9 Bible Verses about Politics

And Pilate, desirous of contenting the crowd, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, that he might be crucified.

And Pilate, having called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, said to them, Ye have brought to me this man as turning away the people to rebellion, and behold, I, having examined him before you, have found nothing criminal in this man as to the things of which ye accuse him; nor Herod either, for I remitted you to him, and behold, nothing worthy of death is done by him. read more.
Having chastised him therefore, I will release him. ( Now he was obliged to release one for them at the feast.) But they cried out in a mass saying, Away with this man and release Barabbas to us; who was one who, for a certain tumult which had taken place in the city, and for murder, had been cast into prison. Pilate therefore, desirous to release Jesus, again addressed them. But they cried out in reply saying, Crucify, crucify him. And he said the third time to them, What evil then has this man done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will chastise him therefore and release him. But they were urgent with loud voices, begging that he might be crucified. And their voices and those of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate adjudged that what they begged should take place. And he released him who, for tumult and murder, had been cast into prison, whom they begged for, and Jesus he delivered up to their will.

And the governor said, What evil then has he done? But they cried more than ever, saying, Let him be crucified. And Pilate, seeing that it availed nothing, but that rather a tumult was arising, having taken water, washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am guiltless of the blood of this righteous one: see ye to it. And all the people answering said, His blood be on us and on our children. read more.
Then he released to them Barabbas; but Jesus, having scourged him, he delivered up that he might be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor, having taken Jesus with them to the praetorium, gathered against him the whole band,

Pilate says to him, What is truth? And having said this he went out again to the Jews, and says to them, I find no fault whatever in him. But ye have a custom that I release some one to you at the passover; will ye therefore that I release unto you the king of the Jews?

And Pilate went out again and says to them, Lo, I bring him out to you, that ye may know that I find in him no fault whatever. (Jesus therefore went forth without, wearing the crown of thorn, and the purple robe.) And he says to them, Behold the man! When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him they cried out saying, Crucify, crucify him. Pilate says to them, Take him ye and crucify him, for I find no fault in him. read more.
The Jews answered him, We have a law, and according to our law he ought to die, because he made himself Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard this word, he was the rather afraid, and went into the praetorium again and says to Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore says to him, Speakest thou not to me? Dost thou not know that I have authority to release thee and have authority to crucify thee? Jesus answered, Thou hadst no authority whatever against me if it were not given to thee from above. On this account he that has delivered me up to thee has the greater sin. From this time Pilate sought to release him; but the Jews cried out saying, If thou releasest this man, thou art not a friend to Caesar. Every one making himself a king speaks against Caesar. Pilate therefore, having heard these words, led Jesus out and sat down upon the judgment-seat, at a place called Pavement, but in Hebrew Gabbatha;

For Herod had seized John, and had bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother. For John said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And while desiring to kill him, he feared the crowd, because they held him for a prophet. read more.
But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod; whereupon he promised with oath to give her whatsoever she should ask. But she, being set on by her mother, says, Give me here upon a dish the head of John the baptist. And the king was grieved; but on account of the oaths, and those lying at table with him, he commanded it to be given. And he sent and beheaded John in the prison; and his head was brought upon a dish, and was given to the damsel, and she carried it to her mother.

For the same Herod had sent and seized John, and had bound him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have the wife of thy brother. But Herodias kept it in her mind against him, and wished to kill him, and could not: read more.
for Herod feared John knowing that he was a just and holy man, and kept him safe; and having heard him, did many things, and heard him gladly. And a holiday being come, when Herod, on his birthday, made a supper to his grandees, and to the chiliarchs, and the chief men of Galilee; and the daughter of the same Herodias having come in, and danced, pleased Herod and those that were with him at table; and the king said to the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt and I will give it thee. And he swore to her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask me I will give thee, to half of my kingdom. And she went out, and said to her mother, What should I ask? And she said, The head of John the baptist. And immediately going in with haste to the king, she asked saying, I desire that thou give me directly upon a dish the head of John the baptist. And the king, while made very sorry, on account of the oaths and those lying at table with him would not break his word with her. And immediately the king, having sent one of the guard, ordered his head to be brought. And he went out and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head upon a dish, and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother.

And behold, Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had passed completely out of the city. And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favour in the eyes of Jehovah, he will bring me again, and shew me it, and its habitation. But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good to him. read more.
And the king said to Zadok the priest, Thou art the seer: return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. See, I will stop in the plains of the desert, until there come word from you to inform me. And Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem; and they abode there.

And a wise woman cried out of the city, Hear, hear: say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. And he came near to her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he said, I am he. And she said to him, Listen to the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I am listening. And she spoke saying, They were wont to speak in old time saying, Just inquire in Abel; and so they ended. read more.
I am peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah? And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. The matter is not so; but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David: give up him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall. Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

And Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith is king, and David our lord does not know it? And now, come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon. Go and get thee in to king David, and say to him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear to thy handmaid saying, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? why then does Adonijah reign? read more.
Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee and confirm thy words. And Bathsheba went in to the king into the chamber; and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered to the king. And Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou? And she said to him, My lord, thou hast sworn by Jehovah thy God to thy handmaid, saying, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne. And now behold, Adonijah is king; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not. And he has sacrificed oxen and fatted cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the captain of the host; but Solomon thy servant has he not invited. And thou, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise it shall come to pass when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders. And behold, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. And they told the king saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? For he is gone down this day, and has sacrificed oxen and fatted cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah! But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, he has not invited. Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewn to thy servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him? Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king. And the king swore, and said, As Jehovah liveth, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress, even as I swore to thee by Jehovah the God of Israel, saying, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day. And Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever. And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. And the king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon; and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, Long live king Solomon! And ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit on my throne; for he shall reign in my stead, and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen: Jehovah, the God of my lord the king, say so too. As Jehovah has been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David. And Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon. And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, Long live king Solomon! And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee, with her sons, doing homage, and asking something of him. And he said to her, What wilt thou? She says to him, Speak the word that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand and one on thy left in thy kingdom. And Jesus answering said, Ye know not what ye ask. Can ye drink the cup which I am about to drink? They say to him, We are able. read more.
And he says to them, Ye shall drink indeed my cup, but to sit on my right hand and on my left, is not mine to give, but to those for whom it is prepared of my Father.

And Bathsheba went in to the king into the chamber; and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered to the king. And Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou? And she said to him, My lord, thou hast sworn by Jehovah thy God to thy handmaid, saying, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne. read more.
And now behold, Adonijah is king; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not. And he has sacrificed oxen and fatted cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the captain of the host; but Solomon thy servant has he not invited. And thou, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise it shall come to pass when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders.

And Absalom rose early, and stood beside the way of the gate; and it was so, that when any man who had a controversy had to come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said to him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man to hear thee appointed by the king. And Absalom said, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any controversy and cause might come to me, and I would do him justice! read more.
And it was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And in this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; and Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find a pretext against Daniel with respect to the kingdom; but they could not find any pretext or fault; inasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then said these men, We shall not find any pretext against this Daniel, unless we find it against him touching the law of his God. Then these presidents and satraps came in a body to the king, and said thus unto him: King Darius, live for ever! read more.
All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the counsellors, and the governors have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked. Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and, his windows being open in his upper chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. But those men came in a body, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree: Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask anything of any god or man within thirty days, except of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked. Then they answered and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore distressed thereby, and set his heart on Daniel to save him; and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men came in a body unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

The wicked walk about on every side, when vileness is exalted among the children of men.