Romans 13

1 Let every individual be obedient to those who rule over him; for no one is a ruler except by God's permission, and our present rulers have had their rank and power assigned to them by Him.

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, —

2 Therefore the man who rebels against his ruler is resisting God's will; and those who thus resist will bring punishment upon themselves.

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.

3 For judges and magistrates are to be feared not by right-doers but by wrong-doers. You desire--do you not? --to have no reason to fear your ruler. Well, do the thing that is right, and then he will commend you.

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;

4 For he is God's servant for your benefit. But if you do what is wrong, be afraid. He does not wear the sword to no purpose: he is God's servant--an administrator to inflict punishment upon evil-doers.

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.

5 We must obey therefore, not only in order to escape punishment, but also for conscience' sake.

Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection, —not only because of the anger, but also because of the conscience;

6 Why, this is really the reason you pay taxes; for tax-gatherers are ministers of God, devoting their energies to this very work.

For, because of this, are ye paying tribute also, —for, God’s ministers of state, they are, unto this very thing, giving constant attendance.

7 Pay promptly to all men what is due to them: taxes to those to whom taxes are due, toll to those to whom toll is due, respect to those to whom respect is due, honour to those to whom honour is due.

Render unto all their dues, —unto whom tribute, tribute, unto whom tax, tax, unto whom fear, fear, unto whom honour, honour.

8 Owe nothing to any one except mutual love; for he who loves his fellow man has satisfied the demands of Law.

Nothing to any, be owing—save to be loving one another; for, he that loveth his neighbour, hath given to, law, its fulfillment.

9 For the precepts, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," "Thou shalt do no murder," "Thou shalt not steal," "Thou shalt not covet," and all other precepts, are summed up in this one command, "Thou shalt love thy fellow man as much as thou lovest thyself."

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.

10 Love avoids doing any wrong to one's fellow man, and is therefore complete obedience to Law.

Love, unto one’s neighbour, worketh not ill; Law’s fullness, therefore, is, love.

11 Carry out these injunctions because you know the critical period at which we are living, and that it is now high time, to rouse yourselves from sleep; for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first became believers.

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:

12 The night is far advanced, and day is about to dawn. We must therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness, and clothe ourselves with the armour of Light.

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, —

13 Living as we do in broad daylight, let us conduct ourselves becomingly, not indulging in revelry and drunkenness, nor in lust and debauchery, nor in quarrelling and jealousy.

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; —

14 On the contrary, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for gratifying your earthly cravings.

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and, for the flesh, take not forethought to fulfil its covetings.