9 Bible Verses about Politics

Pilate, wishing to please the crowd, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, when he had flogged him, to be crucified.

Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought this man to me as one that perverts the people, and see, I have examined him before you, and found no basis for a charge against this man concerning those things of which you accuse him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us, and see, nothing worthy of death has been done by him. read more.
I will therefore chastise him and release him." (Now he had to release one prisoner to them at the feast.) But they all shouted out together, saying, "Away with this man. Release to us Barabbas."? one who was thrown into prison for a certain revolt in the city, and for murder. Then Pilate spoke to them again, wanting to release Jesus, but they shouted, saying, "Crucify. Crucify him." He said to them the third time, "Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him." But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. And their voices prevailed. Pilate decreed that what they asked for should be done. He released him who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus up to their will.

But he said, "Why? What evil has he done?" But they shouted all the louder, saying, "Let him be crucified." So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this man. You see to it." All the people answered, "May his blood be on us, and on our children." read more.
Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified. Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him.

Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" When he had said this, he went out again to the Jewish leaders, and said to them, "I find no basis for a charge against him. But you have a custom, that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Therefore do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"

Then Pilate went out again, and said to them, "Look, I am bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no basis for a charge against him." Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. Pilate said to them, "Look, here is the man." When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they shouted, saying, "Crucify. Crucify." Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves, and crucify him, for I find no basis for a charge against him." read more.
The Jewish leaders answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God." When therefore Pilate heard this saying, he was more afraid. He entered into the Praetorium again, and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, "Are you not speaking to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and have power to crucify you?" Jesus answered, "You would have no power at all against me, unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who delivered me to you has greater sin." At this, Pilate was seeking to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, saying, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar." When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called "The Pavement," but in Hebrew, "Gabbatha."

For Herod had arrested John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. For John said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." And though he wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd because they regarded him as a prophet. read more.
But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask. And she, being prompted by her mother, said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." And the king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths, and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given, and he sent and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought on a platter, and given to the young lady: and she brought it to her mother.

For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, for he had married her. For John said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." So Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him, but she could not, read more.
for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed, but he heard him gladly. And then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday gave a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. And when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you." And he swore to her, "Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom." So she went out, and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist." And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter." And the king was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of his oaths, and of his dinner guests, he did not wish to refuse her. So immediately the king sent out a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring John's head, and he went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother.

Behold, Zadok also came, 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 finished passing out of the city. The king said to Zadok, "Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation; but if he say thus, 'I have no delight in you;' behold, here am I. Let him do to me as seems good to him." read more.
The king said also to Zadok the priest, "Aren't you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me." Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem; and they stayed there.

Then a wise woman cried out of the city, "Hear, hear. Please say to Joab, 'Come near here, that I may speak with you.'" He came near to her; and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your handmaid." He answered, "I do hear." Then she spoke, saying, "They were used to say in old times, 'They shall surely ask counsel at Abel;' and so they settled it. read more.
I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?" Joab answered, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." The woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall." Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, "Haven't you heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord doesn't know it? Now therefore come, please let me give you advice, that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon. Go in to king David, and tell him, 'Did you not, my lord, king, swear to your handmaid, saying, "Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne"? Why then does Adonijah reign?' read more.
Behold, while you are still there speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words." Bathsheba went in to the king into the room. The king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to the king. Bathsheba bowed, and showed respect to the king. The king said, "What would you like?" And she said to him, "My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your handmaid, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne.' Now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and you, my lord the king, do not know it. And he has sacrificed many oxen and fatlings and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but he hasn't invited Solomon your servant. And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you to announce to them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered criminals." And behold, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. And they told the king, saying, "Behold, Nathan the prophet." And when he came in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. And Nathan said, "My lord, king, have you said, 'Adonijah shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne?' For he has gone down today and has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. Behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and say, 'Long live king Adonijah.' But me, me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon, he has not invited. Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king, and you haven't told your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?" Then king David answered, "Summon Bathsheba to me." So she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king. And the king vowed, saying, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity, most certainly as I vowed to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, saying, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place;' so I certainly will do this day." Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, paying homage to the king, and said, "Let my lord king David live forever." And King David said, "Summon to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada." They came before the king. The king said to them, "Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. And have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel. Blow the trumpet, and say, 'Long live king Solomon.' Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne; for he shall be king in my place. I have appointed him to be prince over Israel and over Judah." Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, "Amen. May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, say so. As the LORD has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David." So 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 on king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon. Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet; and all the people said, "Long live king Solomon." All the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth shook with their sound.

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him. He said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand, and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom." But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." read more.
He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

Bathsheba went in to the king into the room. The king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to the king. Bathsheba bowed, and showed respect to the king. The king said, "What would you like?" And she said to him, "My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your handmaid, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne.' read more.
Now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and you, my lord the king, do not know it. And he has sacrificed many oxen and fatlings and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but he hasn't invited Solomon your servant. And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you to announce to them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered criminals."

Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. It was so, that when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, "What city are you from?" He said, "Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel." Absalom said to him, "Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you." Absalom said moreover, "Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice." read more.
It was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him. Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Then the administrators and the satraps sought to find a charge against Daniel regarding the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful. Neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then these men said, "We will not find any charge against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God." Then these administrators and satraps assembled together to the king, and said this to him, "King Darius, live forever. read more.
All the administrators of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed." Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before. Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree. "Haven't you signed a decree, that every man who shall make petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?" The king answered, "The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed." Then they answered and said before the king, "That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn't regard you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day." Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him. And he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him. Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed."

The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted among the sons of men.