18 Bible Verses about Named Gentile Rulers

And after some days Agrippa the king and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus. And while they were making a stay of some days there, Festus laid the case of Paul before the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix, against whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought a complaint, asking for judgment against him.read more.
To whom I answered, It is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man on a charge, before the accused hath the accusers face to face, and hath opportunity to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. When therefore they had come together here, without any delay I sat on the judgmentseat on the day after, and ordered the man to be brought forward. And his accusers standing around him brought no accusation of such things as I had conjectured, but had against him certain questions of their own religion, and of one Jesus that was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And I being at a loss about such questions, asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be put on trial for these matters. But Paul having appealed to be kept in custody for the judgment of Augustus, I ordered him to be kept till I should send him up to Caesar. Then Agrippa said to Festus, I should like to hear the man myself. Tomorrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. Accordingly on the morrow Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains and principal men of the city, and at the order of Festus Paul was brought forward. And Festus said: King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us! Ye see this man about whom the whole multitude of the Jews applied to me both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he ought no longer to live. But having found that he had done nothing deserving death, and he himself having appealed to Augustus, I determined to send him; and as I have nothing certain to write about him to the emperor, I have brought him forward before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that when the examination hath been made, I may have something to write.

And Agrippa said to Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand and made his defence:

For the king knoweth about these things well; to whom also I speak boldly; for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him: for this was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said to Paul, With little effort thou thinkest to persuade me to become a Christian.read more.
And Paul said, I would to God, that with little effort or with great, not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, might be made such as I am, except these bonds. And the king rose up and the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them; and going aside they talked with each other, saying, This man is doing nothing deserving death, or bonds. And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judaea in the place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned by God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee,

Now when Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judaea, in the days of Herod the king, lo! there came magians from the East to Jerusalem, saying, Where is the king of the Jews that hath been born? for we saw his star in the East, and came to do him homage. But when Herod the king heard of these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;read more.
and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judaea; for thus it is written by the prophet: "And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, art by no means least among the princes of Judah; for out of thee shall come a ruler, who shall feed my people Israel." Then Herod, having privately called the magians ascertained from them exactly the time when the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search carefully for the child; and when ye have found him, bring me word, that I also may go and do him homage.

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been deceived by the magians, was greatly enraged; and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the magians.

There was in the days of Herod, king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zachariah, of the course of Abijah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, and said to his servants, This is John the Baptist; he hath risen from the dead, and therefore do these powers work in him. For Herod had seized John, and bound him, and put him in prison, on account of Herodias, his brother Philips wife.read more.
For John said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And wishing to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they regarded him as a prophet. But when Herods birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod; whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. And she, being set on by her mother, saith, Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist. And the king was sorry; but on account of his oaths, and of those at table with him, he ordered it to be given, and sent and beheaded John in the prison.

And king Herod heard of him (for his name was spread abroad), and he said, John the Baptizer hath risen from the dead, and therefore do these powers work in him. But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, It is a prophet, as one of the prophets. But Herod hearing of it said, John, whom I beheaded, hath risen again.read more.
For Herod himself had sent forth and seized John, and bound him in prison, on account of Herodias, his brother Philips wife; for he had married her. For John had said to Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brothers wife. And Herodias was enraged against him, and wished to put him to death, but could not. For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and was regardful of him; and on hearing him, was in much anxiety, and listened to him gladly. And a convenient day having come, when Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles and chief captains and the principal men of Galilee, and the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those at table with him; and the king said to the damsel, Ask of me whatever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he swore to her, Whatever thou shalt ask of me, I will give thee, to the half of my kingdom. And she went out and said to her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptizer. And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, I desire that thou wilt give me immediately on a platter the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceedingly sorry; but on account of his oaths, and of those at table with him, he would not refuse her. And the king immediately sent one of his guards, and ordered his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the damsel; and the damsel gave it to her mother.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him on account of Herodias the wife of his brother, and on account of all the evil deeds which Herod had done,

And Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was taking place, and was perplexed; because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead; and by some, that Elijah had appeared; and by others, that one of the old prophets had risen. But Herod said, John I beheaded; but who is this, about whom I hear such things? And he sought to see him.

And on learning that he belonged to Herods jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was himself also at Jerusalem at this time. Now Herod, when he saw Jesus, was very glad; for he had been wishing to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him; and he hoped to see some sign wrought by him. And he put many questions to him; but he gave him no answer.read more.
And the chief priests and scribes stood vehemently accusing him. And Herod also with his guard of soldiers set him at nought and mocked him, and having arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate on that day became friends with each other; for they had before been at enmity.

For in truth against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, did both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the gentiles, and the peoples of Israel, assemble in this city,

No, nor yet Herod; for he hath sent him back to us; and lo! nothing deserving death hath been done by him.

Now about that time, Herod the king laid his hands upon certain of the church, to oppress them. And he slew James, the brother of John, with the sword. And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to apprehend Peter also; (then were the days of unleavened bread;)

And Herod, when he had sought for him and found him not, examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be led away [to execution]. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and there abode. And he was highly displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the kings chamberlain their friend, sued for peace; because their country drew its nourishment from that of the king. And on a day appointed, Herod, having arrayed himself in royal apparel, and taken his seat on the throne, made a speech to them.read more.
And thereupon the people shouted, The voice of a god, and not of a man! But immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory, and he was eaten by worms, and expired.

(This registering was the first made while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)