Romans 13

1 Every [believer] must be subject to the authorities. [Remember that] God is the only one [who gives officials their] authority. Furthermore, those officials that exist are ones who have been appointed by God {God has appointed}.

Let every soul be subject to the authorities of magistracy. For there is no authority which is not from God: and the authorities which exist, are established by God.

2 So whoever resists the officials is resisting what God has established. Furthermore, those who resist officials will bring on themselves [from the officials] the punishment [that God considers fitting].

He therefore who opposeth the authority, opposeth the establishment of God; and they who oppose them, shall receive judgment.

3 What rulers [do] is not [to cause people who] do good deeds to be afraid. Instead, [what they do is to cause people who do] evil to be afraid. So, if any of you [RHQ] wants to be unafraid of officials, do what is good! [If you(sg) do good], they will commend you [instead of punishing you!]

For judges are not a terror to good deeds, but to evil deeds. Wouldst thou then not be afraid of the authority? Do good, and thou shalt have praise from it.

4 It is in order to serve God [by doing their work that every official exists], in order that they may benefit each of you. If any of you does what is evil, you [(sg) will rightfully have reason to] be afraid, because the authority that they have to punish people [MTY] is very real [LIT]! The officials exist to serve God. That is, they act as God’s agents as they punish those who do evil.

For he is the minister of God; but it is to thee for good. But if thou doest evil, be afraid; for he is not girded with the sword in vain; for he is a minister of God, and an avenger of wrath to them that do evil things.

5 So, it is necessary for you [(pl)] to be subject [to officials], not only because they will punish you [MTY] [if you disobey them], but also because you know [that you should be subject to them]

And therefore, it is necessary for us to be obedient, not only on account of wrath, but likewise on account of our consciences.

6 It is for this reason that you also pay taxes, because the officials are ones who serve God as they continually do their work.

For this cause also ye pay tribute money; for they are the ministers of God, established for these same objects.

7 Give to all [the officials] what you are supposed to give to them! Pay taxes to [those who require that you pay taxes]. Pay duties [on goods to those who require that you pay those] duties. Respect [those who ought to] be respected. Honor [those who ought to] be honored.

Render therefore to every one, as is due to him; tribute-money, to whom tribute-money; and excise, to whom excise; and fear, to whom fear; and honor, to whom honor.

8 Pay all of your debts [when you are supposed to pay them]. The only thing [that is like] a debt that [you] should never stop paying is to love one another. Whoever loves others has fulfilled all that [God requires in] his laws.

And owe nothing to any one; but to love one another. For he that loveth his neighbor, hath fulfilled the law.

9 [There are many things that God] commanded [in his laws, such as] do not commit adultery, do not murder [anyone], do not steal, and do not desire anything that belongs to someone else. But the command by which they are all summed up {that includes them all} is this: Each of you must love the people with whom you come in contact, just like you [(sg)] love yourself.

For this likewise, which it saith: Thou shalt not kill; nor commit adultery; nor steal; nor covet; and if there is any other commandment, it is completed in this sentence: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

10 If you love people with whom you come in contact [PRS], you will not do any evil to them [LIT]. So, whoever loves [others] fulfills all that [God’s] laws [require].

Love doeth no evil to one's neighbor; because love is the fulfillment of the law.

11 [Do] what I have just told you, especially since you know [the significance of] the time [in which we are living. You know that it is] time for you to be [fully alert and active] [MET], [like people who have] awakened from sleeping [MET], because [the time when Christ will finally] deliver us [from this world’s pain/sin and sorrow] is near. That time (is closer than/was not so close) when we first believed [in Christ].

And this also know ye, that it is the time and the hour, that we should henceforth be awake from our sleep. For now our life hath come nearer to us, than when we believed.

12 [Our time to live in this world] [MTY] [is almost ended] [MET], [like] a night that is nearly ended. The time [when Christ will return] [MTY] is near. So we must quit doing wicked deeds [MET] [such as people do] in the darkness, and [we must be doing the things that will help us resist Satan/evil] [MET], [as soldiers who] put on their armor in the daytime [get ready to resist their enemies].

The night now passeth away, and the day draweth near. Let us therefore cast from us the works of darkness; and let us put on the armor of light.

13 We must behave properly, as though the time [when Christ will return] [MTY] [were already here]. We must not participate in drunken carousing [HEN]. We must not commit any kind of sexual immorality [MTY, DOU]. We must not quarrel. We must not be jealous [of other people].

And let us walk decorously, as in daylight; not in merriment, nor in drunkenness, nor in impurity of the bed, nor in envy and strife.

14 On the contrary, you/we should [be like] the Lord Jesus Christ [so that others will see that we belong to him], just as [people] put on [special clothes so that others will see what group they belong to] [MET]. You/We should stop thinking about [doing the things that your/our] self-directed nature desires.

But clothe yourselves with our Lord Jesus Messiah: and be not thoughtful about your flesh, for the indulgence of appetites.