Bible verses about "democracy" | ISV

²⁶ They judged the people at all times; the difficult matters they brought to Moses, but every minor matter they judged.

²¹ You are to look for capable men among the people, men who fear God, men of integrity who hate dishonest gain. You are to set these men over them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

¹³ Choose for yourselves wise and discerning men, known to your tribes, and appoint them as your leaders.

²³ But Gideon told them, “I won’t rule over you and my son won’t rule over you. The LORD will rule you.”

⁵ then I’ll make your royal throne secure forever, just as I agreed to do so for your father David when I said, ‘You are to not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

¹⁵ David’s Leaders
David reigned over all of Israel, administering justice and equity to every one of his people.

⁶ “Pay careful attention to your duties, because you are judging not only for the sake of human beings but also for the LORD—and he is present with you as you make your rulings. ⁷ So let the fear of the LORD rest upon you, be on your guard, and act carefully, because with the LORD our God there is neither injustice, nor partiality, nor bribery.”

⁵ Jehoshaphat Prays and the People WaitJehoshaphat stood among the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the LORD’s Temple in the vicinity of the new court ⁶ and said: “LORD God of our ancestors, you are the God who lives in heaven, are you not? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, don’t you? In your own hands you grasp both strength and power, don’t you? As a result, no one can oppose you, can they?

¹ Jehoahaz Becomes King
After this, the people of the land installed Josiah’s son Jehoahaz in Jerusalem as king to take his father’s place.

⁴ Let the nations rejoice and sing for joy, because you judge people with fairness and you govern the people of the earth. Interlude

¹⁵ An unthinking person believes everything, but the prudent one thinks before acting.

² A wise man’s heart tends toward his right, but a fool’s heart tends toward his left.

²² “Stop trusting in human beings, whose life breath is in their nostrils, for what are they really worth?”

²¹ And whether you turn to the right or turn to the left, your ears will hear a message behind you: “This is the way, walk in it.”

¹⁸ Then Jesus approached them and told them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

¹¹ Jesus answered him, “You have no authority over me at all, except what was given to you from above. That’s why the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor anything above, nor anything below, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is ours in union with the Messiah Jesus, our Lord.

¹ Prayer and Submission to AuthorityFirst of all, then, I urge you to offer to God petitions, prayers, intercessions, and expressions of thanks for all people, ² for kings, and for everyone who has authority, so that we might lead a quiet and peaceful life with all godliness and dignity.

¹ How to Treat Weak BelieversAccept anyone who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of arguing over differences of opinion.

¹ Concentrate on Doing What is GoodRemind believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready to do any honorable kind of work.

³ Do not look to nobles, nor to mere human beings who cannot save.

²⁷ Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men!

¹³ For the Lord’s sake submit yourselves to every human authority: whether to the king as supreme, ¹⁴ or to governors who are 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 right you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live like free people, and do not use your freedom as an excuse for doing evil. Instead, be God’s servants. ¹⁷ Honor everyone. Keep on loving the community of believers, fearing God, and honoring the king.

¹ Obey Your GovernmentEvery person must be subject to the governing authorities, for no authority exists except by God’s permission. The existing authorities have been established by God, ² so that whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has established, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For the authorities are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to live without being afraid of the authorities? Then do what is right, and you will receive their approval. ⁴ For they are God’s servants, working for your good.
But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for it is not without reason that they bear the sword. Indeed, they are God’s servants to administer punishment to anyone who does wrong. ⁵ Therefore, it is necessary for you to be acquiescent to the authorities, not only for the sake of God’s punishment, but also for the sake of your own conscience. ⁶ This is also why you pay taxes. For rulers are God’s servants faithfully devoting themselves to their work. ⁷ Pay everyone whatever you owe them—taxes to whom taxes are due, tolls to whom tolls are due, fear to whom fear is due, honor to whom honor is due.

²⁵ Back in those days, Israel didn’t yet have a king, so each person did whatever seemed right in his own opinion.