33 Bible Verses about Human Authority, Nature Of

Let every person be subject to superior authorities. For there is no authority except by God. God allows the authorities to serve in their positions.

He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to the discerning.

The decision is by the decree of the watchers. The sentence by the word of the holy ones! It is to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets over it the lowest of men.

O you king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty. Because of the greatness he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he chose he killed and whom he chose he kept alive. Whom he chose he raised up, and whom he chose he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened with pride he dealt proudly. He was deposed from his kingly throne and they took his glory from him:read more.
He was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts. His dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he sets up over it whomever he will.

Jesus answered him: You would have no power against me except it was given you from above. Therefore he that delivered me to you has greater sin.

I also am a man having authority and commanding soldiers. I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it.

I also am a man with much authority. I am in charge of soldiers and say to this one go and he goes and to another I say come and he comes. I tell my servant to do this and he does it.

Have them collect all the food during these good years. Store up grain under Pharaoh's control, to be kept for food in the cities.

Give him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of Israel will obey him.

So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men and known, and made them rulers over you. I made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.

If I were leading this people I would get rid of Abimelech! I would tell him to: call out your army, come on out and fight!

In addition, we make it clear to you, that it will be against the law to put any tax or payment in goods or forced payment on any of the priests or Levites, the music-makers, doorkeepers, Nethinim, or any servants of this house of God.

Working by their side included: Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah from the seat of the ruler across the river.

I will clothe him with your robe and strengthen him with your belt. I will commit your responsibility into his hand. He will be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

Then the king ordered Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, Take with you three men and to pull him out of the well before he dies.

His lord said: 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

He said: Well done, you good servant. You were faithful in very little. Now you shall have authority over ten cities.

It is similar to a man traveling to another country. He leaves his house and gives authority to his servants to do the work. He commands them to watch.

They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous. The spies listened for something in his speech to deliver him up to the authority of the governor.

When he knew that he was from Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod. He was in Jerusalem at that time.

Pilate said: Will you not speak to me? Do you know I have the power to release you and the power to impale you?

He has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.

Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it is to the king,

Pilate said: Will you not speak to me? Do you know I have the power to release you and the power to impale you? Jesus answered him: You would have no power against me except it was given you from above. Therefore he that delivered me to you has greater sin.

Jesus called them to himself and said: You know that the rulers of the nations exercise absolute dominion over them. They lord it over them and behave like tyrants. But it will not be so among you. He who will be great among you must be your servant. And he who will be first among you will be your attendant (servant) (minister).read more.
The Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom in payment for many.

Jesus called them together and said: You know that those who rule over the nations lord it over them. Their great ones exercise authority over them. It is not so among you. Whoever would become great among you, shall be your minister (servant) (attendant). Whoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all.read more.
For the Son of man also came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

He got up from the meal and laid aside his garments. He wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he poured water into the basin and washed the disciples' feet. He wiped them with the towel he was wearing. When he approached, Simon Peter said: Lord do you wash my feet?read more.
You do not know what I do now, Jesus said: but you will understand later. Peter said: You will never wash my feet. Jesus answered him: If I do not wash you; you have no part with me. Simon Peter replied: Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus responded: He that is bathed must wash his feet. He is clean everywhere and you are clean, but not all. He knew who would betray him. That is why he said you are not all clean. After he washed their feet he put his outer garments on and sat down. He asked: Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord and you are right for I am. If the Teacher and Lord washed your feet you should wash one another's feet. I have given you an example. You should also do as I have done to you.

I should boast a great deal concerning the authority the Lord gave us to build you up, and not to tear you down, I would not be put to shame.

Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power that the Lord gave me to enlightenment and not to destruction.

Do we have a right to eat and drink? Do we have a right to lead a sister as a wife just like other apostles, and as brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who do not have the right to refrain from secular work?read more.
Does a soldier serve at his own expense? Does the one who plants a vineyard not eat of the fruit it produces? Who shepherds a flock and does not eat some of the milk from the flock? I say this from a human point of view. Does the law say the same thing? It is written in the Law of Moses: You should not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads (threshes) out the grain. Does God care only about oxen? Or did he say it for our benefit? This is written for our benefit without a doubt! He who plows should plow in hope. Likewise he who threshes in hope should be a partaker of his hope. If we sow spiritual seed in you, is it too much if we reap material things? If others are partakers of the right over you, should we also partake? Nevertheless we have not used this power! We suffer all things, lest we should hinder the good news of Christ. Do you not know that they who minister about holy things live off the things of the temple? And they who wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so, has the Lord ordained that they who preach the good news should earn their living from the good news? But I have used none of these rights! Neither have I written these things, that it should be done to me. It would be better for me to die, than that any man should make my reason for boasting void. Though I preach the good news I do not brag about it. Preaching the good news is my duty (obligation) and I must do it! It would be terrible if I did not preach the good news! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward. But if I do it against my will, I am just performing the trust of the good news committed to me. What is my reward then? When I preach the good news, I may offer the good news of Christ without charge. That is way I do not abuse my power in the good news.

If you have a dispute with another [Christian] do you dare to go to a law court before judges who are ungodly? Why not let the holy ones decide who is right? Do you not know that the holy ones will judge the world? And if you will judge the world, are you unworthy to judge these small matters? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the matters that pertain to this life?read more.
If you have judgments of things pertaining to this life, would you appoint as judges those who mean nothing to the congregation? I speak to shame you. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? Not one who would be able to judge between his brothers? But brother goes to court against brother, and this before unbelievers. It is already a defeat for you that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not let yourself be wronged? Why not let your selves be defrauded (cheated)?

But food will not recommend us to God. If we do not eat we are not worse. If we eat we are not better. Be careful that this freedom does not become a stumbling block to those who are weak. If any man with knowledge sees you having a meal from an idol's temple, will the conscience of the weak one be emboldened (encouraged) to eat food offered to idols?read more.
And because of your knowledge the weak brother will perish. Christ died for him! When you sin against your brothers and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. If food makes my brother stumble I will eat no food at all so I do not make my brother stumble.

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient (profitable). All things are lawful for me, but all things do not build up (confirm) (strengthen). Let no one seek his own advantage, but that of the other [person].