19 Bible Verses about Civil authorities
Most Relevant Verses
Jesus answered him, "You would have no power at all over me, if it were not given to you from above. So you are less guilty than the man who betrayed me to you."
Everyone must obey the authorities that are over him, for no authority can exist without the permission of God; the existing authorities have been established by him,
for they are God's agents to do you good. But if you do wrong you may well be afraid, for they do not carry swords for nothing. They are God's servants, to execute his wrath upon wrongdoers.
just as you pay your taxes; they are God's ministers, devoting themselves to this service.
Submit to all human authority, for the Master's sake; to the emperor, as supreme, and to governors, as sent by him to punish evil-doers, and to encourage those who do right.
If I am guilty and have done anything that deserves death, I do not refuse to die; but if there is no truth in the charges that these men make against me, no one can give me up to them; I appeal to the emperor."
The man who does right has nothing to fear from the magistrates, as the wrongdoer has. If you want to have no fear of the authorities, do right, and they will commend you for it, for they are God's agents to do you good. But if you do wrong you may well be afraid, for they do not carry swords for nothing. They are God's servants, to execute his wrath upon wrongdoers.
for emperors and all who are in authority, so that we may live tranquil, quiet lives, with perfect piety and probity.
Remind men to accept and obey the constituted authorities, to be ready for any useful service,
When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple-tax came and said to Peter, "Does not your Master pay the temple-tax?" He said, "Yes." But when he went home, Jesus spoke of it first and said, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect duties and taxes? From their own people, or from aliens?" He said, "From aliens." Jesus said to him, "Then their own people are exempt.read more.
But rather than give offense to them, go down to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth and you will find in it a dollar. Take that and pay the tax for us both."
Then the Pharisees went and made a plot to entrap him in argument. So they sent their disciples to him with the Herodians, to say to him, "Master, we know that you tell the truth, and teach the way of God with sincerity, regardless of the consequences, for you are impartial. So give us your opinion: Is it right to pay the poll-tax to the emperor, or not?"read more.
But he saw their malice, and said, "Why do you put me to such a test, you hypocrites? Show me the poll-tax coin!" And they brought him a denarius. And he said to them, "Whose head and title is this?" They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Then pay the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and pay God what belongs to God!"
They sent some Pharisees and Herodians to him to entrap him in argument. And they came up and said to him, "Master, we know that you tell the truth regardless of the consequences, for you are not guided by personal considerations, but teach the way of God with sincerity. Is it right to pay the poll tax to the emperor or not? Should we pay it, or refuse to pay it?" But he saw through their pretense, and said to them, "Why do you put me to such a test? Bring me a denarius to look at."read more.
And they brought him one. He said to them, "Whose head and title is this?" And they told him, "The emperor's." And Jesus said, "Pay the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and pay God what belongs to God!" And they were astonished at him.
So they kept watch of him and set some spies who pretended to be honest men to fasten on something that he said, so that they might hand him over to the control and authority of the governor. And they asked him, "Master, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and that you show no favor, but teach the way of God in sincerity. Is it right for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?"read more.
But he detected their trickery, and said to them, "Show me a denarius. Whose head and title does it bear?" They said, "The emperor's." He said to them, "Then pay the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and pay God what belongs to God!"
They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Then pay the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and pay God what belongs to God!"
And Jesus said, "Pay the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and pay God what belongs to God!" And they were astonished at him.
He said to them, "Then pay the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and pay God what belongs to God!"
But Peter and John answered them, "You must decide whether it is right in the sight of God to obey you instead of him,
Faith led Moses' parents to hide him for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child and they would not respect the edict of the king.
Bible Theasaurus
- Authorities (66 instances)
- Civil (18 instances)
Related Topics
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- Authority
- Authority, of human institutions
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