Romans 13

1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained 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 the authority withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.

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 the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the authority,

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 that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him 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 need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.

Therefore it is necessary to submit, not only because of the wrath, but also because of the conscience.

6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, continually doing this very thing.

This is precisely why you pay taxes, for they are God's servants, continually attending on this very thing.

7 Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

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 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall 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 doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us 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 is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s 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’s walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and 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, for its lusts.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, with a view to lusts.