29 Bible Verses about Citizenship

Later, the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah. "When you help the Hebrew women give birth," he said, "watch them as they deliver. If it's a son, kill him; but if it's a daughter, let her live." But the midwives feared God and didn't do what the king of Egypt told them. Instead, they let the boys live.read more.
When the king of Egypt called for the midwives, he asked them, "Why have you done this and allowed the boys to live?" "Hebrew women aren't like Egyptian women," the midwives replied to Pharaoh. "They're so healthy that they give birth before the midwives arrive to help them." God was pleased with the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong. Because the midwives feared God, he provided families for them.

"We'll do everything that you commanded," they replied. "We'll go wherever you send us. We'll listen and obey you in everything, just like we did with Moses. Only may the LORD your God be with you, just as he was with Moses.

"Now, here is the king you have chosen, the one whom you asked for. See, the Lord has appointed a king over you. If you fear the LORD, serve him, obey him, and don't rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who rules over you will truly follow the LORD your God. But if you don't obey the LORD and rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the LORD will turn against you as he did against your ancestors.

Whoever refuses to practice the law of your God and the law of the king is to see judgment executed quickly, whether to death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.

I advise doing what the king says, especially regarding an oath to God.

Still others were saying "We've borrowed money against our fields and vineyards to pay the king's taxes. Now our bodies are no different than the bodies of our relatives, and our children are like their children. Nevertheless, we're about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already in bondage. It's beyond our power to do anything about it, because our fields and vineyards belong to others." I became very livid when I heard their complaining and these charges. read more.
So after thinking it over carefully, I accused the officials and nobles openly, "Every one of you is charging your fellow countrymen interest!" So I opened a public investigation against them. I accused them, "To the best of our ability, we've been buying back our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. Even now you're selling your fellow countrymen, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet and never spoke a word. So I said, "What you're doing isn't right! Shouldn't you live in the fear of our God to avoid shame from our foreign enemies? I'm also lending money and grain, as are my fellow-Jews and my servants, but let's not charge interest. So today please restore to them their fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and homes, along with the one percent interest charge that you've assessed them on the grain, wine, and oil." They responded, "We will restore these things, and will assess no interest charges against them. We will do what you are requesting!" So I called the priests and made them take an oath to fulfill this promise. I also shook my robes, and said, "May God shake out every man from his house and his possessions who does not keep this promise. May he be emptied out and shaken just like this." All the assembly said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. And the people kept their promise.

May our cattle grow heavy with young, with no damage or loss. May there be no cry of anguish in our streets!

Through the blessing of the righteous a city is built up, but what the wicked say tears it down.

Whoever keeps the Law is a discerning son, but whoever keeps company with gluttons brings shame to his father.

"Wander through the streets of Jerusalem. Look and investigate; search through her squares and see whether you find anyone even one person there doing justice and seeking truth. Then I'll forgive them.

Hope of Israel, its deliverer in time of trouble, why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who sets up his tent for a night?

"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles who were taken from Jerusalem into exile to Babylon, "Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and father sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so they may have sons and daughters. Increase in numbers there, don't decrease. read more.
Seek the welfare of the city to which I've exiled you and pray to the LORD for it, for your welfare depends on its welfare.'

"Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: "Because you're more disrespectful than the nations that surround you, you didn't follow my statutes or follow my ordinances. You didn't even follow the ordinances of the surrounding nations!'

Some time later, king Nebuchadnezzar built a golden statue, making it 60 cubits high and six cubits wide. He set it up in the Dura Valley within the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar summoned the regional authorities, governors, deputy governors, advisors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all of the other administrators of the provinces, ordering them to come to the dedication of the statue that he had erected. So the regional authorities, governors, deputy governors, advisors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all of the other administrators of the provinces assembled to dedicate the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. They took their places in front of the statue that he had erected. read more.
Then a herald proclaimed aloud: "People of all nations, and languages are commanded: Whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, the flute, the lyre, the four-stringed lyre, and the harp, playing together along with various instruments, you are to fall down and worship the golden statue that was set up by King Nebuchadnezzar. Anyone who does not fall down and worship is immediately to be thrown into the blazing fire furnace." Therefore, when all of the people "heard the sound of the trumpet, the flute, the lyre, the four-stringed lyre, and the harp, playing together along with various other instruments," all the "people, nations, and languages" began to fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Just then, certain influential Chaldeans took this opportunity to come forward and denounce the Jews. They told King Nebuchadnezzar, "Your majesty, live forever. You, your majesty, issued this decree: "Every man who hears the sound of the trumpet, the flute, the lyre, the four-stringed lyre, and the harp, playing together along with various other instruments is to fall down and worship the golden statue. Whoever does not fall down and worship is to be thrown into a blazing fire furnace.' "Certain influential Jewish men whom you appointed to manage the city of Babylon Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have neither paid attention to you, your majesty, nor served your gods. And they won't worship the golden statue that you set up." Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and furiously ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. Nebuchadnezzar asked them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don't worship my gods and that you don't worship the golden statue that has been set up? Now, if you are ready at this very moment to obey "the sound of the trumpet, the flute, the lyre, the four-stringed lyre, and the harp,' and worship the image that I have made" If you do not so worship, you will immediately have cast yourselves into the middle of the blazing fire, and what god is there who can deliver you from my power?" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "It's not necessary for us to respond in this matter. Your majesty, if it be his will, our God whom we serve can deliver us from the blazing fire furnace, and he will deliver us from you. But if not, rest assured, your majesty, that we won't serve your gods, and we won't worship the golden statue that you have set up." Out of control with rage, Nebuchadnezzar's facial expression changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and he ordered that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. Then he issued orders to his elite guard to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego with ropes and throw them into the blazing fire furnace. So the elite guard tied them up fully clothed, still wearing their robes, tunics, and turbans, and threw them into the blazing fire furnace, because the king's command was so drastic. Since the furnace was blazing hot, its flames killed those who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the blazing fire. Bound firmly with ropes, these three men Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the blazing fire furnace. Astonished, King Nebuchadnezzar stood up in terror, and asked his advisors, "Didn't we throw three men into the fire, bound firmly with ropes?" In reply they told the king, "Yes, your majesty." "Look!" he told them, "I see four men walking untied and unharmed in the middle of the fire, and the appearance of the fourth resembles a divine being." Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the opening of the blazing fire furnace. He shouted out, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. The regional authorities, viceroys, governors, and royal advisors gazed at those men and saw that the fire had no effect on their bodies not a hair on their head was singed, their clothes were not burned, and they did not smell of fire. Nebuchadnezzar spoke up and announced: "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! He sent his angel to deliver his servants who trusted in him. They disobeyed the king's command and were willing to risk their lives in order not to serve or worship any god except their own God. So I decree that people from any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego will be destroyed and their house reduced to rubble, because there is no other god who can save like this." Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego within the province of Babylon.

"In the first year of the reign of Darius son of Ahasuerus, a descendant of the Medes, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, noted in the Scripture the total years that were assigned by the message from the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem: 70 years. "So I turned my attention to the Lord God, seeking him in prayer and supplication, accompanied with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. read more.
I prayed to the LORD my God, confessing and saying: "Lord! Great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant and gracious love for those who love him and obey his commandments, we've sinned, we've practiced evil, we've acted wickedly, and we've rebelled, turning away from your commands and from your regulations. Furthermore, we haven't listened to your servants, the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, to our officials, to our ancestors, and to all of the people of the land. "To you, Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us, open humiliation even to this day, to the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, both those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the lands to which you drove them because of their unfaithful acts that they committed against you. "Open humiliation belongs to us, LORD, to our kings, our officials, and our ancestors, because we've sinned against you. But to the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we've rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by walking in his laws that he gave us through his servants the prophets. And all Israel flouted your Law, turning aside from it and not obeying your voice. Because we've sinned against him, the curse has been poured upon us, along with the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God. "He has confirmed his accusation that he spoke against us and against our rulers who governed us by bringing upon us great calamity, because nowhere in the universe has anything been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. As it's written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has befallen us, but we still haven't sought the LORD our God by turning from our lawlessness to pay attention to your truth. So the LORD watched for the right time to bring the calamity upon us, because the LORD our God is righteous regarding everything he does, but we have not obeyed his voice. "And now, Lord our God, who brought your people from the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made a name for yourself that remains to this day we've sinned. We've acted wickedly. Lord, in view of all your righteous acts, please turn your anger and wrath away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. Because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become an embarrassment to all of those around us. "So now, O God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his requests, and look with favor on your desolate sanctuary, for the sake of the Lord. Turn your ear and listen, O God. Open your eyes and look at our desolation and at the city that is called by your name. We're not presenting our requests before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great compassion. "Lord, listen! "Lord, forgive! "Lord, take note and take action! "For your own sake, don't delay, my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.'"

So Jesus told him, "In that case, the subjects are exempt. However, so that we don't offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Take it and give it to them for me and you."

They told him, "Caesar's." So he told them, "Then give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

so they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you're right in what you say and teach, and that you don't favor any individual, but teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" But he discerned their craftiness and responded to them, read more.
"Show me a denarius. Whose face and name does it have?" "Caesar's," they replied. So he told them, "Then give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

So they went to Jesus and begged him repeatedly, "He deserves to have this done for him, because he loves our people and built our synagogue for us."

When day came, the magistrates sent guards, who commanded, "Release those men." The jailer reported these words to Paul, and added, "The magistrates have sent word to release you. So come out now and go in peace." But Paul told the guards, "The magistrates have had us beaten publicly without a trial and have thrown us into jail, even though we are Roman citizens. Now are they going to throw us out secretly? Certainly not! Have them come and escort us out."read more.
The guards reported these words to the magistrates, and they became afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. So the magistrates came, apologized to them, and escorted them out. Then they asked them to leave the city.

the tribune ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks and told the soldiers to beat and question him in order to find out why the people were yelling at him like this. But when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul asked the centurion who was standing there, "Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't been condemned?" When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and told him, "What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen!"read more.
So the tribune went and asked Paul, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said. Then the tribune replied, "I paid a lot of money for this citizenship of mine." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen." Immediately those who were about to examine him stepped back, and the tribune was afraid when he found out that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had tied him up.

Every person must be subject to the governing authorities, for no authority exists except by God's permission. The existing authorities have been established by God,

Remind believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready to do any honorable kind of work.

For the Lord's sake submit yourselves to every human authority: whether to the king as supreme, or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.

Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and exiles to keep on abstaining from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.

Pay everyone whatever you owe them taxes to whom taxes are due, tolls to whom tolls are due, fear to whom fear is due, honor to whom honor is due.

First of all, then, I urge you to offer to God petitions, prayers, intercessions, and expressions of thanks for all people, for kings, and for everyone who has authority, so that we might lead a quiet and peaceful life with all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, read more.
who wants all people to be saved and to come to know the truth fully.

For the Lord's sake submit yourselves to every human authority: whether to the king as supreme, or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing right you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. read more.
Live like free people, and do not use your freedom as an excuse for doing evil. Instead, be God's servants. Honor everyone. Keep on loving the community of believers, fearing God, and honoring the king.

Nothing unclean, or anyone who does anything detestable, and no one who tells lies will ever enter it. Only those whose names are written in the lamb's Book of Life will enter it.