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.
Let every soul submit to the governing authorities, because there is no authority except under God, and the existing authorities have been placed by God.
2 Therefore he who resists that authority opposes the command of God; and those who oppose it will receive judgment on themselves.
Therefore whoever resists the authority is opposed to God's ordinance, and those who oppose 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.
Now rulers are not a terror to good deeds but to bad ones. So if you wish not to fear the authority, do the good and you will have praise from the same;
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.
because it is God's minister to you with a view to the good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not bear the sword for nothing; because it is God's minister, an avenger with a view to wrath on the wrongdoer.
5 Therefore you must obey, not only because of the wrath, but also because of conscience.
Therefore it is necessary to submit, not only because of the wrath, but also because of the conscience.
6 Because of this you pay taxes also. For authorities are servants of God, who attend to this very thing continually.
This is precisely why you pay taxes, for they are God's servants, continually attending on this very thing.
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.
Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes, customs to whom customs, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor.
8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
Owe no one anything except to love one another, since he who loves the other 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.”
Because—“You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever further commandment—everything is summed up in this word, namely: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
10 Love does not harm one's neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.
Love does no harm to a 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.
Besides this, knowing the time, it is high time for us to be awakened from sleep, because 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, and the day is near; so let us get rid of the works of the darkness, and let us put on the weapons of the 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 walk properly, as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual orgies and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its lusts.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, with a view to lusts.
