Romans 13

1 Let every soul be obedient to higher authorities, for there is no authority unless it comes from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.

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 Therefore he who resists that authority opposes the command of God; and those who oppose it will receive judgment on themselves.

Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good deeds, but to evil deeds. Do you desire to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will receive his approval.

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 he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for he does not carry the sword for no reason. For he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath on the one who does 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 Therefore you must obey, not only because of the wrath, but also because of conscience.

Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.

6 Because of this you pay taxes also. For authorities are servants of God, who attend to this very thing continually.

This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.

7 Pay to everyone what is owed to them. Tax to whom tax is due, toll to whom toll is due; fear to whom fear is due, honor to whom honor is due.

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 Owe no one anything, except to love one another. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

9 The commandments: “Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not covet,” and if there is any other commandment also, it is summed up in this sentence: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

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 does not harm one's neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.

Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11 Because of this, you know the time, that it is already time for you to awake out of sleep. For now our salvation is nearer than when we first 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 has advanced, and the day has come near. Let us therefore put aside the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor 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 Let us walk appropriately, as in the day, not in drunken celebrations or drunkenness; and let us not walk in sexual immorality or in uncontrolled lust, and not in strife or jealousy.

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 on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its lusts.

Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.