Romans 13
1 Let every soul submit to the governing authorities, because there is no authority except under God, and the existing authorities have been placed by God.
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.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority is opposed to God's ordinance, and those who oppose will bring judgment on themselves.
Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
3 Now rulers are not a terror to good deeds but to bad ones. So if you wish not to fear the authority, do the good and you will have praise from the same;
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.
4 because it is God's minister to you with a view to the good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not bear the sword for nothing; because it is God's minister, an avenger with a view to wrath on the wrongdoer.
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.
5 Therefore it is necessary to submit, not only because of the wrath, but also because of the conscience.
Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.
6 This is precisely why you pay taxes, for they are God's servants, continually attending on this very thing.
This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.
7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes, customs to whom customs, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor.
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.
8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, since he who loves the other has fulfilled the law.
Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
9 Because—“You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever further commandment—everything is summed up in this word, namely: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
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.”
10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11 Besides this, knowing the time, it is high time for us to be awakened from sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
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.
12 The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us get rid of the works of the darkness, and let us put on the weapons of the light.
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.
13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual orgies and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy.
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, with a view to lusts.
Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
