18 Bible Verses about Government

"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot! So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth. read more.
You say, "I am rich; I have become wealthy, and have need of nothing"and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments to clothe you, and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. Those whom I love, I rebuke and chasten. So be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. Here is a trustworthy saying: if we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;

For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!" Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this. A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be considered the greatest. read more.
And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the youngest, and he who leads as one who serves. For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at the table? But I am among you as One who serves. You are those who have continued with me in my trials. And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as my Father bestowed one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

"And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: 'These are the words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze: I know your works, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that your works are now more than at the first. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and beguiling my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. read more.
I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her immorality. So I will cast her on a sickbed, and I will throw those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her ways. And I will strike her children dead. And all the churches shall know that I am he who searches minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your works. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I will not lay upon you any other burden; only hold fast what you have until I come. He who overcomes, and keeps my works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations "He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as when potter's vessels are broken in pieces" just as I also have received from my Father; and I will give him the morning star.

They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and are you teaching us?" And they cast him out.

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And they bound him, and led him away and delivered him to Pilate the governor.

And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"

Very early in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pilate.

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be a riot among the people."

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

The apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

(If a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church?).

Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,

Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. "These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. read more.
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You have heard me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in me.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in me; read more.
of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you see me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Yet we do speak a wisdom among the mature, a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away. But we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and which God destined for our glory before the ages. None of the rulers of this age understood it; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor.

And they bound him, and led him away and delivered him to Pilate the governor.

Warn a man who is factious once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him,

Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.

I, Paul, myself urge you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold to you when I am away!

you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

I warned those who sinned in the past and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present the second time, that if I come again I will not spare them

Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.

But I say to you, do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne;

Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying, "We give thanks to you, O Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

"Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions which had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.

Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they are keeping watch over your souls, as men who will have to give account. Let them do this with joy, and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will have praise from him. read more.
For he is God's servant to you for good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is God's servant, an avenger to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's ministers, attending to this very thing. Pay all of them their dues: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the money for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. read more.
And he said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the supreme authority, or to governors as 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 ignorance of foolish men. read more.
Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a covering for evil; live as servants of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.

When Judas, his betrayer, saw that he was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!"

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of all the world.

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the supreme authority, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will have praise from him. read more.
For he is God's servant to you for good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is God's servant, an avenger to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's ministers, attending to this very thing. Pay all of them their dues: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

When Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood. See to it yourselves."

From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you let this man go, you are not Caesar's friend. Anyone who makes himself a king sets himself against Caesar." When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover, about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" read more.
But they cried out, "Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no King but Caesar." Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus.

And after he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; concerning whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.'

"Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."

You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, when he said: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'"

Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered together to him, they saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.

Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

And immediately the king sent an executioner and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.

At the same time, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him.