< Romanos 13 >

1 Omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus subdita sit: non est enim potestas nisi a Deo: quæ autem sunt, a Deo ordinatæ sunt.
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.
2 Itaque qui resistit potestati, Dei ordinationi resistit. Qui autem resistunt, ipsi sibi damnationem acquirunt:
Therefore the man who rebels against his ruler is resisting God's will; and those who thus resist will bring punishment upon themselves.
3 nam principes non sunt timori boni operis, sed mali. Vis autem non timere potestatem? Bonum fac: et habebis laudem ex illa:
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.
4 Dei enim minister est tibi in bonum. Si autem malum feceris, time: non enim sine causa gladium portat. Dei enim minister est: vindex in iram ei qui malum agit.
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.
5 Ideo necessitate subditi estote non solum propter iram, sed etiam propter conscientiam.
We must obey therefore, not only in order to escape punishment, but also for conscience' sake.
6 Ideo enim et tributa præstatis: ministri enim Dei sunt, in hoc ipsum servientes.
Why, this is really the reason you pay taxes; for tax-gatherers are ministers of God, devoting their energies to this very work.
7 Reddite ergo omnibus debita: cui tribulatum, tributum: cui vectigal, vectigal: cui timorem, timorem: cui honorem, honorem.
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.
8 Nemini quidquam debeatis, nisi ut invicem diligatis: qui enim diligit proximum, legem implevit.
Owe nothing to any one except mutual love; for he who loves his fellow man has satisfied the demands of Law.
9 Nam: Non adultabis: non occides: non furaberis: non falsum testimonium dices: non concupisces: et si quod est aliud mandatum, in hoc verbo instauratur: diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum.
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."
10 Dilectio proximi malum non operatur. Plenitudo ergo legis est dilectio.
Love avoids doing any wrong to one's fellow man, and is therefore complete obedience to Law.
11 Et hoc scientes tempus: quia hora est jam nos de somno surgere. Nunc enim propior est nostra salus, quam cum credidimus.
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.
12 Nox præcessit, dies autem appropinquavit. Abjiciamus ergo opera tenebrarum, et induamur arma lucis.
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.
13 Sicut in die honeste ambulemus: non in comessationibus, et ebrietatibus, non in cubilibus, et impudicitiis, non in contentione, et æmulatione:
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.
14 sed induimini Dominum Jesum Christum, et carnis curam ne feceritis in desideriis.
On the contrary, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for gratifying your earthly cravings.

< Romanos 13 >