Romans 13

1 Everyone should obey government authorities, because no one has the power to rule unless God gives permission. These authorities have been put there by God.

Let every soul be subject to higher authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those who have been ordained by God.

2 Whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has put in place, and those who do so shall find themselves judged accordingly.

And so, whoever resists authority, resists what has been ordained by God. And those who resist are acquiring damnation for themselves.

3 For rulers don't frighten those who do right, but those who do wrong. If you don't want to live in fear of the authorities, then do what is right, and you'll have their approval.

For 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.

4 Those in power are God's servants, put there for your own good. If you do wrong, you should be frightened—it's not without reason that authorities have the power to punish! They are God's servants, punishing offenders.

For 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.

5 So it's important to do as you're told, not just because of the threat of punishment, but because of what your conscience tells you.

For this reason, it is necessary to be subject, not solely because of wrath, but also because of conscience.

6 That's why you have to pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants taking care of such things.

Therefore, you must also offer tribute. For they are the ministers of God, serving him in this.

7 Pay whatever you owe: taxes to the tax authorities, fees to the fee-collectors; give respect to those who should be respected, honor those who should be honored.

Therefore, render to all whatever is owed. Taxes, to whom taxes is due; revenue, to whom revenue is due; fear, to whom fear is due; honor, to whom honor is due.

8 Don't owe anybody anything, except love for one another—for those who love their neighbor have kept the law.

You should owe nothing to anyone, except so as to love one another. For whoever loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

9 “You must not commit adultery, you must not kill, you must not steal, you must not jealously want things for yourself”—these and the other commandments are summed up in the statement, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

For example: You shall not commit adultery. You shall not kill. You shall not steal. You shall not speak false testimony. You shall not covet. And if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

10 Love doesn't do wrong to anyone, so love fulfils the law.

The love of neighbor does no harm. Therefore, love is the plenitude of the law.

11 You should do this because you realize how urgent the time is—that it's high time for you to wake up from your sleep. For salvation is closer to us now than when we first put our trust in God.

And we know the present time, that now is the hour for us to rise up from sleep. For already our salvation is closer than when we first believed.

12 The night is nearly over, the day is almost here! So let's get rid of our dark deeds and put on the armor of light.

The night has passed, and the day draws near. Therefore, let us cast aside the works of darkness, and be clothed with the armor of light.

13 Let's behave properly, showing that we're people who are living in the light. We shouldn't spend our time going to wild parties and getting drunk, or having affairs and acting immorally, or getting into fights and being jealous.

Let us walk honestly, as in the daylight, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and sexual immorality, not in contention and envy.

14 Instead put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and forget about following your sinful desires.

Instead, be clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in its desires.