What Does the Bible Say About Empire?

John 18:36 ESV / 11 helpful votes

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

Isaiah 45:1 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:

Genesis 17:23 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him.

Matthew 2:16 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.

Nahum 3:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder— no end to the prey!

Psalm 104:5 ESV / 4 helpful votes

He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.

Deuteronomy 18:18 ESV / 4 helpful votes

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

Exodus 20:25 ESV / 4 helpful votes

If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it.

Mark 16:15 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

Matthew 19:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

Daniel 7:24 ESV / 3 helpful votes

As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings.

Genesis 17:25 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

Romans 5:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

John 3:16 ESV / 2 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.

John 1:25 ESV / 2 helpful votes

They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

John 1:21 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

John 1:19-25 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” ...

John 1:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes

No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

Luke 21:25-27 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Luke 1:35 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

Matthew 24:35 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Matthew 17:11-13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

Matthew 11:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Matthew 7:16-20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Matthew 1:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

Jeremiah 50:1-46 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The word that the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by Jeremiah the prophet: “Declare among the nations and proclaim, set up a banner and proclaim, conceal it not, and say: ‘Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed. Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.’ “For out of the north a nation has come up against her, which shall make her land a desolation, and none shall dwell in it; both man and beast shall flee away. “In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, the people of Israel and the people of Judah shall come together, weeping as they come, and they shall seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it, saying, ‘Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.’ ...

Isaiah 29:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.”

Isaiah 1:1-31 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. ...

2 Kings 19:35 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And that night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.

2 Samuel 24:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”

Deuteronomy 18:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—

Deuteronomy 5:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“‘You shall not murder.

Numbers 13:33 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

Leviticus 19:18 ESV / 2 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.

Exodus 20:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“You shall not commit adultery.

Exodus 20:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“You shall not murder.

Exodus 15:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name.

Genesis 25:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes

They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen.

Genesis 16:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.

Genesis 12:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Genesis 6:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

Genesis 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

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.”

42 Bible Verses about Empire

John 18:36 ESV / 11 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 45:1 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 17:23 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 2:16 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Nahum 3:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 104:5 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Deuteronomy 18:18 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 20:25 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Mark 16:15 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 19:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Daniel 7:24 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 17:25 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 5:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 1:25 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 1:21 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 1:19-25 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 1:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 21:25-27 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 1:35 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 24:35 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 17:11-13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 11:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 7:16-20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 1:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 50:1-46 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 29:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 1:1-31 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Kings 19:35 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Samuel 24:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Deuteronomy 18:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Deuteronomy 5:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Numbers 13:33 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Leviticus 19:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 20:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 20:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 15:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 25:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 16:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 12:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 6:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Suggest a Verse

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