67 Bible Verses about ethics, incentives towards
Most Relevant Verses
For rulers are objects of fear, not to good works, but to the evil. Will you not have respect for the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from it. He is the minister of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid for he does not bear the sword in vain. He is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that does evil.
Appoint judges and officers for your tribes in every city Jehovah your God gives you. They are to judge the people fairly.
Act according to the verdict and the terms they tell you. Do not turn away from the word they declare to you. The man who acts presumptuously and does not listen to the priest or the judge will die. This way you will purge the evil from Israel. The priests and judges are there to serve Jehovah your God.
When there is a dispute between men and they go to court, and the judges decide their case. They justify the righteous and condemn the wicked.
Defend the weak and fatherless. Protect the rights of the oppressed and the poor. Rescue the weak and needy. Help them escape the power of the wicked.
I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, They should be made for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.read more.
It is God's desire that all men have salvation and come to the full (precise) (accurate) (correct) knowledge (Greek: epignosis: recognition, discernment) of the truth.
Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it is to the king, or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do good.
If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. If you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Why have you disobeyed my commands? Why did you do this evil thing? You had Uriah killed in battle! You let the Ammonites kill him. Then you took his wife! In every generation some of your descendants will die a violent death because you have disobeyed me and have taken Uriah's wife.
My heavenly Father will treat you like that if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.
For judgment is without mercy to him who shows no mercy. And mercy triumphs over judgment.
You fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast today to make your voice heard on high.
Do not bring any more worthless grain offerings. Your incense is disgusting to me! So are your New Moon Festivals, your days of worship, and the assemblies you call. I cannot endure your evil assemblies! I hate your New Moon Festivals and your appointed festivals. They are a burden to me. I am tired of putting up with them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you. Even though you offer many prayers, I will not listen because your hands are full of blood.
Then they come to you, as if they are still my people, and they sit down in front of you. They listen to what you say, but they do not do it. They say that they love me, but in their hearts they chase dishonest profits.
Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying: 'For the past seventy years did you fast for me when you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months?
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faith. You should do both and leave nothing undone.
Woe to you Pharisees! You tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over justice and the love of God. You should have done these but you leave them undone.
They profess that they know God; but deny him by their works! They are detestable, disobedient, and not approved for any good work.
But your wrongs have separated you from your God. Your sins have made him hide his face so that he does not even hear you.
If I had thought about doing anything sinful, Jehovah would not have listened to me.
They will go with their flocks and with their herds to seek Jehovah. But they will not find him. He has withdrawn from them.
They will cry to Jehovah but he will not answer them. In fact, he will hide his face from them at that time because they have done evil things.
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in which (Greek: en hos) (in which) (Greek: hos, he ho) (whereby) (which) you were sealed to the day of release by ransom.
He that sows to his own flesh will harvest corruption of the flesh. But he that sows to the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
If you do not obey Jehovah your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
Your rulers are rebels, friends with thieves. They all love bribes and run after gifts. They never defend orphans. They do not listen to the widows' pleas. That is why Jehovah, Jehovah of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, says: How horrible it will be when I take revenge on my opponents! I will avenge myself against my enemies.
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor people who worship idols, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,
We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether it is good or bad.
Make your members that are upon the earth dead with regard to fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (greed), which is idolatry. Because of such things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Pursue peace and holiness with all people, for no man will see the Lord without it.
You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk (live) (be occupied) as children of light
He died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for their sakes and rose again.
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you got rid of the old self with its evil practices. You put on the new self that is being renewed to a true knowledge (full discernment) according to the image of the one who created him.
Therefore imitate God like beloved children. Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us. He was an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling odor.
I request (urge) (implore) you brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.
He (Jesus Christ) gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify a people for himself, who are special people, zealous for good works.
By this we know love, because he (Jesus) gave his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
Do not forget (neglect) to do good and to communicate (fellowship) (share), for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
We make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to him.
Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing in the Lord.
For our presentation (exhortation) is not based on error, or of uncleanness, or in deceit. We always speak, as God wants us to. He has judged us worthy to be entrusted with the Good News. We do not try to please people, but to please God, who tests our motives (examines our hearts).
Furthermore, we encourage you, brothers, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you ought to walk, and to please God, so you would abound more and more.
Whatever we ask we receive from Him because we obey His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
Who will go up to the mountain of Jehovah? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up (turned) to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully.
To practice righteousness and justice is more acceptable to Jehovah than sacrifice.
I desire loving-kindness (mercy), not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Is this not the fast I choose to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house? When you see the naked, should you cover him and not hide yourself from your own flesh?
To love him with all the heart, and with all understanding, and with total strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for the fatherless persons and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.
Jesus answered: If a man loves me, he will obey my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and dwell with him.
Now, O Israel, what does Jehovah your God require from you? You are to respect Jehovah your God. Walk in all his ways and love him! Serve Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your being. Obey Jehovah's commandments and his statutes I am commanding you today for your good!
([Psalm of David]) O Jehovah, who may stay in your tent? Who may reside on your holy mountain? The one who walks with integrity and does what is righteous. He speaks the truth in his heart. The one who does not malign with his tongue, do evil to a friend, or bring disgrace on his neighbor or close friend.read more.
The one who despises those rejected by God but honors those who reverence (respect) Jehovah. The one who makes a promise and does not break it even though he is hurt by it. The one who does not collect interest on a loan or take a bribe against an innocent person. Whoever does these things will never fall or be upset.
Only strive for justice so you will live and take possession of the land that Jehovah your God is giving you.
These are all the blessings that will come to you and stay close to you because you obey Jehovah your God:
He is like a tree planted by streams of water. It yields its fruit in season and its leaves do not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
For Jehovah God is a sun and shield. Jehovah will give favor and honor. He will not withhold blessing from those who walk faithfully in truth.
Jehovah says: Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.
Then you will call, and Jehovah will answer! You will cry and he will say: 'Here I am.' If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will be like midday. Jehovah will continually guide you. He will satisfy your desire in scorched places and give strength to your bones. You will be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.read more.
Those among you will rebuild the ancient ruins. You will raise up the age-old foundations. You will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell. If because of the Sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and you call the Sabbath a delight and the holy of Jehovah honorable, and honor it, desisting from your ways, from seeking your own pleasure and speaking your own word, you will take delight in Jehovah! I will make you ride on the heights of the earth. I will feed you the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of Jehovah has spoken!
That way, men may not see that you are fasting. Your Father knows in secret and will reward you.
When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. You will be blessed because they are not able to pay you back. God will repay you on the day the good people rise from death.
Bible Theasaurus
- Towards (233 instances)