Complete Bible Study Guide

What Does the Bible Say About Ordinance?

33 Scripture references with full text and commentary

Understanding Ordinance in the Bible

Discover 33 Bible verses about ordinance. This comprehensive collection of Scripture quotes reveals God's wisdom and guidance on ordinance, with verses from across the Old and New Testaments.

33
Total Verses
19
Old Testament
14
New Testament

Top 10 Verses About Ordinance

  1. 1
    Exodus 12:14
    And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
    KJV
  2. 2
    Exodus 12:24
    And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
    KJV
  3. 3
    Exodus 12:43
    And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:
    KJV
  4. 4
    Exodus 13:10
    Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.
    KJV
  5. 5
    Exodus 15:25
    And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
    KJV
  6. 6
    Numbers 9:14
    And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.
    KJV
  7. 7
    Numbers 10:8
    And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.
    KJV
  8. 8
    Numbers 15:15
    One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.
    KJV
  9. 9
    Numbers 18:8
    And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.
    KJV
  10. 10
    Isaiah 1:10
    Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
    KJV

Subtopics of Ordinance

A decree
INSUFFICIENCY OF, FOR SALVATION
Insufficiency of, for salvation

Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Ordinance? (19 Verses)

And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:
Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.
And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.
And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.
One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.
And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.
Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. he goats: Heb. great he goats
When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? to appear: Heb. to be seen
Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. iniquity: or, grief
Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. make: Heb. multiply prayer blood: Heb. bloods
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. relieve: or, righten
The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Ordinance? (14 Verses)

Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, rudiments: or, elements
(Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh. neglecting: or, punishing, or, not sparing
Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. ordinances: or, ceremonies
The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. ordinances: or, rites, or, ceremonies
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

How to Study What the Bible Says About Ordinance

  1. 1

    Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.

  2. 2

    Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about ordinance. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.

  3. 3

    Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.

  4. 4

    Memorise at least one key verse about ordinance and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.

Practical Application

Studying what the Bible says about ordinance is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:

  • Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on ordinance needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.

  • Share what you have learned about ordinance with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.

  • Pray through the key verses about ordinance, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.

How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Ordinance?

You have studied 33 verses about ordinance. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bible say about ordinance?
Discover 33 Bible verses about ordinance. This comprehensive collection of Scripture quotes reveals God's wisdom and guidance on ordinance, with verses from across the Old and New Testaments. The Bible contains 33 key verses about ordinance spanning both Old and New Testaments.
How many Bible verses about ordinance are there?
There are 33 key Bible verses about ordinance compiled in this study guide, drawn from books across both the Old and New Testaments.
What is the best verse about ordinance?
One of the most well-known and frequently cited verses about ordinance is Exodus 12:14 — "And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an or..."
Where in the Bible does it talk about ordinance?
Ordinance is discussed throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. You can find 33 references to this topic across multiple books including the Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

Continue Studying Ordinance

Topics Included

This page consolidates Bible verses from 2 related topics:

ordinance