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}.

πασα ψυχη εξουσιαισ υπερεχουσαισ υποτασσεσθω ου γαρ εστιν εξουσια ει μη υπο θεου αι δε ουσαι εξουσιαι υπο του θεου τεταγμεναι εισιν

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].

ωστε ο αντιτασσομενοσ τη εξουσια τη του θεου διαταγη ανθεστηκεν οι δε ανθεστηκοτεσ εαυτοισ κριμα ληψονται

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!]

οι γαρ αρχοντεσ ουκ εισιν φοβοσ των αγαθων εργων αλλα των κακων θελεισ δε μη φοβεισθαι την εξουσιαν το αγαθον ποιει και εξεισ επαινον εξ αυτησ

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.

θεου γαρ διακονοσ εστιν σοι εισ το αγαθον εαν δε το κακον ποιησ φοβου ου γαρ εικη την μαχαιραν φορει θεου γαρ διακονοσ εστιν εκδικοσ εισ οργην τω το κακον πρασσοντι

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]

διο αναγκη υποτασσεσθαι ου μονον δια την οργην αλλα και δια την συνειδησιν

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.

δια τουτο γαρ και φορουσ τελειτε λειτουργοι γαρ θεου εισιν εισ αυτο τουτο προσκαρτερουντεσ

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.

αποδοτε ουν πασιν τασ οφειλασ τω τον φορον τον φορον τω το τελοσ το τελοσ τω τον φοβον τον φοβον τω την τιμην την τιμην

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.

μηδενι μηδεν οφειλετε ει μη το αγαπαν αλληλουσ ο γαρ αγαπων τον ετερον νομον πεπληρωκεν

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.

το γαρ ου μοιχευσεισ ου φονευσεισ ου κλεψεισ ουκ επιθυμησεισ και ει τισ ετερα εντολη εν τουτω τω λογω ανακεφαλαιουται εν τω αγαπησεισ τον πλησιον σου ωσ σεαυτον

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].

η αγαπη τω πλησιον κακον ουκ εργαζεται πληρωμα ουν νομου η αγαπη

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].

και τουτο ειδοτεσ τον καιρον οτι ωρα ημασ ηδη εξ υπνου εγερθηναι νυν γαρ εγγυτερον ημων η σωτηρια η οτε επιστευσαμεν

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].

η νυξ προεκοψεν η δε ημερα ηγγικεν αποθωμεθα ουν τα εργα του σκοτουσ και ενδυσωμεθα τα οπλα του φωτοσ

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].

ωσ εν ημερα ευσχημονωσ περιπατησωμεν μη κωμοισ και μεθαισ μη κοιταισ και ασελγειαισ μη εριδι και ζηλω

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.

αλλ ενδυσασθε τον κυριον ιησουν χριστον και τησ σαρκοσ προνοιαν μη ποιεισθε εισ επιθυμιασ