12 Bible Verses about Human Authority, Instituted By God

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for [there] is no authority except by God, and those that exist are put in place by God. So then, the one who resists authority resists the ordinance [which is] from God, and those who resist will receive condemnation on themselves.

And {your lifeblood} I will require; from {every animal} I will require it. And from the hand of humankind, from the hand of [each] man to his brother I will require the life of humankind. "[As for] the one shedding the blood of humankind, by humankind his blood shall be shed, for God made humankind in his own image.

And he changes the times and the seasons, and he deposes kings and he sets up kings; he gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to [men who] know understanding.

You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power and the might and the glory, and [also] {human beings wherever they dwell}, the animals of the field and the birds of heaven--he has given into your hand and made you ruler over all of them--you are the head of gold.

The sentence [is] by [the] decree of [the] watchers, and the decision [by] [the] command of [the] holy [ones], {in order that} the living will know that the Most High [is] sovereign over [the] kingdom of humankind, and {to whomever} he wills he gives it, and he [even] sets [the] humblest of men over it."

Jesus replied to him, "You would not have any authority over me unless it was given to you from above. For this [reason] the one who handed me over to you has greater sin."

Subject yourselves to every human authority for the sake of the Lord, whether to a king as having supreme authority,

for it is God's servant to you for what [is] good. But if you do what [is] bad, be afraid, because it does not bear the sword to no purpose. For it is God's servant, the one who avenges for punishment on the one who does [what is] bad.

Thus says Yahweh to his anointed one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subjugate nations before him, and I uncover [the] loins of kings to open doors before him, and [the] gates shall not be shut:

For because of this you also pay taxes, for [the authorities] are servants of God, busily engaged in this very [thing].

on behalf of kings and all those who are in authority, in order that we may live a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

or to governors as those sent out by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good.