Romans 13

1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

2 Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

Therefore he who resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.

For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same,

4 For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.

for it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God's servant to administer retribution on those who do what is wrong.

5 Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.

Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of this retribution, but also as a matter of conscience.

6 This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.

For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God, concerned with this very thing.

7 Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

Give therefore to everyone what you owe: taxes to whom taxes are due; customs to whom customs; respect to whom respect; honor to whom honor.

8 Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

9 The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

For the commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not give false testimony," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You are to love your neighbor as yourself."

10 Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Love does not harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

11 And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.

12 The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let us therefore throw off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

Let us walk decently, as in the daytime; not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and lustful acts, and not in dissension and jealousy.

14 Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

But put on the Lord Jesus (the) Messiah, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.