Romans 13

1 Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but from God: the authorities that are, have been appointed by God.

Let every individual be obedient to those who rule over him; for no one is a ruler except by God's permission, and our present rulers have had their rank and power assigned to them by Him.

2 Therefore, he that resists the authority, resists the appointment of God; and those who resist shall receive to themselves condemnation.

Therefore the man who rebels against his ruler is resisting God's will; and those who thus resist will bring punishment upon themselves.

3 For rulers are not a terror to works that are good, but to those which are evil. Will you, then, not be afraid of the authority? Do that which is good, and you shall receive praise from the same.

For judges and magistrates are to be feared not by right-doers but by wrong-doers. You desire--do you not? --to have no reason to fear your ruler. Well, do the thing that is right, and then he will commend you.

4 For he is the minister of God to you for that which is good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain. For he is the minister of God to inflict punishment on him that does evil.

For he is God's servant for your benefit. But if you do what is wrong, be afraid. He does not wear the sword to no purpose: he is God's servant--an administrator to inflict punishment upon evil-doers.

5 Wherefore, it is necessary to be subject, not only because of punishment, but also for conscience sake.

We must obey therefore, not only in order to escape punishment, but also for conscience' sake.

6 On this very account, too, pay tribute also: for they are the public servants of God, attending continually to this very thing.

Why, this is really the reason you pay taxes; for tax-gatherers are ministers of God, devoting their energies to this very work.

7 Render, therefore, to all their dues; tribute, to whom tribute is due; custom, to whom custom; fear, to whom fear; honor, to whom honor is due.

Pay promptly to all men what is due to them: taxes to those to whom taxes are due, toll to those to whom toll is due, respect to those to whom respect is due, honour to those to whom honour is due.

8 Owe no one any thing, except to love one another; for he that loves another, has fulfilled the law.

Owe nothing to any one except mutual love; for he who loves his fellow man has satisfied the demands of Law.

9 For these commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not indulge evil desire; and if there is any other commandment, all are summed up in this saying, namely: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

For the precepts, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," "Thou shalt do no murder," "Thou shalt not steal," "Thou shalt not covet," and all other precepts, are summed up in this one command, "Thou shalt love thy fellow man as much as thou lovest thyself."

10 Love works no evil to our neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Love avoids doing any wrong to one's fellow man, and is therefore complete obedience to Law.

11 And do this, because you know the time, that the hour has already come when we should awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed:

Carry out these injunctions because you know the critical period at which we are living, and that it is now high time, to rouse yourselves from sleep; for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first became believers.

12 the night is far advanced, the day draws near. Let us, therefore, put off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

The night is far advanced, and day is about to dawn. We must therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness, and clothe ourselves with the armour of Light.

13 Let us walk in a becoming manner, as in the day; not in riotings and in drunkenness, not in lewdness and in wantonness, not in contention and in envy:

Living as we do in broad daylight, let us conduct ourselves becomingly, not indulging in revelry and drunkenness, nor in lust and debauchery, nor in quarrelling and jealousy.

14 but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

On the contrary, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for gratifying your earthly cravings.