself today against all the things the Jews charge me with, Verse ConceptsRejoicing In ProsperityMan DefendingChanging Yourself














In that same way these dreamers defile the body, make light of authority, and deride majesty. Verse ConceptsDefilement, Objects OfCivic DutiesHonouring RulersAnarchyMisleading DreamsRespecting Authority



so that anyone who resists the authorities sets himself in opposition to what God has ordained, and those who oppose him will bring down judgment upon themselves. Verse ConceptsdefianceRebellion, Against Human AuthorityCivil GovernmentAnarchyRebellion against GodRespecting Authority



































Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus said, "Yes." And while the high priests and elders were making their charges against him, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear what evidence they are bringing against you?" read more.
And he made him no reply to even a single accusation, so that the governor was greatly surprised. Now at festival time the governor was accustomed to release for the people any prisoner whom they chose, and at this time there was a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. So when they gathered to ask this, Pilate said to them, "Which one do you want me to release for you, Barabbas, or Jesus, the so-called Christ?" For he knew that they had handed him over to him out of envy. Now while he was on the bench his wife sent to him to say, "Do not have anything to do with that upright man, for I have just had a painful experience in a dream about him." But the high priests and the elders prevailed on the crowd to ask for Barabbas, and to have Jesus put to death. And the governor answered, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" They said, "Barabbas!" Pilate said to them, "Then what am I to do with Jesus, the so-called Christ?" They all said, "Have him crucified!" He said, "Why, what has he done that is wrong?" But they shouted all the louder, "Have him crucified!" When Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing but that a riot was beginning instead, he took some water and washed his hands in the presence of the crowd, saying, "I am not responsible for this man's death; you must see to it yourselves." And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" Then he released Barabbas for them, and he had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified.





Just then some Pharisees came up and said to him, "Go! Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you!" He said to them, "Go and say to that fox, 'Here I am, driving out demons and performing cures, today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will be through.

When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man were a Galilean and learning that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction he turned him over to Herod, for Herod was in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus he was delighted, for he had wanted for a long time to see him, because he had heard about him and he hoped to see some wonder done by him. read more.
And he questioned him at some length, but he made him no answer. Meanwhile the high priests and the scribes stood by and vehemently accused him. And Herod and his guards made light of him and ridiculed him, and they put a gorgeous robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends that day, for they had been at enmity before. Pilate summoned the high priests and the leading members of the council and the people, and said to them, "You brought this man before me charged with misleading the people, and here I have examined him before you and not found him guilty of any of the things that you accuse him of. Neither has Herod, for he has sent him back to us. You see he has done nothing to call for his death.







































About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had John's brother, James, beheaded, and when he saw that this gratified the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, at the time of the festival of Unleavened Bread. read more.
He had him seized and put in jail, with four squads of soldiers to guard him, meaning after the Passover to bring him out before the people. So Peter was kept in the jail, but the church was praying earnestly to God for him. The night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter was asleep between two soldiers, and fastened with two chains, and watchmen were at the door, guarding the jail, when an angel of the Lord stood at his side, and a light shone in the room, and striking Peter on the side, he woke him, and said to him, "Get up quickly!" The chains dropped from his hands, and the angel said to him, "Put on your belt and your sandals!" And he did so. Then he said to him, "Put on your coat and follow me!" So he followed him out without knowing that what the angel was doing was real, for he thought he was having a vision. They passed the first guard and then the second, and came to the iron gate that led into the city. It opened to them of itself, and they passed out and went along one street, when suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself, and he said, "Now I am certain that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from the power of Herod and all that the Jewish people were expecting." When he realized his situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where a number of people were gathered, praying. When he knocked at the outer door, a maid named Rhoda came to answer it, and when she recognized Peter's voice, in her joy she did not stop to open the door, but ran in and told them that Peter was standing outside. But they said to her, "You are crazy!" But she insisted that it was so. Then they said, "Then it is his guardian angel!" But Peter kept on knocking. And when they opened the door and saw him they were amazed. He motioned to them to be quiet, and then related to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. "Tell all this to James and the brothers," he said. Then he left them and went somewhere else. But when morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter. Herod had inquiries made for him, and when he could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he left Judea for Caesarea, and stayed there.


At that time, Herod the governor heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, "This man must be John the Baptist. He has risen from the dead, and that is why wonderful powers are working through him." For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison, on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, read more.
for John said to him, "It is not right for you to be living with her." And while he wanted him killed, he was afraid of the people; for they considered him a prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, Herodias' daughter danced before the company. And Herod was delighted with her, and swore that he would give her anything she asked for. But she, at her mother's instigation, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter!" And the king was sorry, but because he had sworn to do it, and because of the guests who were present, he ordered it to be given to her. And he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. And his head was brought back on a platter and given to the girl, and she took it to her mother.

Then Herod saw that he had been tricked by the astrologers, and he was very angry, and he sent and made away with all the boys in Bethlehem and in all that neighborhood who were two years old or under, for that was the tune he had learned from the astrologers by his inquiries. Then the saying was fulfilled which was uttered by the prophet Jeremiah, "A cry was heard in Ramah! Weeping and great lamenting! Rachel weeping for her children, And inconsolable because they were gone."



























Now the high priests and the whole council were trying to get false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. Verse ConceptsChief priestsLeaders, SpiritualAttempts To Kill ChristSeeking For Abstract ThingsThe Chief Priests Condemning Christaccusations


At this the high priest Ananias ordered the people who were standing nearest to him to strike him on the mouth. Verse ConceptsConfrontationHigh Priest, In NtSmitingSmiting Of The RighteousOther References To MouthsRivers