Authority and leadership

¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,

¹⁴ or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.

¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.

¹⁶ Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.

¹⁷ Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

¹ Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.

² Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

³ For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.

⁴ For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.

⁵ Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.

⁶ This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.

²⁵ But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.

²⁶ It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

²⁷ and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—

⁴² So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.

⁴³ But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all.

Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

¹ Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work,

² to malign no one, and to be peaceable and gentle, showing full consideration to everyone.

¹ First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone—

² for kings and all those in authority—so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity.

² Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God.

³ Do not hasten to leave his presence, and do not persist in a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases.

⁴ For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”

⁵ Whoever keeps his command will come to no harm, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.

Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

But Gideon replied, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The LORD shall rule over you.”

“Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him.

⁶ Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.

⁷ They replied, “If you will be a servant to these people and serve them this day, and if you will respond by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

And the king answered the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the elders

¹² But we ask you, brothers, to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who preside over you in the Lord and give you instruction.

¹³ In love, hold them in highest regard because of their work. Live in peace with one another.

⁶ Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.

⁷ They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and please them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

³ The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,

⁴ is like the light of the morning at sunrise of a cloudless dawn, the glistening after the rain on the sprouting grass of the earth.’

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.

He brings the princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth meaningless.

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

¹⁰ So Pilate said to Him, “Do You refuse to speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You and authority to crucify You?”

¹¹ Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”

So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes; and another to come, and he comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it.”

³⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.

⁴⁰ You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

⁴¹ Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.”

⁴² Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.

⁴³ He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.

⁴⁴ And Pharaoh declared to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission, no one in all the land of Egypt shall lift his hand or foot.”

For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes; and another to come, and he comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it.”

Confer on him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of Israel will obey him.

“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

¹¹ He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to his own chariots and horses, to run in front of his chariots.

¹² He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, to make his weapons of war, and to equip his chariots.

¹³ And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

¹⁴ He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his servants.

“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

¹³ Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.”

¹⁴ And you answered me and said, “What you propose to do is good.”

¹⁵ So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them as leaders over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, and as officers for your tribes.

So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.

Then Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and power to cure diseases.

But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” Then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”

And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness.

The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid Myself of the constant grumbling of the Israelites against you.”

²² Moses did as the LORD had commanded him. He took Joshua, had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation,

²³ and laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD had instructed through Moses.

At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.