29 Bible Verses about Citizenship

And the king of Egypt said unto the midwives of the Hebrews' women, of which the one's name was Shiphrah and the other Puah, "When ye midwife the women of the Hebrews and see in the birth time that it is a boy, kill it. But if it be a maid, let it live." Notwithstanding, the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them: but saved the men children.read more.
Then the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said unto them, "Why have ye dealt on this manner and have saved the men children?" And the midwives answered Pharaoh, that the Hebrews' women were not as the women of Egypt: but were sturdy women, and were delivered yer the midwives came at them. And God therefore dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty, and - because the midwives feared God - he made them houses.

And they answered Joshua, saying, "All that thou biddest us, we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. According as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey thee; only the LORD thy God be with thee as he was with Moses.

Now therefore behold the king, whom ye have chosen and whom ye have desired. See, the LORD hath given you a king! Oh that ye would fear the LORD and serve him and hear his voice and not disobey the mouth of the LORD: and that both ye and the king that reigneth over you would follow the LORD your God. For if ye shall not hearken unto the voice of the LORD, but shall disobey the LORD's mouth: then shall the hand of the LORD be upon you and on your fathers.

And whosoever will not diligently fulfill the law of thy God, and the king's law, shall have his judgment for the deed, whether it be unto death, or to be banished, or to be condemned in goods, or to be put in prison."

Keep the king's commandment, I warn thee, and the oath that thou hast made unto God.

But some said, "Let us borrow money of the king's tribute for our lands and vineyards. Now are our brethrens' bodies as our own bodies and their children as our children: else should we subdue our sons and daughters into bondage, and some of our daughters are subdued already, and no strength is there in our hands, and other men shall have our lands and vineyards." But when I heard their complaint and such words, it displeased me sore,read more.
and I advised so in my mind, that I rebuked the councilors and the rulers, and said unto them, "Will ye require usury one of another?" And I brought a great congregation against them, and said unto them, "We, after our ability, have bought our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the Heathen. And will ye sell your brethren, whom we have bought unto us?" Then held they their peace, and could find nothing to answer. Also I said, "It is not good, that ye do. Ought ye not to walk in the fear of God because of the rebuke of the Heathen our enemies? I and my brethren, and my servants have lent them money and corn: but as for usury, let us leave it. Therefore this same day see that ye restore them their lands again, their vineyards, oil gardens, and houses, and the hundredth part of the money of the corn, wine, and oil, that ye have won of them." Then said they, "We will restore them again and will require nothing of them and will do as thou hast spoken." And I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do so. And I shook my lap, and said, "God shake out every man after the same manner from his house and labour, that maintaineth not this word: even thus be he shaken out, and void." And all the congregation said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. And the people did so.

that our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no decay, no leading into captivity, and no complaining in our streets.

When the just are in wealth, the city prospereth; but when the ungodly have the rule, it decayeth.

Whoso keepeth the law, is a child of understanding; but he that feedeth riotous men, shameth his father.

Look through Jerusalem, behold and see. Seek through her streets also within, if ye can find one man, that doth equal and right, or that laboureth to be faithful: and I shall spare him, sayeth the LORD.

For thou art the comfort and help of Israel in the time of trouble. Why wilt thou be as a stranger in the Land, and as one that goeth over the field, and cometh in only to remain for a night?

"Thus hath the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, spoken unto all the prisoners, that were led from Jerusalem unto Babylon: Build you houses to dwell therein; plant you gardens, that ye may enjoy the fruits thereof; take you wives, to bear you sons and daughters; provide wives for your sons, and husbands for your daughters, that they may get sons and daughters, and that ye may multiply there. Labour not to be few,read more.
but seek after peace and prosperity of the city wherein ye be prisoners, and pray unto God for it. For in the peace thereof, shall your peace be.

Therefore, thus sayeth the LORD God: Forsomuch as ye with your wickedness far exceed the Heathen that dwell round about you - For ye have not walked in my laws, neither have ye kept mine ordinances -

Nebuchadnezzar the king caused a golden Image to be made, which was sixty cubits high, and six cubits thick. This he made to be set up in the field of Dura, in the land of Babylon and sent out to gather together the dukes, lords and nobles, the judges and officers, the deputies and sheriffs, with all the rulers of the land: that they might come to the dedication of the Image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. So the dukes, lords and nobles, the judges and officers, deputies and sheriffs, with all the rulers of the land gathered them together, and came unto the dedicating of the Image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Now when they stood before the Image, which Nebuchadnezzar had set up,read more.
the herald cried out with all his might, "O ye people, kindreds and tongues: to you be it said, that when ye hear the noise of the trumpets, which shall be blown, with harps, shawmes, Psalteries, Symphonies and all manner of Music: ye fall down and worship the golden Image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up. Whoso then falleth not down and boweth himself, shall even the same hour be cast in to a hot burning oven." Therefore, when all the folk heard the noise of the trumpets, that were blown, with the harps, shawmes, Psalteries, Symphonies and all kind of Melody: then all the people, kindreds and nations fell down, and bowed themselves unto the golden Image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Now were there certain men of the Chaldeans that went even then and accused the Jews, and said unto the king Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, God save thy life forever. Thou being king hast given a commandment, that all men when they hear noise of the trumpets, harps, shawmes psalteries, symphonies and all the other melodies: shall fall down and bow themselves toward the golden Image. Whoso then fell not down and worshipped not, that he should be cast in to a hot burning oven. Now are there certain Jews, whom thou hast set over the offices of the land of Babylon: namely, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, regard not thy commandment; yea they will not serve thy gods, nor bow themselves to the golden Image, that thou hast set up." Then Nebuchadnezzar in a cruel wrath and displeasure, commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego should be brought unto him. So these men were brought before the king. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake unto them, and said, "What? O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: will not ye serve my gods? Nor bow yourselves to the golden Image, that I have set up? Well, be ready hereafter, when ye hear the noise of the trumpets blow with the harps, shawmes psalteries, symphonies and all the other melodies: that ye fall down, and worship the Image which I have made. But if ye worship it not, ye shall be cast immediately in to a hot burning oven. Let's see what God is there, that may deliver you out of my hands!" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, an said, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we ought not to consent unto thee in this matter. For why? Our God whom we serve, is able to keep us from the hot burning oven, O king, and can right well deliver us out of thy hands: And if he will not, yet shalt thou know, O king, that we will not serve thy Gods, nor do reverence to the Image which thou hast set up." Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of indignation, so that the countenance of his face changed upon Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Therefore he charged and commanded, that the oven should be made seven times hotter, than it was wont to be: and spake unto the strongest worthies that were in his house, for to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them in to the hot burning oven. So these men were bound in their coats, hosen, shoes with their other garments, and cast into the hot burning oven. For the king's commandment was so straight, and the oven was exceeding hot. As for the men that put in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the flame of the fire destroyed them. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell down in the hot burning oven, being fast bound. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king marveled, and stood up in all haste: he spake unto his counsel and said, "Did not ye cast these three men bound into the fire?" They answered, and said unto the king, "Yea O king." He answered and said, "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt. And the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." Upon this went Nebuchadnezzar unto the mouth of the hot burning oven: he spake also, and said, "O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the high God: go forth, and come hither." And so Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego went out of the fire. Then the dukes, lords and nobles, and the king's counsel came together to see these men, upon whom the fire had no manner of power in their bodies: insomuch that the very hair of their head was not burnt, and their clothes unchanged: Yea, there was no smell of fire felt upon them. Then spake Nebuchadnezzar, and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: which hath sent his angel, and defended his servants that put their trust in him: that have altered the king's commandment, and jeopardized their bodies thereupon, rather than they would serve or worship any other god except their own God only. Therefore I will and command, that all people, kindreds and tongues, which speak any blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall die and their houses shall be prised: Because, there is no God that may save, as this." So the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the land of Babylon.

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, which was of the seed of the Medes, and was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans: Yea, even in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, desired to know the yearly number out of the books, whereof the LORD spake unto Jeremiah the Prophet: that Jerusalem should lie waste seventy years: and I turned me unto God the LORD, for to pray and make mine intercession, with fasting, sack cloth and ashes.read more.
I prayed before the LORD my God, and knowledged, saying, "O LORD, thou great and fearful God, thou that keepest covenant and mercy with them which love thee, and do thy commandments: We have sinned, we have offended, we have been disobedient and gone back: yea, we have departed from all thy precepts and judgments. We would never follow thy servants the Prophets, that spake in thy name to our kings and princes, to our forefathers, and to all the people of the land. O LORD righteousness belongeth unto thee; unto us pertaineth nothing but open shame: as it is come to pass this day unto every man of Judah, and to them that dwell at Jerusalem. Yea, unto all Israel, whether they be far or nigh, throughout all lands wherein thou hast strawed them, because of the offenses that they had done against thee. Yea O LORD: Unto us, to our kings and princes, to our forefathers, even to us all that have offended thee, belongeth open shame. But unto thee O LORD our God, pertaineth mercy and forgiveness. As for us, we are gone back from him, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he laid before us by his servants the Prophets. Yea, all Israel have transgressed, and gone back from thy law, so that they have not hearkened unto thy voice. Wherefore the curse and oath, that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, against whom we have offended, is poured upon us. And he hath performed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us: to bring upon us such a great plague, as never was under heaven, like as it is now come to pass in Jerusalem. Yea, all this plague, as it is written in the law of Moses, is come upon us. Yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn again from our wickedness, and to be learned in thy verity. Therefore hath the LORD made haste, to bring this plague upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doth. For why? We would not hearken unto his voice. And now, O LORD our God, thou that with a mighty hand hast brought thy people out of Egypt, to get thyself a name, which remaineth this day: we have sinned, O LORD, and done wickedly against all thy righteousness: Yet let thy wrathful displeasure be turned away, I beseech thee, from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy hill. And why? For our sins' sake, and for the wickedness of our forefathers is Jerusalem and thy people abhorred, of all them that are about us. Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his intercession. O let thy face shine over thy Sanctuary, that lieth waste. O my God, incline thine ear, and hearken; at the least for thine own sake, open thine eyes. Behold how we be desolated: yea, and the city also, which is called after thy name. For we do not cast our prayers before thee in our own righteousnesses, no, but only in thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O forgive Lord; O Lord consider, tarry not over long: but for thine own sake do it. O my God: for thy city and thy people is called after thy name."

Nevertheless, lest we should offend them, go to the sea and cast in thine angle, and take the fish that first cometh up: and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of twenty pence: that take, and pay for me and thee."

They said unto him, "Caesar's." Then said he unto them, "Give therefore to Caesar, that which is Caesar's: and give unto God, that which is God's."

And they asked him saying, "Master, we know that thou sayest, and teachest right, neither considerest thou any man's degree, but teachest the way of God truly. Is it lawful for us to give Caesar tribute, or no?" He perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, "Why tempt ye me?read more.
Show me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it?" They answered and said, "Caesar's." And he said unto them, "Give then unto Caesar, that which belongeth unto Cesar: And to God, that which pertaineth to God."

And they came to Jesus and besought him instantly, saying, "He is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him. For he loveth our nation, and hath built us a synagogue."

And when it was day, the officers sent the ministers saying, "Let those men go." The keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, "The officers have sent word to loose you. Now therefore get you hence and go in peace." Then said Paul unto them, "They have beaten us, openly un-condemned, for all that we are Romans, and have cast us into prison: and now would they send us away privily? Nay not so, but let them come themselves and fetch us out."read more.
When the ministers told these words unto the officers, they feared when they heard that they were Romans; and came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.

the captain bade him to be brought into the castle: and commanded him to be scourged, and to be examined, that he might know wherefore they cried on him. And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman and uncondemned?" When the centurion heard that, he went to the upper-captain, and told him saying, "What intendest thou to do? This man is a citizen of Rome."read more.
Then the upper-captain came to him, and said, "Tell me, art thou a Roman?" He said, "Yea." And the high captain answered, "With a great sum obtained I this freedom." And Paul said, "I was freeborn." Then straightway departed from him they which should have examined him. And the high captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman: because he had bound him.

Let every soul submit himself unto the authority of the higher powers. For there is no power, but of God. The powers that be, are ordained of God.

Warn them, that they submit themselves to rule and power, to obey the officers, that they be ready unto all good works,

Submit yourselves unto all manner ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be unto the King as unto the chief head; other unto rulers, as unto them that are sent of him, for the punishment of evil doers: but for the laud of them that well do.

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers, and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which fight against the soul,

Give to every man therefore his duty: Tribute to whom tribute belongeth: Custom to whom custom is due: fear to whom fear belongeth: Honour to whom honour pertaineth.

I exhort therefore that above all things, prayers, supplications, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be had for all men: for kings, and for all that are in authority that we may live a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. For that is good and accepted in the sight of god our saviour,read more.
which will have all men saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Submit yourselves unto all manner ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be unto the King as unto the chief head; other unto rulers, as unto them that are sent of him, for the punishment of evil doers: but for the laud of them that well do. For so is the will of God, that ye put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men:read more.
as free, and not as having the liberty for a cloak of maliciousness: but even as the servants of God. See that ye honour all men. Love brotherly fellowship, fear God, and honour the King.

And there shall enter into it none unclean thing; neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh lies, but they only which are written in the Lamb's book of life.