22 Bible Verses about Human Authority, Nature Of

Let every soul be subject to the supreme powers, for there is no power but from God; the powers that be, are appointed by God.

Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power over me, unless 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 doth it.

For I am a man set 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 doth it.

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

And he said to him, Well done, good servant; because thou hast been faithful in a very little, be thou governor over ten cities.

For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

And watching him, they sent forth spies, feigning themselves to be just men, to take hold of his discourse, that they might deliver him to the power and authority of the governour.

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

But Jesus gave him no answer. Then Pilate saith 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 also 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 it be to the king as supreme, Or to governors,

But Jesus gave him no answer. Then Pilate saith 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 couldest have no power over me, unless it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me to thee, hath the greater sin.

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

But Jesus calling them, saith to them, Ye know that they who rule over the Gentiles, lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you; but whosoever desireth to be great among you, shall be your servant. And whosoever desireth to be the chief, shall be the servant of all.read more.
For the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments, and taking a towel, girded himself. After that, he poured water into the bason, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the towel, wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter, who 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 who hath been bathed, needeth only to wash his feet, and is clean all over: and ye are clean; but not all. For he knew who would betray him: therefore he said, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, he took his garments, and sitting down again, 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 ought also to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye also may do as I have done to you.

Yea, if I should boast something more also of the 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 severity, according to the power which the Lord hath given me, for edification, and not for destruction.

Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about with us a sister, a wife, as well as the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Peter? Or I only and Barnabas, have we not power to forbear working?read more.
Who ever warreth at his own charge? Who planteth a vineyard, and doth not eat of its fruit? Or who feedeth a flock, and doth not eat of the milk of the flock? Do I speak these things as a man? Doth not the law also speak the same? For it is written, in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn? Doth God take care for oxen? Or speaketh he chiefly for our sakes? surely for our sakes it was written: for he who ploweth, ought to plow in hope; and he that thresheth in hope, ought to be a partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter, if we shall reap your carnal things? If others partake of this power over you, do not we rather? Yet we have not used this power: but we suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Know ye not, that they who are employed about holy things, are fed out of the temple? And they who wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar. So also hath the Lord ordained, that they who preach the gospel, should live of the gospel. But I have used none of these things; nor have I written thus, that it might be done so unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make this my glorying void. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for a necessity lieth upon me, and wo is me, if I preach not the gospel. If indeed I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, yet a dispensation is intrusted to me. What then is my reward? that when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, refer it to the unjust, and not to the saints? Know ye not, that the saints shall 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?read more.
How much more things pertaining to this life? If then ye have any controversies of things pertaining to this life, do ye set them to judge who are of no esteem in the church? I speak to your shame. What, is there not so much as one wise man among you, that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and this before the infidels. Indeed even this is altogether a fault among you, that ye have contests with each other. Why do ye not rather suffer wrong?

But meat commendeth us not to God; for neither if we eat, are we the better, nor if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed, lest by any means this your liberty become a stumbling-block to the weak. For if any one see thee, who hast knowledge, sitting at meat in an idol-temple, will not the conscience of him that is weak be encouraged to eat of the things sacrificed to the idol?read more.
And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died. But when ye sin thus against your brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

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 one seek his own, but every one another's welfare.