33 Bible Verses about Human Authority, Nature Of

Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but from God: the powers that are, are ordained by God.

And he changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth kings, and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor: And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:read more.
And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

Jesus answered, Thou couldst have no power against me; except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me to thee hath the greater sin.

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say to one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh; and let them keep food in the cities.

And thou shalt put some of thy honor upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

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

And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thy army, and come out.

Also we certify you, that concerning any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom upon them.

And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, to the throne of the governor on this side of the river.

And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he dieth.

His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

And he said to him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

For the son of man is as a man taking a long journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work; and commanded the porter to watch.

And they watched him, and sent forth spies, who should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him to the power and authority of the governor.

And as soon as he knew that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself was also at Jerusalem at that time.

Then saith Pilate to him, Speakest thou not to me? knowest thou not, that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

And here he hath authority from the chief priests, to bind all that call on thy name.

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme;

Then saith Pilate to him, Speakest thou not to me? knowest thou not, that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldst have no power against me; except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me to thee hath the greater sin.

But Jesus called them to him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:read more.
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

But Jesus called them, and saith to them, Ye know that they who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles, exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so it shall not be among you: but whoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whoever of you will be the chief, shall be servant of all.read more.
For even the son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that, he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. Then he cometh to Simon Peter: and Peter saith to him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?read more.
Jesus answered and said to him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith to him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is wholly clean: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who would betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said to them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master, and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? Or I only and Barnabas, have we not power to forbear working?read more.
Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of its fruit? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Do I say these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he this altogether for our sakes? for our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others are partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they who minister about holy things live from the things of the temple, and they who wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel should live by the gospel. But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done to me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of: for necessity is laid upon me; and woe is to me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed to me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my power in the gospel.

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints will judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life?read more.
If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

But food commendeth us not to God: for neither if we eat, are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours should become a stumbling-block to them that are weak. For if any man shall see thee, who hast knowledge, sit eating in the idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;read more.
And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if food maketh my brother to fall into sin, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to fall into sin.

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.