71 Bible Verses about ethics, social

Righteousness setteth up the people; but wickedness bringeth folk to destruction.

The God of Israel spake unto me, and the strength of Israel said, 'He that beareth rule over men, he that ruleth justly in the fear of God, shall be as the morning light, when the sun shineth in a morning in which are no clouds to let the brightness; and as the grass of the earth is by the virtue of the rain.'

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; be warned, ye that are judges of the earth. Serve the LORD in fear, and rejoice unto him in reverence. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the right way. For his wrath shall be kindled shortly: blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

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

It is a great abomination when kings are wicked; for a king's seat should be holden up with righteousness.

Take away ungodliness from the king, and his seat shall be established with righteousness.

Because of sin the land doth oft change her prince; but through men of understanding and wisdom a realm endureth long.

With true judgment the king setteth up the land; but if he be a man that taketh gifts, he turneth it upside down.

In righteousness shalt thou be grounded, and be far from oppression: for the which thou needest not be afraid, neither for hindrance, for it shall not come nigh thee.

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.

that they may offer sweet savours unto the God of heaven; and pray for the king's life, and for his children.

Save, LORD, and hear us, O King of heaven, when we call upon thee.

{Of Solomon} Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.

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.

"Thou shalt not rail upon the judges, neither curse the ruler of thy people.

And that man that will do presumptuously, so that he will not hearken unto the priest that standeth there to minister unto the LORD thy God or unto the judge, shall die: and so thou shalt put away evil from Israel.

And he said unto his men, "The LORD keep me from doing that thing unto my master that is the LORD's anointed, to lay mine hand upon him: seeing he is the LORD's anointed."

and set two unthrifties before him, and let them testify against him, saying, 'Thou didst curse both God and the king.' And upon that carry him out and stone him to death."

My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and keep no company with them that slide back from his fear:

Then said Paul, "I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest. For it is written, 'Thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people.'"

Wherefore ye must needs obey, not for fear of vengeance only: but also because of conscience.

See that ye honour all men. Love brotherly fellowship, fear God, and honour the King.

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 Jesus answered, and said unto them, "Then give to Caesar that which belongeth to Caesar: and give to God that which pertaineth to God." And they marveled at him.

And he said unto them, "Give then unto Caesar, that which belongeth unto Cesar: And to God, that which pertaineth to God."

"'All these tithes of the land, whether it be of the corn of the field or fruit of the trees, shall be holy unto the LORD.

At the end of three years, thou shalt bring forth all the tithes of thine increase the same year and lay it up within thine own city,

And we decreed a statute upon ourselves, to give yearly the third part of a sicle to the ministration in the house of our God,

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."

And even for this cause pay ye tribute. For they are God's ministers, serving for the same purpose. 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.

Wrest not the law, nor know any person, neither take any reward: for gifts blind the wise and pervert the words of the righteous. But in all things follow righteousness, that thou mayest live and enjoy the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

I will show thee, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requireth of thee: Namely, to do right, to have pleasure in loving-kindness, to be lowly, and to walk with thy God.

Thou shalt take no gifts, for gifts blind the seeing and pervert the words of the righteous.

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment. Thou shalt not favour the poor nor honour the mighty, but shalt judge thy neighbour righteously.

"'Cursed be he that hindereth the right of the stranger, fatherless and widow.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

To do righteousness and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Study to do righteously, and help the oppressed. Avenge the fatherless and defend the cause of widows. Come, let us show each his grief to other and make an atonement, saith the LORD.

Woe be unto you that make unrighteous laws, and devise things, which be too hard for to keep:

Thus sayeth the LORD: Keep equity, and do right, for my saving health shall come shortly, and my righteousness shall be opened.

I testify before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without hasty judgment, and do nothing partially.

When one of thy brethren among you is waxed poor in any of thy cities within thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, see that thou harden not thine heart nor shut to thine hand from thy poor brother: But open thine hand unto him and lend him sufficient for his need which he hath. And beware that there be not a point of Belial in thine heart, that thou wouldest say, 'The seventh year, the year of freedom is at hand,' and therefore it grieve thee to look on thy poor brother and givest him nought and he then cry unto the LORD against thee and it be sin unto thee.

"'If thy brother be waxed poor and fallen in decay with thee, receive him as a stranger or a sojourner, and let him live by thee.

Furthermore, if it be a poor body, go not to sleep with his pledge:

He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the LORD; and look, what he layeth out, it shall be paid him again.

And Jesus said unto him, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."

Jesus beheld him, and had a favour to him, and said unto him, "One thing is lacking unto thee. Go, and sell all that thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me, and take up thy cross on thee."

When Jesus heard that, he said unto him, "Yet lackest thou one thing. Sell all that thou hast, and distribute it unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, and follow me."

Nevertheless, ye give alms of that ye have, and behold: all is clean to you.

Sell that ye have, and give alms. And make you bags, which wax not old, and treasure that faileth not in heaven, where no thief cometh, neither moth corrupteth.

Distribute unto the necessity of the saints, and diligently to harbour.

warning only that we should remember the poor, which thing also I was diligent to do.

and ye have a respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and say unto him, "Sit thou here in a good place," and say unto the poor, "stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool" - are ye not even partial in your selves, and have judged after evil thoughts?

When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, the year of tithing - and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, and they have eaten in thy gates and filled themselves

and the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still, that the poor of thy people may eat, and what they leave, the beasts of the field shall eat: In like manner thou shalt do with thy vineyard and thine olive trees.

When ye reap down the ripe corn of your land, ye shall not reap down the utmost borders of your fields, neither shalt thou gather that which is left behind in thy harvest. Thou shalt not pluck in all thy vineyard clean, neither gather in the grapes that are overscaped. But thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger. I am the LORD your God.

"'When ye reap down your harvest, thou shalt not make clean riddance of thy field, neither shalt thou make any after gathering of thy harvest: but shalt leave them unto the poor and the stranger. I am the LORD your God.'"

Yea If thou layest away thy burdens, and holdest thy fingers, and ceasest from blasphemous talking; if thou hast compassion upon the hungry, and refreshest the troubled soul: Then shall thy light spring out in the darkness, and thy darkness shall be as the noon day.

Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the people, because they have continued with me now three days, and have nought to eat: and I will not let them depart fasting lest they perish in the way."

"I have compassion on this people, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I should send them away fasting to their own houses, they should faint by the way. For divers of them came from far."

He answered and said unto them, "He that hath two coats, let him part with him that hath none: And he that hath meat, let him do likewise."

Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him: if he thirst, give him drink. For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;

Defend the poor and fatherless, see that such as be in need and necessity have right. Deliver the outcast and poor, and save them from the hand of the ungodly.

Pure devotion, and undefiled before God the father, is this: To visit the friendless, and widows in their adversity, and to keep himself unspotted of the world.

Ye shall trouble no widow nor fatherless child:

Thou shalt not oppress a stranger, for I know the heart of a stranger, because ye were strangers in Egypt.

"'When thy brother is waxed poor and hath sold away of his possession: if any of his kin come to redeem it, he shall buy out that which his brother sold.

Hinder not the right of the stranger nor of the fatherless, nor take widow's raiment to pledge.

{To the Chanter, a Psalm of David} Blessed is he, that considereth the poor; the LORD shall deliver him in the time of trouble.