What Does the Bible Say About Bureaucracy?

Romans 13:1-14 ESV / 5 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. ...

Matthew 25:31-46 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ...

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 ESV / 4 helpful votes

If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.

Psalm 54:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is not David hiding among us?” O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might.

Exodus 18:1-27 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home, along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”), and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. ...

1 Timothy 5:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

2 Corinthians 9:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Romans 13:6-7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 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 12:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

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.

Daniel 2:1-49 ESV / 2 helpful votes

In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. ...

1 Timothy 5:16 ESV / 1 helpful vote

If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.

Colossians 3:22 ESV / 1 helpful vote

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.

Philippians 2:5-8 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Ephesians 6:9 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

Galatians 2:10 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

Romans 13:1 ESV / 1 helpful vote

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.

Matthew 22:21 ESV / 1 helpful vote

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.”

Matthew 20:25 ESV / 1 helpful vote

But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

Micah 6:8 ESV / 1 helpful vote

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?

Genesis 3:16 ESV / 1 helpful vote

To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”

Genesis 1:26 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

21 Bible Verses about Bureaucracy

Romans 13:1-14 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Matthew 25:31-46 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Psalm 54:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Exodus 18:1-27 ESV / 3 helpful votes

1 Timothy 5:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes

2 Corinthians 9:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Romans 13:6-7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Romans 12:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Daniel 2:1-49 ESV / 2 helpful votes

1 Timothy 5:16 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Colossians 3:22 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Philippians 2:5-8 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Ephesians 6:9 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Galatians 2:10 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Romans 13:1 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Matthew 22:21 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Matthew 20:25 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Micah 6:8 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Genesis 3:16 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Genesis 1:26 ESV / 1 helpful vote

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21 Bible Verses about Bureaucracy

Romans 13:1-14 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 25:31-46 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 54:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 18:1-27 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Timothy 5:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Corinthians 9:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 13:6-7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 12:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Daniel 2:1-49 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Timothy 5:16 ESV / 1 helpful vote Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 3:22 ESV / 1 helpful vote Helpful Not Helpful

Philippians 2:5-8 ESV / 1 helpful vote Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 6:9 ESV / 1 helpful vote Helpful Not Helpful

Galatians 2:10 ESV / 1 helpful vote Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 13:1 ESV / 1 helpful vote Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 22:21 ESV / 1 helpful vote Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 20:25 ESV / 1 helpful vote Helpful Not Helpful

Micah 6:8 ESV / 1 helpful vote Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 3:16 ESV / 1 helpful vote Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 1:26 ESV / 1 helpful vote Helpful Not Helpful

Suggest a Verse

Enter a Verse Reference (e.g., John 3:16-17)

Romans 13:1-14 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Matthew 25:31-46 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Psalm 54:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Exodus 18:1-27 ESV / 3 helpful votes

1 Timothy 5:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes

2 Corinthians 9:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Romans 13:6-7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Romans 12:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Daniel 2:1-49 ESV / 2 helpful votes

1 Timothy 5:16 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Colossians 3:22 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Philippians 2:5-8 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Ephesians 6:9 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Galatians 2:10 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Romans 13:1 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Matthew 22:21 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Matthew 20:25 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Micah 6:8 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Genesis 3:16 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Genesis 1:26 ESV / 1 helpful vote