< Romans 13 >

1 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.
Let every soul be subject to the powers that are over them: for there is no such power but from God: the powers that are over men, are appointed by God.
2 Therefore the one who sets themself against the authorities is resisting God’s appointment, and those who resist will bring a judgment on themselves.
So that he who resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive condemnation.
3 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.
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wouldest thou then not be afraid of the civil power? do what is good, and thou shalt have praise from it:
4 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.
for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou dost evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is also the minister of God, as an avenger to execute his wrath upon the malefactor.
5 You are bound, therefore, to obey, not only through fear of God’s punishments, but also as a matter of conscience.
Wherefore it is necessary to submit, not only on account of punishment, but also of conscience.
6 This, too, is the reason for your paying taxes; for the officials are God’s officers, devoting themselves to this special work.
For you pay them tribute also for this reason; because they are God's ministers, continually attending hereunto.
7 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 honor where honor is due.
Render therefore to all what is their due: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, reverence to whom reverence, honor to whom honor.
8 Owe nothing to anyone except love; for they who love their neighbor have satisfied the Law.
Owe no one any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth others hath fulfilled the law:
9 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 neighbor as you love yourself.’
for this command, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet, and every other social precept, is summed up in this, namely, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
10 Love never wrongs a neighbor. Therefore love fully satisfies the Law.
Love worketh no evil to our neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 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.
And this let us observe, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed.
12 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.
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.
13 Being in the light of day, let us live becomingly, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lust and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.
Let us behave decently as being in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lasciviousness, not in strife and envying.
14 No! Arm yourselves with the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, and spend no thought on your earthly nature, to satisfy its cravings.
But put on the Lord Jesus, and make not provision for the flesh to gratify its irregular desires.

< Romans 13 >