40 Bible Verses about Leaders, Spiritual

And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called of God, as Aaron was.

And you shall take to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the sons of Israel, so that he may minister to Me in the priest's office: Aaron and Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

For Jehovah your God has chosen him out of all your tribes, to stand to minister in the name of Jehovah, him and his sons forever.

For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in the things pertaining to God, so that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins,

And Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breast-pocket of judgment upon his heart, when he goes in to the holy place, for a memorial before Jehovah continually. And you shall put in the breast-pocket of judgment the Urim and the Thummim. And they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goes in before Jehovah. And Aaron shall bear the judgment of the sons of Israel upon his heart before Jehovah continually.

And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask for him according to the judgment of Urim before Jehovah. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One have something to offer also.

For the priest's lips should guard knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of Hosts.

and so that you may teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which Jehovah has spoken to them by the hand of Moses.

So says Jehovah of Hosts: Now ask the priests the Law, saying, If one carries holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and touches his skirt to bread, or boiled food, or wine, or oil, or any food, will it become holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then Haggai said, If one unclean of body touches these, is it unclean? And the priests answered and said, It is unclean.

And it happened when he spoke of the ark of God, he fell backward off the seat, by the side of the gate. And his neck broke, and he died, for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you to Jehovah. And they were gathered to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpeh. And the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had come together to Mizpeh. And the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And the sons of Israel heard, and they were afraid of the Philistines.read more.
And the sons of Israel said to Samuel, Do not cease from crying to Jehovah our God for us, so that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. And Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered a whole burnt offering to Jehovah. And Samuel cried to Jehovah for Israel, and Jehovah answered him.

And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the silver before the king and Jehoiada. Of this silver were made vessels for the house of Jehovah, vessels to minister and to offer, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they continually offered burnt offerings in the house of Jehovah all the days of Jehoiada.

For prophecy was not borne at any time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke being borne along by the Holy Spirit.

And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I; send me! And He said, Go, and tell this people, You hear indeed, but do not understand; and seeing you see, but do not know.

Before I formed you in the belly I knew you; and before you came forth out of the womb I consecrated you, and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.

And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel saying, If you return to Jehovah with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts to Jehovah, and serve Him only. And He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. And the sons of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served Jehovah only.

And Samuel said to the people, Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness. Yet do not turn aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart. And do not turn aside to go after vanities, which cannot profit nor deliver. For they are vain. For Jehovah will not forsake His people for His great name's sake, because it has pleased Jehovah to make you His people.read more.
Also, I, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah from ceasing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear Jehovah, and serve Him in truth with all your heart. For consider what great things He has done for you.

And he answered, I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of Jehovah, and you have followed the Baals. And now send and gather to me all Israel to mount Carmel, and four hundred and fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table. And Ahab sent to all the sons of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to mount Carmel.read more.
And Elijah came to all the people and said, How long are you limping over two opinions? If Jehovah is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word.

So says Jehovah of Hosts: Set your heart on your ways. Go up the mountain and bring wood, and build this House; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, says Jehovah. You looked for much, and behold, little! And when you brought it home, then I blew on it. Why, says Jehovah of Hosts? Because of My House that is waste, and you, each man runs to his own house.

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

The Pharisees and the Sadducees came to Him, tempting Him. And they asked Him that He would show them a sign from Heaven.

And when He had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him as He was teaching, and said, By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority?

saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.

And the chief priests and the elders and all the sanhedrin sought false witness against Jesus, in order to put Him to death.

But they also have sinned through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way. The priest and the prophet have sinned through drink; they are swallowed up by wine; they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

For both prophet and priest are ungodly; yes, in My house I have found their evil, says Jehovah.

And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not hear, and if you will not set it on your heart to give glory to My name, says Jehovah of Hosts, then I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. And indeed I have cursed it, because you do not set it on your heart.

For they bind heavy and hard-to-carry burdens and lay them on men's shoulders. But they will not move them with one of their fingers. But they do all their works in order to be seen of men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. And they love the first couch at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,read more.
and greetings in the market-places, and to be called, Rabbi! Rabbi! by men. But you must not be called Rabbi, for One is your teacher, Christ, and you are all brothers. And call no one your father on the earth, for One is your Father in Heaven. Nor be called teachers, for One is your Teacher, even Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he who shall humble himself shall be exalted. But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men. For you neither go in, nor do you allow those entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and pray at length as a pretense. Therefore you shall receive the greater condemnation. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you compass sea and the dry land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

But Jesus called them and said to them, You know that they who are accounted rulers over the nations exercise lordship over them. And their great ones exercise authority on them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever of you desires to become first, he shall be servant 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.

For neither was anyone needy among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and they laid them down at the apostles' feet. And distribution was made to every man according as he had need.

And the Twelve called near the multitude of the disciples and said, It is not pleasing to us, leaving the Word of God, to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, look out among you seven men being witnessed to, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this duty.

And having hand-picked elders for them in every church, and had prayed with fastings, they commended them to the Lord into whom they believed.

For this cause I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed you,

Faithful is the Word: If anyone reaches out to overseership, he desires a good work. Then it behooves the overseer to be without reproach, husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, well-ordered, hospitable, apt at teaching, not a drunkard, not contentious, not greedy of ill gain, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous,read more.
ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all honor. (For if a man does not know to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) not a novice, lest being puffed up he may fall into the condemnation of the Devil. But he must also have a good report from those on the outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil. Likewise the deacons are to be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of ill gain, having the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

if anyone is blameless, husband of one wife, having believing children, not accused of loose behavior, or disobedient. For an overseer must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not full of passion, not given to wine, not quarrelsome, not greedy for ill gain; but hospitable, a lover of good, discreet, just, holy, temperate,read more.
holding fast the faithful Word according to the doctrine, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convict the gainsayers.

Therefore take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God which He has purchased with His own blood.

Therefore watch and remember that for the time of three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in Word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox treading out grain," and, "The laborer is worthy of his reward." Do not receive an accusation against an elder except before two or three witnesses.read more.
Those who sin, rebuke before all, so that the rest also may fear.

Feed the flock of God among you, taking the oversight, not by compulsion, but willingly; nor for base gain, but readily; nor as lording it over those allotted to you by God, but becoming examples to the flock.