22 Bible Verses about Human Authority, Nature Of

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.

Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered me to you has the greater sin."

For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

For I am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.'

And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, be in authority over ten cities.'

It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.

So they watched him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might catch him on what he said, in order to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.

And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who also was in Jerusalem at that time.

Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?"

and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name."

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the supreme authority,

Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?" Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered me to you has the greater sin."

But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you must be your servant. And whoever wants to be first among you must be your slaveread more.
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

But Jesus called them to himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be slave of all.read more.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

rose from supper, laid aside his garments, took a towel and girded himself. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. Then he came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"read more.
Jesus answered him, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with me." Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not every one of you." For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "You are not all clean." When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and returned to his place, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I shall not be put to shame.

I write these things while I am absent, in order that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority which the Lord gave me for building you up, and not for tearing you down.

Do we not have the right to food and drink? Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?read more.
Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Does not the Law say the same thing? For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Or is he speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others share this right of support from you, do not we all the more? Nevertheless, we did not make use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living from the gospel. But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion. For woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if it is not of my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my preaching I may offer the gospel free of charge, and so not make full use of my right in the gospel.

When any one of you has a grievance against a brother, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life!read more.
So if you have disputes about such matters, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no man among you wise enough to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?

But food will not commend us to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if a man sees you, who have knowledge, at table in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols?read more.
And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to fall.

"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.