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100 Bible Verses about Submission To Human Authority

Romans 13:1-7 ESV / 556 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. ...

Hebrews 13:17 ESV / 508 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.

Titus 3:1 ESV / 360 helpful votes

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

Romans 13:1 ESV / 351 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.

1 Peter 5:5 ESV / 250 helpful votes

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Acts 5:29 ESV / 202 helpful votes

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

1 Peter 2:13 ESV / 186 helpful votes

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

1 Peter 2:13-25 ESV / 181 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. ...

Ephesians 5:21 ESV / 144 helpful votes

Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Matthew 22:21 ESV / 110 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.”

1 Timothy 2:1-2 ESV / 98 helpful votes

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Ephesians 5:22-33 ESV / 73 helpful votes

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ...

Romans 13:2 ESV / 69 helpful votes

Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

1 Peter 5:3 ESV / 63 helpful votes

Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

1 Peter 2:13-14 ESV / 63 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.

Hebrews 5:8 ESV / 61 helpful votes

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

Acts 4:18-20 ESV / 59 helpful votes

So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

Romans 13:5 ESV / 56 helpful votes

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

Ephesians 5:22 ESV / 52 helpful votes

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

1 Timothy 5:1-2 ESV / 50 helpful votes

Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

1 Peter 2:13-17 ESV / 49 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.

Ephesians 5:21-33 ESV / 49 helpful votes

Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ...

Romans 13:1-14 ESV / 49 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. ...

Romans 8:7 ESV / 48 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.

Ephesians 5:23 ESV / 47 helpful votes

For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.

Colossians 3:18 ESV / 46 helpful votes

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Ephesians 6:5-8 ESV / 46 helpful votes

Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.

1 Corinthians 11:3 ESV / 46 helpful votes

But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

John 19:11 ESV / 46 helpful votes

Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

Romans 13:1-2 ESV / 45 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.

Ephesians 5:24 ESV / 43 helpful votes

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Romans 12:10 ESV / 43 helpful votes

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Romans 13:7 ESV / 42 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.

Matthew 28:18 ESV / 42 helpful votes

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

1 Peter 2:15 ESV / 41 helpful votes

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

Romans 13:4 ESV / 40 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.

Ephesians 5:26 ESV / 37 helpful votes

That he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

James 4:7 ESV / 36 helpful votes

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Titus 3:1-2 ESV / 36 helpful votes

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Revelation 2:26 ESV / 35 helpful votes

The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations,

John 19:10-11 ESV / 35 helpful votes

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

Ephesians 5:25 ESV / 34 helpful votes

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Luke 16:13 ESV / 34 helpful votes

No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

1 Peter 2:14 ESV / 33 helpful votes

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

1 Corinthians 11:1-34 ESV / 33 helpful votes

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. ...

1 Corinthians 7:1-40 ESV / 33 helpful votes

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ...

Daniel 2:21 ESV / 33 helpful votes

He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;

Daniel 4:17 ESV / 32 helpful votes

The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’

1 Timothy 2:2 ESV / 31 helpful votes

For kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Romans 13:6 ESV / 31 helpful votes

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

Romans 13:3 ESV / 31 helpful votes

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,

Romans 12:1-21 ESV / 31 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. ...

Ephesians 1:21 ESV / 30 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.

Matthew 22:37 ESV / 30 helpful votes

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

1 Peter 3:5-6 ESV / 29 helpful votes

For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

Colossians 3:22 ESV / 29 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.

Proverbs 29:2 ESV / 29 helpful votes

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.

1 Peter 3:1 ESV / 28 helpful votes

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives,

Romans 7:4 ESV / 28 helpful votes

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

Acts 4:19 ESV / 26 helpful votes

But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,

Proverbs 24:21-22 ESV / 26 helpful votes

My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise, for disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

1 Peter 2:18-20 ESV / 24 helpful votes

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

1 John 4:1 ESV / 23 helpful votes

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

1 Peter 5:1-2 ESV / 23 helpful votes

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;

1 Peter 2:17-21 ESV / 23 helpful votes

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Luke 10:19 ESV / 23 helpful votes

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

Ephesians 6:8 ESV / 22 helpful votes

Knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.

Ephesians 5:11 ESV / 22 helpful votes

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

1 Corinthians 15:34 ESV / 22 helpful votes

Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

Matthew 18:20 ESV / 22 helpful votes

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

1 Peter 2:17 ESV / 21 helpful votes

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Romans 12:21 ESV / 21 helpful votes

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

1 Peter 5:6 ESV / 20 helpful votes

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

1 Peter 2:23 ESV / 20 helpful votes

When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

1 Corinthians 11:10 ESV / 20 helpful votes

That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

2 Corinthians 10:8 ESV / 19 helpful votes

For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed.

1 Corinthians 11:7 ESV / 19 helpful votes

For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man.

John 19:10 ESV / 19 helpful votes

So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?”

Luke 22:42 ESV / 19 helpful votes

Saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Matthew 21:23 ESV / 19 helpful votes

And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”

Matthew 19:3-12 ESV / 19 helpful votes

And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” ...

Acts 26:12 ESV / 18 helpful votes

“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

Luke 20:20 ESV / 18 helpful votes

So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.

Daniel 3:1-30 ESV / 18 helpful votes

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. ...

1 Peter 5:5-7 ESV / 17 helpful votes

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

1 Peter 3:7 ESV / 17 helpful votes

Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

1 Peter 2:19 ESV / 17 helpful votes

For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.

Romans 1:1-32 ESV / 17 helpful votes

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 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, ...

John 5:19 ESV / 17 helpful votes

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

Luke 1:26-38 ESV / 17 helpful votes

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ...

Psalm 23:1-6 ESV / 17 helpful votes

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...

1 Samuel 15:22 ESV / 17 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.

Revelation 1:1-20 ESV / 16 helpful votes

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood ...

1 Peter 2:18 ESV / 16 helpful votes

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

James 1:25 ESV / 16 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.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV / 16 helpful votes

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Colossians 3:19 ESV / 16 helpful votes

Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

John 3:16 ESV / 16 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.

Romans 12:1 ESV / 15 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.

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 14 helpful votes

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

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