35 Bible Verses about Headship

Then are we to infer that there is injustice in God? Never! God says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I choose to have mercy, I will have compassion on whom I choose to have compassion. You see, it is not a question of human will or effort but of the divine mercy.read more.
Why, scripture says to Pharaoh, It was for this that I raised you up, to display my power in you, and to spread news of my name over all the earth. Thus God has mercy on anyone just as he pleases, and he makes anyone stubborn just as he pleases. "Then," you will retort, "why does he go on finding fault? Who can oppose his will?" But who are you, my man, to speak back to God? Is something a man has moulded to ask him who has moulded it, "Why did you make me like this?" What! has the potter no right over the clay? Has he no right to make out of the same lump one vessel for a noble purpose and another for a menial?

Then comes the end, when he hands over his royal power to God the Father, after putting down all other rulers, all other authorities and powers. For he must reign until all his foes are put under his feet. (Death is the last foe to be put down.)read more.
For God has put everything under his feet. When it is said that everything has been put under him, plainly that excludes Him who put everything under him; and when everything is put under him, then the Son himself will be put under Him who put everything under him, so that God may be everything to everyone.

But I would like you to understand this: Christ is the head of every man, man is the head of woman, and God is the head of Christ.

Though he was divine by nature, he did not set store upon equality with God

for I have come down from heaven not to carry out my own will but the will of him who sent me,

Then he went forward a little and fell on his face praying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me. Yet, not what I will but what thou wilt."

"Abba, Father," he said, "thou canst do anything. Take this cup away from me. Yet, not what I will but what thou wilt."

saying, "Father, if it please thee, take this cup away from me. But thy will, not mine, be done."

Though he was divine by nature, he did not set store upon equality with God but emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant; born in human guise and appearing in human form, he humbly stooped in his obedience even to die, and to die upon the cross.

In the days of his flesh, with bitter cries and tears, he offered prayers and supplications to Him who was able to save him from death; and he was heard, because of his godly fear. Thus, Son though he was, he learned by all he suffered how to obey,

He is the likeness of the unseen God, born first before all the creation ??16 for it was by him that all things were created both in heaven and on earth, both the seen and the unseen, including Thrones, angelic Lords, celestial Powers and Rulers; all things have been created by him and for him; he is prior to all, and all coheres in him.

but in these days at the end he has spoken to us by a Son ??a Son whom he appointed heir of the universe, as it was by him that he created the world. He, reflecting God's bright glory and stamped with God's own character, sustains the universe with his word of power; when he had secured our purification from sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; and thus he is superior to the angels, as he has inherited a Name superior to theirs.

which he exerted in raising Christ from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavenly sphere, above all the angelic Rulers, Authorities, Powers, and Lords, above every Name that is to be named not only in this age but in the age to come ??22 he has put everything under his feet and set him as head over everything for the church,

He is the likeness of the unseen God, born first before all the creation ??16 for it was by him that all things were created both in heaven and on earth, both the seen and the unseen, including Thrones, angelic Lords, celestial Powers and Rulers; all things have been created by him and for him; he is prior to all, and all coheres in him. Also, he is the head of the Body, that is, of the church, in virtue of his primacy as the first to be born from the dead ??that gives him pre-eminence over all.

it is in him that you reach your full life, and he is the Head of every angelic Ruler and Power;

putting all things under his feet. Now by putting all things under him, the writer meant to leave nothing out of his control. But, as it is, we do not yet see all things controlled by man;

we are to hold by the truth, and by our love to grow up wholly into Him. For He, Christ, is the head, and under him, as the entire Body is welded together and compacted by every joint with which it is supplied, the due activity of each part enables the Body to grow and build itself up in love.

for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ also (though he is the saviour of the Body) is the head of the church;

Also, he is the head of the Body, that is, of the church, in virtue of his primacy as the first to be born from the dead ??that gives him pre-eminence over all.

instead of keeping in touch with that Head under whom the entire Body, supplied with joints and sinews and thus compacted, grows with growth divine.

He has granted us complete insight and understanding of the open secret of his will, showing us how it was the purpose of his design so to order it in the fulness of the ages that all things in heaven and earth alike should be gathered up in Christ ??11 in the Christ in whom we have had our heritage allotted us (as was decreed in the design of him who carries out everything according to the counsel of his will),

For he must reign until all his foes are put under his feet. (Death is the last foe to be put down.) For God has put everything under his feet. When it is said that everything has been put under him, plainly that excludes Him who put everything under him;

Then I saw heaven open wide ??and there was a white horse: his rider is faithful and true, yea, just are his judgments and his warfare. His eyes are a flame of fire, on his head are many diadems, he bears a written name which none knows but himself. He is clad in a robe dipped in blood (his name is called THE LOGOS OF GOD),read more.
and the troops of heaven follow him on white horses, arrayed in pure white linen. A sharp sword issues from his lips, wherewith to smite the nations; he will shepherd them with an iron flail, and trample the winepress of the passion of the anger of God almighty. And on his robe, upon his thigh, his name is written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

For the world to come, of which I am speaking, was not put under the control of angels. One writer, as we know, has affirmed, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou carest for him? For a little while thou hast put him lower than the angels, crowning him with glory and honour,read more.
putting all things under his feet. Now by putting all things under him, the writer meant to leave nothing out of his control. But, as it is, we do not yet see all things controlled by man;

Every subject must obey the government-authorities, for no authority exists apart from God; the existing authorities have been constituted by God. Hence anyone who resists authority is opposing the divine order, and the opposition will bring judgment on themselves. Magistrates are no terror to an honest man, though they are to a bad man. If you want to avoid being alarmed at the government-authorities, lead an honest life and you will be commended for it;read more.
the magistrate is God's servant for your benefit. But if you do wrong, you may well be alarmed; a magistrate does not wield the power of the sword for nothing, he is God's servant for the infliction of divine vengeance upon evil-doers. You must be obedient, therefore, not only to avoid the divine vengeance but as a matter of conscience, for the same reason as you pay taxes ??since magistrates are God's officers, bent upon the maintenance of order and authority.

Submit for the Lord's sake to any human authority; submit to the emperor as supreme, and to governors as deputed by him for the punishment of wrongdoers and the encouragement of honest people ??15 for it is the will of God that by your honest lives you should silence the ignorant charges of foolish persons.

Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ also (though he is the saviour of the Body) is the head of the church; as the church is subject to Christ, so wives are to be subject to their husbands in every respect.

But I would like you to understand this: Christ is the head of every man, man is the head of woman, and God is the head of Christ. Any man who prays or prophesies with a veil on his head dishonours his head, while any woman who prays or prophesies without a veil on her head dishonours her head; she is no better than a shaven woman.read more.
If a woman will not veil herself, she should cut off her hair as well. But she ought to veil herself; for it is disgraceful that a woman should have her hair cut off or be shaven. Man does not require to have a veil on his head, for he represents the likeness and supremacy of God; but woman represents the supremacy of man. (Man was not made from woman, woman was made from man; and man was not created for woman, but woman for man.) Therefore, in view of the angels, woman must wear a symbol of subjection on her head. (Of course, in the Lord, woman does not exist apart from man, any more than man apart from woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now made from woman, while both, like all things, come from God.) Judge for yourselves; is it proper for an unveiled woman to pray to God? Surely nature herself teaches you that while long hair is disgraceful for a man, for a woman long hair is a glory? Her hair is given her as a covering. If anyone presumes to raise objections on this point ??well, I acknowledge no other mode of worship, and neither do the churches of God.

Wives, be subject to your husbands; that is your proper duty in the Lord.

In the same way, you wives must be submissive to your husbands, so that even those who will not believe the Word may be won over without a word by the behaviour of their wives, when they see how chaste and reverent you are. You are not to adorn yourselves on the outside with braids of hair and ornaments of gold and changes of dress,read more.
but inside, in the heart, with the immortal beauty of a gentle and modest spirit, which in the sight of God is of rare value. It was in this way long ago that the holy women who hoped in God adorned themselves. They were submissive to their husbands. Thus Sara obeyed Abraham by calling him 'lord'. And you are daughters of Sara if you do what is right and yield to no panic.

Brothers, we beg you to respect those who are working among you, presiding over you in the Lord and maintaining discipline;

Obey your leaders, submit to them; for they are alive to the interests of your souls, as men who will have to account for their trust. Let their work be a joy to them and not a grief ??which would be a loss to yourselves.

Now I make this appeal to your presbyters (for I am a presbyter myself, I was a witness of what Christ suffered and I am to share the glory that will be revealed), be shepherds to your flock of God; take charge of them willingly instead of being pressed to it, not to make a base profit from it but freely, not by way of lording it over your charges but proving a pattern to the flock.

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.