Romans 13
1 Let, every soul, unto protecting authorities be in subjection; for there is no authority save by God, and, they that are in being, have by God been arranged, —
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 So that, he who rangeth himself against the authority, against the arrangement of God opposeth himself, and, they who oppose, shall unto themselves a sentence of judgment receive.
Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For, they who bear rule, are not a terror unto the good work but unto the evil. Wouldst thou not be afraid of the authority? That which is good, be thou doing, and thou shall have praise of 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 For, God’s minister, is he unto thee for that which is good. But, if, that which is evil, thou be doing, be afraid! For, not in vain, the sword he beareth; for, God’s minister, he is, —an avenger, unto anger, to him who practiseth what is evil.
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 Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection, —not only because of the anger, 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 For, because of this, are ye paying tribute also, —for, God’s ministers of state, they are, unto this very thing, giving constant attendance.
This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.
7 Render unto all their dues, —unto whom tribute, tribute, unto whom tax, tax, unto whom fear, fear, unto whom honour, honour.
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 Nothing to any, be owing—save to be loving one another; for, he that loveth his neighbour, hath given to, law, its fulfillment.
Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
9 For, this—Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not commit murder, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not covet, and if there is any different commandment, in this word, is summed up, [namely]—Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
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, unto one’s neighbour, worketh not ill; Law’s fullness, therefore, is, love.
Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11 And, this besides, —knowing the season—that it is an hour already for you out of sleep to be wakened; for, now, is our salvation nearer than when we 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 far spent and, the day, hath drawn near; let us, then, cast off the works of darkness, [and] let us put on the armour of 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 As in daytime, becomingly let us walk: not in revellings and in drunken bouts, not in chamberings and in wanton deeds, not in strife and envy; —
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 ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and, for the flesh, take not forethought to fulfil its covetings.
Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
