9 Bible Verses about Politics

So Pilate, wanting to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them, but he had Jesus whipped and handed over to be crucified.

Then Pilate called the high priests, the other leaders, and the people together and told them, "You brought this man to me as one who turns the people against the government. And here in your presence I have examined him and have found him "Not Guilty' of the charges you make against him. Neither does Herod, because he sent him back to us! Indeed, this man has done nothing to deserve death. read more.
So I will punish him and let him go." Now he was obligated to release someone for them at the festival. But they all shouted out together, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas for us!" (This man had been put in prison for murder and for a revolt that had taken place in the city.) But Pilate wanted to let Jesus go, so he appealed to them again, but they continued to shout, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" Then he spoke to them a third time: "What has he done wrong? I have found nothing in him worthy of death. So I will punish him and let him go." But they kept pressing him with loud shouts, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their shouts began to prevail. Then Pilate pronounced his sentence that their demand should be carried out. So he released the man who had been put in prison for revolt and murder the man whose release they continued to demand but he let them have their way with Jesus.

He asked, "What has he done wrong?" But they kept shouting louder and louder, "Let him be crucified!" Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was about to break out instead. So he took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood. Attend to that yourselves." All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and our children!" read more.
Then he released Barabbas for them, but he had Jesus whipped and handed over to be crucified. Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the imperial headquarters and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him.

Pilate asked him, "What is "truth'?" and then he went out to the Jewish leaders again and told them, "I find no basis for a charge against him. But you have a custom that I release one person for you at Passover. Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?"

Pilate went outside again and told the Jews, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him." Then Jesus came outside, wearing the victor's crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate told them, "Here is the man!" When the high priests and the officials saw him, they shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" Pilate told them, "You take him and crucify him. I find no basis for a charge against him." read more.
The Jewish leaders answered Pilate, "We have a law, and according to that Law he must die because he made himself out to be the Son of God." When Pilate heard this, he became even more afraid. Returning to his headquarters, he asked Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus did not answer him. So Pilate asked him, "Aren't you going to speak to me? You realize, don't you, that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You have no authority over me at all, except what was given to you from above. That's why the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." From then on, Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, "If you release this fellow, you're not a friend of Caesar! Anyone who claims to be a king is defying Caesar!" When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat in a place called The Pavement, which in Hebrew is called Gabbatha.

Herod had arrested John, bound him with chains, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. John had been telling him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." Although Herod wanted to kill him, he was afraid of the crowd, since they regarded John as a prophet. read more.
But when Herod's birthday celebration was held, the daughter of Herodias danced before the guests. She pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked for. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me, right here on a platter, the head of John the Baptist." Under pressure because of his promises and his assembled guests, the king ordered that it be done. So he sent word and had John beheaded in prison. His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she took it to her mother.

because Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him with chains, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom Herod had married. John had been telling Herod, "It's not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she couldn't do it read more.
because Herod was afraid of John. He knew that John was a righteous and holy man, and so he protected him. Whenever he listened to John, he did much of what he said. In fact, he liked listening to him. An opportunity came during Herod's birthday celebration, when he gave a banquet for his top officials, military officers, and the most important people of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. So the king told the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you." He swore with an oath to her, "I'll give you anything you ask for, up to half of my kingdom." So she went out and asked her mother, "What should I ask for?" Her mother replied, "The head of John the Baptist." Immediately the girl hurried back to the king with her request, "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter." The king was deeply saddened, yet because of his oaths and his guests he was reluctant to refuse her. So without delay the king sent a soldier and ordered him to bring John's head. The soldier went and beheaded him in prison. Then he brought John's head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.

Meanwhile, Zadok showed up also, along with all of the descendants of Levi with him, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God and Abiathar approached while all the people finished abandoning the city. The king told Zadok, "Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I'm shown favor in the LORD's sight, then he'll bring me back again and show me both it and the place where it rests. But if he should say something like "I'm not pleased with you,' well then, here I am let him do to me whatever seems right to him." read more.
The king also asked Zadok the priest, "Aren't you a seer, too? Go back to the city in comfort, along with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan. Look! I'll camp at the wilderness fords until you send word to inform me." So Zadok and Abiathar returned the Ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there.

Just then a wise woman called out from the city. "Attention!" she said, "Go tell Joab "Come here! I want to talk to you!'" Joab came over and the woman asked him, "Are you Joab?" "I am," he answered. So she told him, "Listen to what your servant has to say!" "I'm listening," he replied. So she said, "In days past, people used to settle a dispute by saying "Let's ask for advice at Abel!' read more.
I'm one of the peaceful and faithful citizens of Israel. You're trying to destroy a city that's a mother in Israel. Why are you devouring the heritage of the LORD?" But Joab replied, "No way! No way! I'm not here to devour or destroy! That's a lie! But there is a man from the Ephraim hill country he's known as Bichri's son Sheba who has rebelled against King David. Turn him over and I'll withdraw from the city!" So the woman replied, "Watch this! His head will be thrown to you over the city wall." Then the woman wisely went back to her people. They cut off the head of Bichri's son Sheba and threw it out to Joab, so Joab sounded his battle trumpet and they withdrew from the city. Everybody went back home and Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.

"Haven't you heard?" Nathan asked Solomon's mother Bathsheba. "Haggith's son Adonijah has become king and David, our true king, isn't aware of it. If you listen to me, you'll save your life and the life of your son Solomon. Go right now to King David and ask him, "Your majesty, you promised your servant that "Your son Solomon will certainly become king after me and will sit on my throne," didn't you? So why has Adonijah become king?' read more.
Then, while you are still talking to the king, I'll come in after you and verify your statement." So Bathsheba went to the king in his private room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him. Bathsheba knelt and bowed down to the king, and the king asked her, "What do you wish?" "Your majesty," she replied, "you promised your servant in the name of the LORD your God, "Your son Solomon will certainly become king after me and will sit on my throne.' Now look, Adonijah has become king, and your majesty is not aware of it. Adonijah has sacrificed myriads of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and he has invited all of the king's sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. And as for you, your majesty, everyone in Israel is looking to you to tell them who will sit on your majesty's throne after you. Otherwise, as soon as your majesty is laid to rest with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be branded as traitors." While she was still talking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. They informed the king, "Nathan the prophet is here." When he had been ushered into the presence of the king, Nathan bowed low in front of the king with his face to the ground and asked, "Your majesty, did you say "Adonijah will be king after me and will sit on my throne'? Well now, he went down today and sacrificed lots of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and has invited all the king's sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. They're having a party together and saying, "Long live King Adonijah!' Of course, he never invited me, Zadok the priest, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, nor your servant Solomon. Were you behind this, your majesty, without letting your servants know who would sit on your majesty's throne after him?" "Call Bathsheba for me," King David replied. So she came in and stood in front of the king. "As the LORD lives," the king said with an oath, "who has redeemed me from all sorts of troubles, I certainly did tell you in the name of the LORD God of Israel, "Your son Solomon will be king after me and will sit on my throne in my place.' I'm certainly going to make this happen today!" "King David," Bathsheba said as she bowed low in front of the king with her face to the ground, "your majesty, may you live forever." "Get me Zadok the priest," King David said, "along with Nathan the prophet, and Jehoiada's son Benaiah." So they were ushered into the king's presence and David addressed them. "Take your lord's servants, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. Have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel. Then sound a trumpet and declare "Long live King Solomon!' After this, you are to follow him back here, and he is to come and sit on my throne and take my place as king, because I've appointed him to be Commander-in-Chief over Israel and Judah." "Amen!" replied Jehoiada's son Benaiah to the king. "May the LORD God of your majesty make this happen! As the LORD has been with your majesty the king, so may he be with Solomon. May he make his throne greater than the throne of your majesty, King David." So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, the special forces and mercenaries went out and had Solomon ride the king's mule all the way to Gihon. Zadok the priest brought from his tent a horn filled with oil and anointed Solomon, a trumpet was sounded, and everybody yelled out, "Long live King Solomon!" All the people followed after him, playing on wind pipes and so full of joy that the earth shook because of all the noise!

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons. She bowed down in front of him to ask him for a favor. He asked her, "What do you want?" She told him, "Promise that in your kingdom these two sons of mine will sit on your right and on your left." Jesus replied, "You don't realize what you're asking. Can you drink from the cup that I'm going to drink from?" They told him, "We can." read more.
He told them, "You will indeed drink from my cup. But it's not up to me to grant you a seat at my right hand or at my left. These positions have already been prepared for others by my Father."

So Bathsheba went to the king in his private room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him. Bathsheba knelt and bowed down to the king, and the king asked her, "What do you wish?" "Your majesty," she replied, "you promised your servant in the name of the LORD your God, "Your son Solomon will certainly become king after me and will sit on my throne.' read more.
Now look, Adonijah has become king, and your majesty is not aware of it. Adonijah has sacrificed myriads of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and he has invited all of the king's sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. And as for you, your majesty, everyone in Israel is looking to you to tell them who will sit on your majesty's throne after you. Otherwise, as soon as your majesty is laid to rest with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be branded as traitors."

Then he would get up early, stand near the passageway to the palace gate, and when anyone arrived to file a legal complaint for a hearing before the king, Absalom would call to him and ask, "You're from what city?" If he replied, "Your servant is from one of Israel's tribes," Absalom would respond, "Look, your claims are valid and defensible, but nobody will listen to you on behalf of the king. Who will appoint me to be a judge in the land? When anyone arrived to file a legal complaint or other cause, he could approach me for justice and I would settle it!" read more.
Furthermore, if a man approached him to bow down in front of him, he would put out his hand, grab him, and embrace him. By doing all of this to anyone who came to the king for a hearing, Absalom stole the loyalty of the men of Israel.

Because of this, the administrators and regional authorities tried to bring allegations of dereliction of duty in government affairs against Daniel, but they were unable to find any charges of corruption. Daniel was trustworthy, and no evidence of negligence or corruption could be found against him. So these men said, "We'll never find any basis for complaint against Daniel unless we build it on the requirements of his God." Then these administrators and regional authorities went as a group to the king and said this, "Your majesty, live forever! read more.
All of the royal administrators, prefects, regional authorities, scribes, and governors have concluded that the king should establish and enforce an edict that anyone who prays to any god or man for the next 30 days (except to you, your majesty) is to be thrown into the lions' pit. Therefore, your majesty, establish the decree and sign the written document so it can't be changed, in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians that can't be repealed." So King Darius signed the edict contained in the written document. When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done. The conspirators then went as a group and found Daniel praying and seeking help before his God. So they approached the king and asked, "Didn't you sign an edict that for the next 30 days if anyone prays to any god or man, except to you, your majesty, he would be thrown into the lions' pit?" The king responded, "The decree has been established, in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians that can't be repealed." Then they told the king, "Daniel, who is one of the Judean exiles, pays no attention to you, your majesty, or to the written decree, since he is still praying three times a day." When the king heard this, he was greatly upset, because he was determined to make every effort to save Daniel before the sun set. But the men who had gone as a group to the king told him, "Remember, your majesty, that according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, any decree or edict that the king establishes cannot be repealed."

The wicked, however, keep walking around, exalting the vileness of human beings. To the Director: A Davidic Psalm.