democracy

¹³Therefore, be subject to every human creature because of God, whether it is to the king as preeminent, ¹⁴or to leaders as having been sent from him for vindication over evildoers, it is truly for the praise of what is good. ¹⁵For such is the will of God, that by doing good you may bring about the silence of imprudent and ignorant men, ¹⁶in an open manner, and not as if cloaking malice with liberty, but like servants of God. ¹⁷Honor everyone. Love brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

²⁷Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left; yet turn your foot away from evil. For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right, and truly, those that are on the left are perverse. But he himself will make your courses straight. Then your journey will advance in peace.

¹Let every soul be subject to higher authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those who have been ordained by God. ²And so, whoever resists authority, resists what has been ordained by God. And those who resist are acquiring damnation for themselves. ³For leaders are not a source of fear to those who work good, but to those who work evil. And would you prefer not to be afraid of authority? Then do what is good, and you shall have praise from them. ⁴For he is a minister of God for you unto good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid. For it is not without reason that he carries a sword. For he is a minister of God; an avenger to execute wrath upon whomever does evil. ⁵For this reason, it is necessary to be subject, not solely because of wrath, but also because of conscience. ⁶Therefore, you must also offer tribute. For they are the ministers of God, serving him in this.

¹³Offer, from among you, wise and experienced men, those whose conversation has been proven within your tribes, so that I may appoint them as your rulers.’

²⁹But Peter and the Apostles responded by saying: “It is necessary to obey God, more so than men.

¹⁰And so, I beg you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that every one of you speak in the same way, and that there be no schisms among you. So may you become perfect, with the same mind and with the same judgment. ¹¹For it has been indicated to me, about you, my brothers, by those who are with Chloes, that there are contentions among you. ¹²Now I say this because each of you is saying: “Certainly, I am of Paul;” “But I am of Apollo;” “Truly, I am of Cephas;” as well as: “I am of Christ.” ¹³Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴I give thanks to God that I have baptized none of you, except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵lest anyone say that you have been baptized in my name.

¹And it happened that, when Samuel had become old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. ²Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of the second was Abijah: judges at Beersheba. ³But his sons did not walk in his ways. Instead, they turned aside, pursuing avarice. And they accepted bribes, and they perverted judgment. ⁴Therefore, all those greater by birth of Israel, having gathered together, went to Samuel at Ramah. ⁵And they said to him: “Behold, you are elderly, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king, so that he may judge us, just as all the nations have.” ⁶And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, for they had said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

³in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.

¹¹Jesus responded, “You would not have any authority over me, unless it were given to you from above. For this reason, he who has handed me over to you has the greater sin.”

²The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a foolish man is in his left hand.

²²Therefore, rest away from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for he considers himself to be exalted.

¹And so I beg you, first of all, to make supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings for all men, ²for kings, and for all who are in high places, so that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all piety and chastity.

²²For the Lord is our judge. The Lord is our lawgiver. The Lord is our king. He himself will save us.

²³And he said to them: “I will not rule over you. Neither shall my son rule over you. Instead, the Lord shall rule over you.”