Romans 13

(1 Peter 2:13–20)

1EveryoneG3956G5590 must submit himselfG5293 to the governing authoritiesG1849G5242, forG1063 there isG1510 noG3756 authorityG1849 exceptG1487G3361 that which is from GodG2316. The authorities thatG3588 existG1510 have been appointedG5021 byG5259 GodG2316. 2ConsequentlyG5620, whoeverG3588 resistsG498 authorityG1849 is opposingG436 whatG3588 GodG2316 has set in placeG1296, andG1161 those whoG3588 do so will bringG2983 judgmentG2917 on themselvesG1438.

3ForG1063 rulersG758 areG1510 notG3756 a terrorG5401 to goodG18 conductG2041, butG235 to badG2556. Do you wantG2309 to be unafraidG3361G5399 of theG3588 one in authorityG1849? Then doG4160 whatG3588 is rightG18, andG2532 you will haveG2192 hisG1537G846 approvalG1868. 4ForG1063 he isG1510 God’sG2316 servantG1249 forG1519 yourG4771 goodG18. ButG1161 ifG1437 you doG4160 wrongG2556, be afraidG5399, forG1063 he does not carryG3756G5409 theG3588 swordG3162 in vainG1500. He isG1510 God’sG2316 servantG1249, an agentG1558 ofG1519 retributionG3709 to theG3588 wrongdoerG3588G4238G2556.

5ThereforeG1352 it is necessaryG318 to submitG5293 to authority, notG3756 onlyG3440 to avoidG1223 punishmentG3709, butG235 alsoG2532 as a matter ofG1223 conscienceG4893. 6This is also whyG1223G3778G2532 you payG5055 taxesG5411. ForG1063 the authorities areG1510 God’sG2316 servantsG3011, who devote themselvesG4342 toG1519 their work. 7PayG591 everyoneG3956 whatG3588 you oweG3782 him: taxesG5411 to whomG3588 taxesG5411 are due, revenueG5056 to whomG3588 revenueG5056 is due, respectG5401 to whomG3588 respectG5401 is due, honorG5092 to whomG3588 honorG5092 is due.

Love Fulfills the Law

(Leviticus 19:9–18)

8Be indebtedG3784 to no oneG3367, exceptG1487G3361 to one anotherG240 in loveG25. ForG1063 he whoG3588 lovesG25 his neighborG2087 has fulfilledG4137 the lawG3551. 9TheG3588 commandments “Do not commit adulteryG3756G3431,” “Do not murderG3756G5407,” “Do not stealG3756G2813,” “Do not covetG3756G1937,”1 andG2532 anyG5100 otherG2087 commandmentsG1785, are summed upG346 inG1722 thisG3778 one decreeG3056: “LoveG25 yourG4771 neighborG4139 asG5613 yourselfG4572.”2 10LoveG26 does no wrongG3756G2038G2556 toG3588 its neighborG4139. ThereforeG3767 loveG26 is the fulfillmentG4138 of the lawG3551.

The Day Is Near

11AndG2532 do thisG3778, understandingG1492 theG3588 occasionG2540. The hourG5610 has comeG2235 for youG4771 to wake upG1453 fromG1537 your slumberG5258, forG1063 ourG1473 salvationG4991 is nearerG1452 nowG3568 thanG2228 whenG3753 we first believedG4100. 12TheG3588 nightG3571 is nearly overG4298; theG3588 dayG2250 has drawn nearG1448. SoG3767 let us lay asideG659 theG3588 deedsG2041 of darknessG4655 andG1161 put onG1746 theG3588 armorG3696 of lightG5457. 13Let us behaveG4043 decentlyG2156, asG5613 inG1722 the daytimeG2250, notG3361 in carousingG2970 andG2532 drunkennessG3178, notG3361 in sexual immoralityG2845 andG2532 debaucheryG766, notG3361 in dissensionG2054 andG2532 jealousyG2205. 14InsteadG235, clothe yourselves withG17463 theG3588 LordG2962 JesusG2424 ChristG5547, andG2532 makeG4160 noG3361 provisionG4307 forG1519 the desiresG1939 of theG3588 fleshG4561.