40 Bible Verses about Leaders, Spiritual

No one takes this honor upon himself. He is called by God, even as Aaron was.

Jehovah continued: Bring your brother Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar to you from all the Israelites. They will serve me as priests.

Jehovah chose from all your tribes the tribe of Levi to serve him and his sons as priests forever.

Every high priest taken from among men is appointed in behalf of men in things relating to God. He may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

When Aaron goes into the holy place, he will carry the names of the sons of Israel over his heart as a continual reminder in Jehovah's presence. He must do this by wearing the breast piece for decision-making. Put the Urim and Thummim into the breast piece for decision-making. They, too, will be over Aaron's heart when he comes into Jehovah's presence. In this way when he is in Jehovah's presence, Aaron will always be carrying over his heart the means for determining Jehovah's decisions for the Israelites.

He will depend on Eleazar the priest, who will learn my will by using the Urim and Thummim. In this way Eleazar will direct Joshua and the whole congregation of Israel in all their affairs.

Every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. It is necessary to have something to offer.

The priests should teach the true knowledge of God. They are the messengers of Jehovah of Hosts. Therefore the people should learn (my will) the law from them.

You must also teach the people of Israel everything that I commanded Moses to say to them.

He said: Ask the priests for a ruling on this question of law. A man takes a piece of consecrated meat from a sacrifice and carries it in a fold of his robe. He then lets his robe touch any bread, cooked food, wine, olive oil, or any kind of food at all. Will it make that food consecrated also? When the question was asked, the priests answered, No. Then Haggai asked: This person is defiled because he has touched a dead body. If he then touches any of these foods, will that make them defiled too? The priests answered, Yes.

When the man mentioned the Ark of God Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He was so old and fat that the fall broke his neck and he died. He was a leader in Israel for forty years.

Samuel called all the Israelites to meet at Mizpah. He told them: I will pray to Jehovah for you there. The Israelites gathered at Mizpah. They drew some water, poured it out in front of Jehovah and fasted that day. They confessed: We have sinned against Jehovah. So Samuel judged Israel in Mizpah. The Philistines heard that the Israelites gathered at Mizpah. So the Philistine rulers came to attack Israel. The Israelites heard about the Philistine plan and were afraid of them.read more.
The Israelites said to Samuel: Do not stop crying to Jehovah our God for us! Ask him to deliver us from the Philistines! Samuel killed a young lamb and burned it whole as a sacrifice to Jehovah. Then he prayed to Jehovah to help Israel. Jehovah answered his prayer.

When the repairs were finished, the remaining gold and silver was given to the king and Jehoiada. They used it to have bowls and other utensils made for the Temple. As long as Jehoiada was alive, sacrifices were offered regularly at the Temple.

For no prophecy ever came by the will of man! Men spoke from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

I heard the voice of Jehovah. He said: Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said: Here I am. Send me! He said: Go and tell this people: 'Hear constantly but do not understand. See constantly but do not perceive.'

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart for my holy purpose. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.

Samuel told the entire nation of Israel: If you return to Jehovah with all your hearts you must get rid of the foreign gods you have, including the statues of the goddess Astarte. You must dedicate your lives to Jehovah and serve him only. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines. So the Israelites got rid of their idols of Baal and Astarte. They worshiped only Jehovah.

Do not be afraid! Samuel answered. Even though you have done such an evil thing, do not turn away from Jehovah. Serve him with all your heart. Do not go after false gods and empty things. They cannot help you or save you. They are useless. Jehovah made a solemn promise. He will not abandon you. You are his people for his great name's sake.read more.
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah by no longer praying for you. Instead, I will teach you what is good and right for you to do. Reverence Jehovah and serve him in truth with all your heart. Remember the great things he has done for you.

Then he said in answer: I have not made trouble for Israel. You and your family have. You have disobeyed Jehovah's commands and have gone after the Baals. Now gather all Israel together before me at Mount Carmel. Also gather the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal who get their food at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and assembled the prophets together at Mount Carmel.read more.
Elijah came near to all the people and said: How long will you balance (bounce back and forth) between two opinions? If Jehovah is God, then give worship to him. If Baal is, give worship to him. The people did not answer him.

Then Jehovah said: Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain and bring lumber, and rebuild my house. I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified, said Jehovah. You looked for much harvest and you received little. When you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? Said Jehovah of Hosts. Because my house lies in waste, while each of you run to his house.

He called together all the chief priests and teachers of the Law and asked where will the Messiah be born?

The Pharisees and Sadducees tested Jesus by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.

When he went into the Temple, the chief priests and those in authority over the people came to him while he was teaching. They asked: By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?

The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, he said.

The chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for false witness against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death.

These also stagger from wine and reel from beer. Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine. They reel from beer. They stagger when seeing visions. They stumble when rendering decisions.

The prophets and priests are godless. Even in my Temple I have found them doing evil, declares Jehovah.

[Jehovah God the Almighty speaks to the priests:] This command is for you. You must honor me by your actions. If you will not listen to what I say, and give glory and honor to my name, I will bring a curse on you. I will put a curse on the things you receive for your support. I have already put a curse on you. Your blessings are cursed already because you do not take my command seriously.

They chain heavy burdens on your shoulders. Yet they are unwilling to lift even a finger to carry these same burdens. They do everything to be seen by men. For example: they enlarge their scripture cases for their foreheads and lengthen the tassels on their garments. They love the place of honor at banquets and the prominent seats in the synagogues.read more.
They require recognition in public places and insist on being called Rabbi by men. Do not be called Rabbi (master) (teacher) (leader), for only one is your teacher. You are all brothers. Call no man your father on the earth, for only one is your Father in heaven. Do not be called master (teacher) (leader), for only one is your master, and he is Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. He who exalts himself will be humbled. He who humbles himself will be exalted. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You close the kingdom of heaven to people. You do not invite others to enter nor do you enter. [Verse not found in oldest manuscripts.] Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel on both sea and land to make one convert. When this happens, you make him twice as deserving of destruction in the trash fires of the valley of Hinnom (Greek: Gehenna).

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.

There was no needy person among them for as many as possessed land or houses sold them, and brought the money from the things that were sold. They gave it to the apostles. Distribution was made to every man according as he had need.

The twelve called the congregation of the disciples to them. They said: It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God and serve tables. Therefore brothers select seven men who have a good reputation. Men who are full of spirit and wisdom that we may appoint to take care of this business.

When they had ordained elders in every congregation they prayed with fasting. They commended them to God, on whom they believed.

I left you in Crete for this purpose, that you should correct the things that were defective, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave you orders.

Faithful is the saying: If a man seeks the office of overseer, he desires a good work. The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate in habits, sound in mind, orderly, hospitable, qualified to teach; not addicted to wine, not quarrelsome; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;read more.
one who manages well his own house, having his children in subjection with all seriousness; if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the congregation of God? He should not be a new believer, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the Devil. He must have a good reputation with those outside the congregation, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil. Ministerial servants should likewise be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain. They should maintain the secret of the faith with a clear conscience.

A blameless man will be the husband of one wife. He will have children that believe and who are not accused of violence and disobedience. The overseer must be blameless as God's steward. He must not be self-willed, not prone to anger, not a brawler, and not violent (quarrelsome) (pugnacious), not greedy of dishonest gain. but given to hospitality, as a lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled;read more.
holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to reprove (refute) (rebuke) those who contradict.

Be on guard for yourselves and the flock that the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Feed the Congregation of God that he purchased with the blood of his own [Son].

Be on guard! Remember I did not cease for three years to admonish you day and night with tears.

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching. For the scripture said: You must not muzzle the bull while he is threshing. The workman is worthy of his wages. Do not offer an accusation against an elder, except at the mouth of two or three witnesses.read more.
Reprove the sinner in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.

Shepherd the flock of God in your care. Exercise the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God. Do not do it for dishonest gain, but eagerly. Do not lord it over your charge, but make yourselves examples to the flock.