1 Timothy 2:2
New Living Translation
2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.
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1 Peter 2:9-13
New Living Translation
9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,[a] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
10 “Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.”[b]
11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.[c]
Respecting People in Authority
13 For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state,
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Ezra 6:10
New Living Translation
10 Then they will be able to offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the welfare of the king and his sons.
Jeremiah 29:7
New Living Translation
7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”
Romans 13:1-7
New Living Translation
Respect for Authority
13 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.
6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
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1 Thessalonians 4:11
New Living Translation
11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.
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Proverbs 24:21
New Living Translation
21 My child, fear the Lord and the king.
Don’t associate with rebels,
Nehemiah 1:11
New Living Translation
11 O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me.[a] Put it into his heart to be kind to me.”
In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer.
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- 1:11 Hebrew today in the sight of this man.
Hebrews 12:14
New Living Translation
A Call to Listen to God
14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.
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Romans 12:18
New Living Translation
18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
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Genesis 49:14-15
New Living Translation
14 “Issachar is a sturdy donkey,
resting between two saddlepacks.[a]
15 When he sees how good the countryside is
and how pleasant the land,
he will bend his shoulder to the load
and submit himself to hard labor.
Footnotes
- 49:14 Or sheepfolds, or hearths.
Titus 2:10-14
New Living Translation
10 or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way.
11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
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Philippians 4:8
New Living Translation
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
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Acts 24:16
New Living Translation
16 Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.
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Acts 10:22
New Living Translation
22 They said, “We were sent by Cornelius, a Roman officer. He is a devout and God-fearing man, well respected by all the Jews. A holy angel instructed him to summon you to his house so that he can hear your message.”
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Luke 2:25
New Living Translation
The Prophecy of Simeon
25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him
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Luke 1:6
New Living Translation
6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.
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Ecclesiastes 8:2-5
New Living Translation
Obedience to the King
2 Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would. 3 Don’t try to avoid doing your duty, and don’t stand with those who plot evil, for the king can do whatever he wants. 4 His command is backed by great power. No one can resist or question it. 5 Those who obey him will not be punished. Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right,
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Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
New Living Translation
12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
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Psalm 72:1
New Living Translation
Psalm 72
A psalm of Solomon.
1 Give your love of justice to the king, O God,
and righteousness to the king’s son.
Psalm 20:1-4
New Living Translation
Psalm 20
For the choir director: A psalm of David.
1 In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.
May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.
2 May he send you help from his sanctuary
and strengthen you from Jerusalem.[a]
3 May he remember all your gifts
and look favorably on your burnt offerings. Interlude
4 May he grant your heart’s desires
and make all your plans succeed.
Footnotes
- 20:2 Hebrew Zion.
2 Samuel 20:19
New Living Translation
19 I am one who is peace loving and faithful in Israel. But you are destroying an important town in Israel.[a] Why do you want to devour what belongs to the Lord?”
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- 20:19 Hebrew a town that is a mother in Israel.
2 Peter 1:3-7
New Living Translation
Growing in Faith
3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
Read full chapterHoly Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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