42 Bible Verses about Authority, of human institutions

Most Relevant Verses

Romans 1:24-26

Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to immorality, [that] their bodies would be dishonored among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God with a lie, and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed for eternity. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to degrading passions, for their females exchanged the natural relations for those contrary to nature,

Judges 21:25

In those days there was no king in Israel; each one did what was right in his own eyes.

Romans 13:4

for it is God's servant to you for what [is] good. But if you do what [is] bad, be afraid, because it does not bear the sword to no purpose. For it is God's servant, the one who avenges for punishment on the one who does [what is] bad.

Romans 13:1-2

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for [there] is no authority except by God, and those that exist are put in place by God. So then, the one who resists authority resists the ordinance [which is] from God, and those who resist will receive condemnation on themselves.

Genesis 9:5-6

And {your lifeblood} I will require; from {every animal} I will require it. And from the hand of humankind, from the hand of [each] man to his brother I will require the life of humankind. "[As for] the one shedding the blood of humankind, by humankind his blood shall be shed, for God made humankind in his own image.

Daniel 4:17

The sentence [is] by [the] decree of [the] watchers, and the decision [by] [the] command of [the] holy [ones], {in order that} the living will know that the Most High [is] sovereign over [the] kingdom of humankind, and {to whomever} he wills he gives it, and he [even] sets [the] humblest of men over it."

Daniel 5:18-21

{O king}, the Most High God gave the kingdom and the greatness and the glory and the majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your {predecessor}. And because of the greatness that he gave to him, all the peoples, the nations and languages trembled and feared before him; whomever he wanted he killed, and whomever he wanted he let live, and whomever he wanted he honored, and whomever he wanted he humbled. But {when} his heart became arrogant and his spirit became hard [so as] to act proudly, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom and the glory {was taken away from him}.read more.
And he was driven away {from human society} and his mind was made like the animals and his dwelling [was] with the wild asses; [and] {he was given} grass like oxen to eat, and with the dew of heaven his body was bathed, until he acknowledged that the Most High God [is] sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and {whoever} he wants he sets over it.

Isaiah 45:1

Thus says Yahweh to his anointed one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subjugate nations before him, and I uncover [the] loins of kings to open doors before him, and [the] gates shall not be shut:

Jeremiah 25:9

look, I [am] going to send and take all [the] clans of [the] north,' {declares} Yahweh, 'and [I will send] to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations all around, and I will destroy them, and I will make them a horror, and [an object of] hissing, and {everlasting ruins}.

Jeremiah 27:6

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

Jeremiah 43:10

and say to them, 'Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel: "Look, I [am] going to send and take Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will set his throne above these stones that I have hidden. And he will spread out his canopy over them.

Matthew 22:17-21

Therefore tell us what you think. Is it permitted to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" But [because he] knew their maliciousness, Jesus said, "Hypocrites! Why are you testing me? Show me the coin for the tax!" So they brought him a denarius.read more.
And he said to them, "Whose image and inscription [is] this?" They said to him, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Therefore give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God!"

Mark 12:14-17

And [when they] came, they said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful and {you do not care what anyone thinks}, {because you do not regard the opinion of people} but teach the way of God in truth. Is it permitted to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?" But [because he] knew their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius so that I can look at [it]!" So they brought [one]. And he said to them, "Whose image and inscription [is] this?" And they said to him, "Caesar's."read more.
And Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God!" And they were utterly amazed at him.

Luke 20:22-25

Is it permitted [for] us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" But seeing through their craftiness, he said to them, "Show me a denarius! Whose image and inscription does it have?" And they answered [and] said, "Caesar's."read more.
So he said to them, "Well then, give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God!"

Romans 13:5-7

Therefore [it is] necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for [the authorities] are servants of God, busily engaged in this very [thing]. Pay to everyone [what is] owed: [pay] taxes to whom taxes [are due]; [pay] customs duties to whom customs duties [are due]; [pay] respect to whom respect [is due]; [pay] honor to whom honor [is due].

1 Peter 2:13-14

Subject yourselves to every human authority for the sake of the Lord, whether to a king as having supreme authority, or to governors as those sent out by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good.

Romans 13:7

Pay to everyone [what is] owed: [pay] taxes to whom taxes [are due]; [pay] customs duties to whom customs duties [are due]; [pay] respect to whom respect [is due]; [pay] honor to whom honor [is due].

1 Kings 21:3

Naboth said to Ahab, "Far be it from me from Yahweh that I should give the inheritance of my ancestors to you."

Daniel 3:18

And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that {we will not serve your gods}, and the statue of gold that you have set up we will not worship."

Daniel 6:12

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."

1 Timothy 2:1-2

Therefore, I urge first of all [that] petitions, prayers, requests, [and] thanksgiving be made on behalf of all people, on behalf of kings and all those who are in authority, in order that we may live a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

Acts 16:35-39

And [when it] was day, the chief magistrates sent the police officers, saying, "Release those men." And the jailer reported these words to Paul: "The chief magistrates have sent [an order] that you should be released. So come out now [and] go in peace!" But Paul said to them, "They beat us in public without due process--men who are Roman citizens--[and] threw [us] into prison, and now they are wanting to release us secretly? Certainly not! Rather let them come themselves [and] bring us out!"read more.
So the police officers reported these words to the chief magistrates, and they were afraid [when they] heard that they were Roman citizens. And they came [and] apologized to them, and [after they] brought [them] out they asked [them] to depart from the city.

Acts 22:22-29

Now they were listening to him until this word, and they raised their voices, saying, "Away with such a man from the earth! For it is not fitting [for] him to live!" And [while] they were screaming and throwing off [their] cloaks and throwing dust into the air, the military tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying he was to be examined with a lash so that he could find out for what reason they were crying out against him in this way.read more.
But when they had stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing there, "Is it permitted for you to flog a man [who is] a Roman citizen and uncondemned?" And [when] the centurion heard [this], he went to the military tribune [and] reported [it], saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen!" So the military tribune came [and] said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes." And the military tribune replied, "I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money." And Paul said, "But I indeed was born [a citizen]. Then immediately those who were about to examine him kept away from him, and the military tribune also was afraid [when he] realized that he was a Roman citizen and that {he had tied him up}.

Acts 25:1-12

Now [when] Festus set foot in the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. And the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought charges against Paul to him, and were urging him, asking for a favor against him, that he summon him to Jerusalem, [because they] were preparing an ambush to do away with him along the way.read more.
Then Festus replied [that] Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and [he] himself was about to go [there] in a short time. So he said, "Let those among you [who are] prominent go down with [me], [and] if there is any wrong in the man, let them bring charges against him." And [after he] had stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. On the next day he sat down on the judgment seat [and] gave orders [for] Paul to be brought. And [when] he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges that they were not able to prove, [while] Paul said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I sinned with reference to anything!" But Festus, [because he] wanted to do a favor for the Jews, answered [and] said to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there concerning these [things]?" But Paul said, "I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where it is necessary [for] me to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. If then I am doing wrong and have done anything deserving death, I am not trying to avoid dying. But if there is nothing [true] of [the things] which these [people] are accusing me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!" Then Festus, [after] discussing [this] with [his] council, replied, "You have appealed to Caesar--to Caesar you will go!"

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