Romans 13
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Let everyone obey the supreme authorities. For no authority exists except by the will of God, and the existing authorities have been appointed by God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
Therefore the one who sets themself against the authorities is resisting God’s appointment, and those who resist will bring a judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
A good action has nothing to fear from rulers; a bad action has. Do you want to have no reason to fear the authorities? Then do what is good, and you will win their praise.
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to [execute] wrath upon him that doeth evil.
For they are God’s servants appointed for your good. But, if you do what is wrong, you may well be afraid; for the sword they carry is not without meaning! They are God’s servants to inflict his punishments on those who do wrong.
5 Wherefore [ye] must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
You are bound, therefore, to obey, not only through fear of God’s punishments, but also as a matter of conscience.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
This, too, is the reason for your paying taxes; for the officials are God’s officers, devoting themselves to this special work.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute [is due]; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
In all cases pay what is due from you – tribute where tribute is due, taxes where taxes are due, respect where respect is due, and honour where honour is due.
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Owe nothing to anyone except love; for they who love their neighbour have satisfied the Law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
The commandments, “You must not commit adultery, you must not kill, you must not steal, you must not covet,” and whatever other commandment there is, are all summed up in the words – “You must love your neighbour as you love yourself.”
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law.
Love never wrongs a neighbour. Therefore love fully satisfies the Law.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed.
This I say, because you know the crisis that we have reached, for the time has already come for you to rouse yourselves from sleep; our salvation is nearer now than when we accepted the faith.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
The night is almost gone; the day is near. Therefore let us be done with the deeds of darkness, and arm ourselves with the weapons of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Being in the light of day, let us live becomingly, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lust and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof.]
No! Arm yourselves with the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, and spend no thought on your earthly nature, to satisfy its cravings.
