18 Bible Verses about Government

And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I wish thou wert cold or hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will cast thee out of my mouth: read more.
because thou sayst, I am rich, and wealthy, and have want of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayst be rich; and white raiment that thou mayst be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear: and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayst see. Whomsoever I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any one hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also have overcome, and am set down with my Father on his throne.

Therefore I submit to every thing for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is by Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. It is an undoubted truth, if we are dead with Him, we shall also live with Him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we disown Him, He will also disown us.

and the Son of man is going indeed as was determined; but wo to that man by whom He is betrayed. And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do it. And there was also a dispute among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest: read more.
but He said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority are called benefactors. But ye shall not do so: but let the greatest among you be as the younger; and he that presides as he that serveth. For which is greater, he that sitteth at table, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at table? but I am among you as one that serveth. Ye have continued with me in my temptations; and I appoint you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me: that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, These things saith the Son of God, who hath eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass; I know thy works, and thy love, and thy service, and thy faith, and thy patience, and that thy last works are more than the first. But I have a few things against thee; because thou sufferest the woman Jezabel, who saith that she is a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. read more.
And I gave her time to repent of her fornication, and she repented not. Behold I will cast her into a bed, and those that commit whoredom with her, into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds: and I will cut off her children by death; and all the churches shall know, that I am He who searcheth the reins and hearts, and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But to you I say, to the rest in Thyatira, As many as do not hold this doctrine, and who are unacquainted with the depths of Satan, as they speak, I will lay on you no other burden: but what ye have hold fast till I come. And to him that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken in pieces; as I also have received of my Father; and I will give him the morning-star.

They answered, and said unto him, Thou wast wholly born in sins, and dost thou teach us?

and began to tell them, that the Son of man must suffer much; and be rejected by the elders, and chief priests, and scribes; and be put to death: and after three days rise again.

And as soon as it was morning all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, how to get Him executed: so they bound Him and led Him away, and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the Roman governor.

And when He was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him as He was teaching, and said, By what authority dost thou these things, and who gave thee this authority?

And as soon as ever it was light the chief priests holding a consultation with the elders and scribes, they and the whole sanhedrim, bound Jesus, and carried Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.

Now the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people were then assembled together into the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas: and were consulting how they might take Jesus by treachery and put Him to death. But they said, Not on the feast-day, least there should be a tumult among the people.

and if any one be hungry, let him eat at home, that ye may not come together to your condemnation. And as to other things, I will set them in order when I come.

So the apostles and elders were assembled together to consider about this matter.

For it seemed good to the holy Spirit, and so to us, to lay no more burthen upon you than these necessary things.

(for if any one know not how to govern his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

Do not chide a senior, but exhort him as a father; and younger men as brethren:

Jesus answered and said unto him, If any one love me, he will observe my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and will make our abode with him. He that doth not love me, doth not observe my words: and yet the word that ye hear, is not mine, but the Father's who hath sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, while I have been with you. read more.
But the comforter, that is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard, how I said unto you, "I am going away, and I shall come again to you." If ye loved me, ye would rejoice that I said, I am going to the Father: for my Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it cometh to pass ye may believe. I shall not have much more conversation with you: for the prince of this world is coming; not that he hath any thing in me,

And if our gospel also be veiled, it is to those that perish; among whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, doth not shine unto them:

Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I should go away; for if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He comes, He will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement: of sin, because they believe not on me; read more.
of righteousness, because I am going to my Father and ye shall see me no more; and of judgement, because the prince of this world is judged.

Yet we speak true wisdom among the perfect: though not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who come to nought. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, that hidden wisdom which God ordained before the worlds for our glory: which none of the rulers of this age knew; for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis,

And after five days, the high-priest Ananias came down with the elders, and one Tertulius an orator, who appeared before the governor against Paul.

so they bound Him and led Him away, and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the Roman governor.

reject therefore such an heretical man, after the first and second admonition; knowing that such a one is perverted,

of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Now I Paul myself exhort you, by the meekness and lenity of Christ, who in presence am lowly among you,

of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your boasting is not good.

I said before, and I again tell you beforehand, as if I were present the second time; and being absent I now write to those who have sinned heretofore, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare:

And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled, and no place was found for them.

but I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;

And the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Anointed, and He shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, who sat before God on their thrones, fell on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, We give thanks unto thee, O Lord God almighty, who art, and who wast, and who art to come; because thou hast assumed thy great power, and hast reigned.

and whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; but whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.

And as they passed through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees that had been made by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.

Be ruled by those that are your guides, and submit to them: for they watch for your souls; (as those that must give an account) that they may do it with joy and not with uneasiness: for this were unprofitable for you.

Admonish them to be submissive to governors and magistrates, to obey their orders, and to be ready to every good work;

Let every soul be subject to the powers that are over them: for there is no such power but from God: the powers that are over men, are appointed by God. So that he who resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive condemnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wouldest thou then not be afraid of the civil power? do what is good, and thou shalt have praise from it: read more.
for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou dost evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is also the minister of God, as an avenger to execute his wrath upon the malefactor. Wherefore it is necessary to submit, not only on account of punishment, but also of conscience. For you pay them tribute also for this reason; because they are God's ministers, continually attending hereunto. Render therefore to all what is their due: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, reverence to whom reverence, honor to whom honor.

Is it lawful to give tribute to Cesar, or not? But Jesus knew their malice, and said, Why do ye tempt me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute-money. And they brought Him a Roman Penny. read more.
And He saith unto them, Whose image and inscription is this? They answered, Cesar's. Then saith He unto them, Render therefore to Cesar the things that are Cesar's; and to God the things that are God's.

Then said He unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's, and to God the things that are God's.

Be subject therefore to every human form of government, for the Lord's sake: whether it be to a king as supreme; or to governors as persons sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that by your good behaviour ye may silence the ignorance of foolish men: read more.
as free, and yet not using your liberty as a cloke for wickedness, but as the servants of God. Give due honor to all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

About this time went one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests, and said, What will ye give me, and I will deliver Him to you? and they promised him thirty pieces of silver:

Then Judas, who had betrayed Him, when he saw that He was condemned, being struck with remorse, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, I have sinned, for I have betrayed innocent blood: but they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

Now in those days an edict was published by Augustus Cesar, that all the world should be enrolled or taxed,

Be subject therefore to every human form of government, for the Lord's sake: whether it be to a king as supreme; or to governors as persons sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and the praise of them that do well.

Let every soul be subject to the powers that are over them: for there is no such power but from God: the powers that are over men, are appointed by God. So that he who resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive condemnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wouldest thou then not be afraid of the civil power? do what is good, and thou shalt have praise from it: read more.
for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou dost evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is also the minister of God, as an avenger to execute his wrath upon the malefactor. Wherefore it is necessary to submit, not only on account of punishment, but also of conscience. For you pay them tribute also for this reason; because they are God's ministers, continually attending hereunto. Render therefore to all what is their due: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, reverence to whom reverence, honor to whom honor.

Pilate seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just man, look ye to it:

Upon this Pilate sought to release Him; but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou release this man, thou art not Cesar's friend; for whosoever maketh himself a king, opposeth Cesar. Therefore when Pilate heard this he brought Jesus forth, and sat down on the tribunal, in a place called the Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. (And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour.) And he saith to the Jews, Behold your king. But they cried out, read more.
Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Cesar. Then delivered he Him therefore unto them to be crucified.

And having removed him, He raised up David for their king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will perform all my will.

Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat.

Well did Esaias prophecy concerning you, saying, This people approach me with their mouth, and honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me: but in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the injunctions of men.

And there were gathered unto Him the pharisees, and some of the scribes, from Jerusalem; and when they saw some of his disciples eating with impure (that is, unwashed) hands, they found fault: for the pharisees, and indeed all the Jews, do not eat till they have washed their hands thoroughly, observing the tradition of the ancients.

Give due honor to all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

and ordered his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a dish, and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel carried it to her mother.

And hoping also that money would be given him by Paul, that he might discharge him; he sent for him the more frequently, and conversed with him.