Paragraph 14.1
Chapter 14: Of Civil Government
That civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society;a and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed,b except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ,c who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth.d
a. Romans 13:1–7; Deuteronomy 16:18; 2 Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:23; Jeremiah 30:21
Romans 13:1–7
13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 13:5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
13:1 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. 13:2 Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 13:3 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. 13:4 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. 13:5 Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience. 13:6 This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God's servants, who devote themselves to their work. 13:7 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.
Deuteronomy 16:18
16:18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
16:18 You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.
2 Samuel 23:3
23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
23:3 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,
Exodus 18:23
18:23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
18:23 If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace."
Jeremiah 30:21
30:21 And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord.
30:21 Their leader will be one of their own, and their ruler will arise from their midst. And I will bring him near, and he will approach Me, for who would dare on his own to approach Me?" declares the LORD.
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b. Matthew 22:21; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13; 1 Timothy 2:1–8
Matthew 22:21
22:21 They say unto him, Cæsar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
22:21 "Caesar's," they answered. So Jesus told them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
Titus 3:1
3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
3:1 Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work,
1 Peter 2:13
2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
2:13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,
1 Timothy 2:1–8
2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
2:1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone- 2:2 for kings and all those in authority-so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. 2:3 This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 2:4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 2:6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all-the testimony that was given at just the right time. 2:7 For this reason I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a faithful and true teacher of the Gentiles. I am telling the truth; I am not lying about anything. 2:8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.
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c. Acts 5:29; Matthew 10:28; Daniel 3:15–18; 6:7–10; Acts 4:18–20
Acts 5:29
5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
5:29 But Peter and the other apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than men.
Matthew 10:28
10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Daniel 3:15–18
3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
3:15 Now, if you are ready, as soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the statue I have made. But if you refuse to worship, you will be thrown at once into the blazing fiery furnace. Then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands?" 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 3:17 If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. 3:18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up."
Daniel 6:7–10
6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 6:8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 6:9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
6:7 All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a decree that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions. 6:8 Therefore, O king, establish the decree and sign the document so that it cannot be changed-in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." 6:9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree. 6:10 Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Acts 4:18–20
4:18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 4:20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
4:18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 4:19 But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than God. 4:20 For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."
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d. Matthew 23:10; Romans 14:4; Revelation 19:16; Psalm 72:11; 2; Romans 14:9–13
Matthew 23:10
23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
23:10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Christ.
Romans 14:4
14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
14:4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
Revelation 19:16
19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
19:16 And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Psalm 72:11
72:11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
72:11 May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.
Psalm 2
2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, 2:3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 2:5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 2:7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. 2:10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 2:11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
2:1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2:2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One: 2:3 "Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords." 2:4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them. 2:5 Then He rebukes them in His anger, and terrifies them in His fury: 2:6 "I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain." 2:7 I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: "You are My Son; today I have become Your Father. 2:8 Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession. 2:9 You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery." 2:10 Therefore be wise, O kings; be admonished, O judges of the earth. 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
Romans 14:9–13
14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
14:9 For this reason Christ died and returned to life, that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 14:10 Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 14:11 It is written: "As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God." 14:12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. 14:13 Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.
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