38 Bible Verses about ethics, incentives towards

rulers are not a terror to virtue, but to vice. would you then live without any dread of the civil power? do what is right, and you shall have his commendation. for his administration is appointed by God for your good. but if you do wrong, you have reason to be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain: he being the minister of God, to execute punishment upon malefactors.

I exhort you therefore, above all things, to present supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving for all men: for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in the practice of all piety and virtue; for such offices are commendable, and agreeable to God our saviour,read more.
who wills that all men be saved, by embracing the truth.

and glorify God in the times of distress. be subject therefore, for the Lord's sake to every human establishment: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or to governors, as being deputed by him to punish those who do ill,

for if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

for according as ye judge others, ye shall be judged yourselves: the measure you mete, shall be measured to you again.

in the same manner will my heavenly father likewise treat you, if ye do not sincerely forgive every one the trespasses of his brother.

for he that has not shewed mercy, shall be condemn'd without mercy: while the merciful shall triumph at his trial.

wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who pay tithe of mint, anise, and cummin, but neglect those more important matters of the law, justice, mercy, and fidelity: these were the things ye ought to have practis'd, without neglecting however the other matters.

but wo unto you Pharisees: for you will pay the tythes of mint, and rue, and all sorts of herbs, but as for justice and true piety, those you neglect. these you ought to have practised, without omitting however the other.

they make a profession of knowing God; but in fact they deny him, being execrably incredulous, and utter strangers to all virtue.

grieve not the holy spirit of God, by whom you are sealed against the day of deliverance:

he that soweth to his vices, shall reap the deadly fruit of his vices; but he that sows to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap everlasting life.

Know you not that the unjust shall not inherit the kingdom of God? be not deceived: neither the licentious, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor the brutal,

for we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ; that every one may receive the retribution, according as his actions in the body were either good or evil.

Mortify therefore your sensual appetites, fornication, impurity, irregular passions, wicked desires, and that licentiousness practised by idolaters. these are vices which draw down the divine vengeance upon unbelieving nations;

seek peace with all men, and sanctity of life, without which no man shall see the Lord:

you were heretofore altogether in the dark, but now being enlightned by the Lord, behave as children of light:

God forbid, that we who have died to sin should live any longer therein.

that they who are in a state of life should not live at their own discretion, but to the service of him who died for them, and rose again.

let there be no fraud among you, since you have discarded your former habits and practices, and are become new men, improv'd by knowledge into a resemblance of him, who made this change:

Be ye therefore imitators of God, as his dear children; live together in love, for Christ loved us, and for us gave himself an offering and a sacrifice acceptable to God.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to you, that you present your bodies a living victim, holy, acceptable unto God, as the service of a rational being.

I don't mean to prescribe to you, but that the zeal of others may show you are as sincerely well-affected. for you are sensible of the beneficence of our Lord Jesus Christ; powerful as he was, for your sake he became poor, that you through his poverty might be made rich.

who gave himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity, and qualify us to be his peculiar people, passionately affected to virtue.

this is the proof of the divine love, Christ expos'd his life for us: and we ought to expose our lives for the brethren.

but don't forget to be beneficent to the community; for such sacrifice is acceptable to God.

wherefore I studiously endeavour, whether staying in it, or departing out of it, to be acceptable to him.

children, obey your parents upon all occasions, for that is graceful in a christian.

for our doctrine was free from all imposture, avarice, and fraud. we preach the gospel just as God thought fit to intrust it with us, not being studious to please men, but God, who approves our sincerity.

Finally, my brethren, we intreat and conjure you by the Lord Jesus Christ, to observe the instructions we gave you about your religious conduct, and to make continual progress therein.

whatever we ask, we shall receive it of him, because we keep his commandments, and do what is agreeable to him.

and to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, with all its faculties, and to love one's neighbour as one's self is more acceptable than all the offerings and sacrifices in the world.

pure and unadulterated religion, in the eye of God our father, consists in taking care of orphans and widows in their distress: and in keeping clear of the vices of the age.

Jesus answered him, he that loves me, will observe my precepts: and my father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

he that overcomes, shall inherit these things: I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

that your fasting may not be observed by men, but by your father, who is with you in your retirement, and your father who observes what you do in private, shall give you a reward.

but when you make a feast call the poor, and maimed, the lame and blind: and you shall be happy in not receiving a requital: for you shall be recompenc'd at the resurrection of the just.