100 Bible Verses about Obeying The Law

Romans 13:1-5 ESV / 560 helpful votes

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

Titus 3:1 ESV / 517 helpful votes

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,

Romans 2:13 ESV / 477 helpful votes

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

1 Peter 2:13-17 ESV / 363 helpful votes

Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Romans 3:31 ESV / 315 helpful votes

Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Acts 5:29 ESV / 308 helpful votes

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Romans 13:1 ESV / 226 helpful votes

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

John 14:21 ESV / 224 helpful votes

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

1 John 2:4 ESV / 218 helpful votes

Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

Romans 13:1-7 ESV / 206 helpful votes

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. ...

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV / 201 helpful votes

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 3:11 ESV / 200 helpful votes

Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Luke 20:25 ESV / 199 helpful votes

He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”

Romans 13:1-14 ESV / 173 helpful votes

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. ...

John 14:15 ESV / 163 helpful votes

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Galatians 5:14 ESV / 154 helpful votes

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 22:21 ESV / 149 helpful votes

They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”

Hebrews 13:17 ESV / 148 helpful votes

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

2 John 1:6 ESV / 146 helpful votes

And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

Galatians 3:21 ESV / 146 helpful votes

Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.

Joshua 1:8 ESV / 139 helpful votes

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

1 Peter 2:13 ESV / 135 helpful votes

Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,

Luke 11:28 ESV / 134 helpful votes

But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Matthew 5:17-19 ESV / 134 helpful votes

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

1 Peter 2:13-14 ESV / 130 helpful votes

Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.

Acts 5:32 ESV / 129 helpful votes

And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Ephesians 6:1 ESV / 124 helpful votes

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

James 1:25 ESV / 121 helpful votes

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

Romans 13:1-2 ESV / 120 helpful votes

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV / 119 helpful votes

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Romans 3:20 ESV / 118 helpful votes

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

1 Samuel 15:22 ESV / 117 helpful votes

And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

1 John 3:4 ESV / 115 helpful votes

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

Galatians 5:4 ESV / 113 helpful votes

You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

Leviticus 19:18 ESV / 113 helpful votes

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

1 Peter 1:14 ESV / 110 helpful votes

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,

Romans 1:5 ESV / 110 helpful votes

Through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,

Acts 5:27-29 ESV / 108 helpful votes

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

1 John 3:21-22 ESV / 104 helpful votes

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

Romans 13:7 ESV / 102 helpful votes

Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Romans 13:4 ESV / 97 helpful votes

For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV / 96 helpful votes

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Acts 5:1-42 ESV / 95 helpful votes

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. ...

Romans 12:1-21 ESV / 93 helpful votes

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ...

John 3:16 ESV / 92 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 Peter 1:2 ESV / 91 helpful votes

According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Romans 5:19 ESV / 91 helpful votes

For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

Mark 12:13-17 ESV / 90 helpful votes

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.

Deuteronomy 28:1 ESV / 88 helpful votes

“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.

Colossians 3:22 ESV / 86 helpful votes

Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1-3 ESV / 86 helpful votes

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

2 Peter 3:9 ESV / 85 helpful votes

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Acts 5:40-42 ESV / 85 helpful votes

And when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

John 15:14 ESV / 85 helpful votes

You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Proverbs 28:9 ESV / 85 helpful votes

If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

1 Peter 2:14 ESV / 84 helpful votes

Or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.

Romans 8:28 ESV / 84 helpful votes

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Proverbs 28:1-28 ESV / 84 helpful votes

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will long continue. A poor man who oppresses the poor is a beating rain that leaves no food. Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive against them. Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely. ...

Genesis 9:6 ESV / 84 helpful votes

“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

John 15:12 ESV / 83 helpful votes

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Exodus 19:5 ESV / 82 helpful votes

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;

Joshua 5:6 ESV / 81 helpful votes

For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Romans 13:8-10 ESV / 80 helpful votes

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Psalm 119:10 ESV / 80 helpful votes

With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!

Exodus 20:13-15 ESV / 80 helpful votes

“You shall not murder. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal.

Romans 7:3 ESV / 79 helpful votes

Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.

Philippians 2:3 ESV / 77 helpful votes

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Romans 2:1-29 ESV / 77 helpful votes

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. ...

John 3:16-17 ESV / 77 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Romans 13:6 ESV / 76 helpful votes

For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.

Galatians 6:2 ESV / 75 helpful votes

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Romans 8:7 ESV / 75 helpful votes

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.

John 15:10 ESV / 75 helpful votes

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

Ephesians 5:21 ESV / 74 helpful votes

Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Romans 13:5 ESV / 74 helpful votes

Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

1 Peter 2:18 ESV / 73 helpful votes

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.

Ephesians 1:21 ESV / 73 helpful votes

Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Acts 13:39 ESV / 73 helpful votes

And by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Matthew 17:24-27 ESV / 73 helpful votes

When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

Ezekiel 36:27 ESV / 72 helpful votes

And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Amos 5:24 ESV / 70 helpful votes

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Romans 7:7 ESV / 69 helpful votes

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

Matthew 5:21-22 ESV / 66 helpful votes

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Hebrews 4:12 ESV / 63 helpful votes

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

1 Corinthians 10:23 ESV / 63 helpful votes

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

Romans 14:1-23 ESV / 63 helpful votes

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ...

Galatians 2:15-16 ESV / 62 helpful votes

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Titus 3:8 ESV / 61 helpful votes

The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV / 61 helpful votes

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Micah 6:8 ESV / 61 helpful votes

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Matthew 7:12 ESV / 60 helpful votes

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 5:22 ESV / 58 helpful votes

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Revelation 21:27 ESV / 57 helpful votes

But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV / 57 helpful votes

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Matthew 7:23 ESV / 57 helpful votes

And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

1 Timothy 3:1-16 ESV / 55 helpful votes

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? ...

Romans 6:9 ESV / 55 helpful votes

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV / 53 helpful votes

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Ephesians 6:6 ESV / 50 helpful votes

Not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

Romans 8:3 ESV / 49 helpful votes

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

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