Romans 13:2

Romans 13:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
• New International Version (NIV)Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

Context of Romans 13:2

1Everyone must obey the government officers. It is God who gives the authority to rule. The people who rule have received their authority from God. So anyone who refuses to obey that authority is refusing to obey God. That person will receive the proper punishment. 3People who do good things do not need to be afraid of the rulers. Only people who do bad things should be afraid of the rulers. Do you want to live and not be afraid of the rulers? Then you must do good things and they will respect you. 4Rulers are God's servants. They help you to do good things. But if you do bad things, then you should be afraid of them. They really do have authority to punish people. On God's behalf they punish people who do bad things.

Romans 13:2 word by word

ὥστε ὁ ἀντιτασσόμενος τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ διαταγῇ ἀνθέστηκεν· οἱ δὲ ἀνθεστηκότες ἑαυτοῖς κρίμα λήμψονται.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Whosoeverἀντιτάσσωantitassomai · to resistG498
• thereforeὥστεhōste · soG5620
• the powerἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• resistethἀνθίστημιanthistēmi · to opposeG436
• the ordinanceδιαταγήdiatagē · ordinanceG1296
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• andδέde · thenG1161
• shall receiveλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• to themselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• damnationκρίμαkrima · judgmentG2917

Cross-references for Romans 13:2

• Jeremiah 23:8Instead they will say, “I promise to do this as surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel safely back from the land in the north. He brought them back from all the places where he had sent them as prisoners.” At that time they will live in their own land.’
• Jeremiah 44:14None of the people who remained in Judah and who came to live here in Egypt will escape. They will not remain alive to return to Judah. They may want very much to return, but only a few will be able to run away and go home.” ’
• Isaiah 58:2Every day my people come to worship me. It seems that they want to know my ways. They seem like a nation of people who are doing the right things. They seem to be obeying the law of their God. They ask me to decide things fairly. Yes, they seem to want to be near to me.
• 1 Peter 2:13Obey all people who have authority in this world. Obey them, because you are servants of the Lord Jesus. First of all, obey the king, who rules everyone.
• Romans 13:5So you must obey the people who have authority to rule. You must obey them not only so that they do not punish you. You must obey them because it is right to obey them. And you yourselves know that this is right.
• Matthew 23:14[It will be very bad for you, teachers of God's Law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites! You take things away from women after their husbands have died. You pray for a long time so that other people will praise you. God will punish you much more than other people.]
• Mark 12:40But these men take things away from women after their husbands have died, even their houses. Then they pray for a long time so that other people will praise them. Because they do these things, God will punish those men much more than other people.’
• Luke 20:47They take things away from women after their husbands have died, even their houses. Then they pray for a long time so that other people will praise them. Because they do these things, God will punish those men much more than other people.’
• James 3:1My Christian friends, not many of you should become teachers. We people who teach God's message must be very careful. When God judges everybody, he will demand more from us than from other people.

Commentaries on Romans 13:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Whosoever resisteth the power - ̔ , He who sets himself in order against this order of God; ͅ ͅ, and they who resist, ̔ , they who obstinately, and for no right reason, oppose the ruler, and strive to unsettle the constitution, and to bring about illegal changes, Shall receive to themselves damnation - , condemnation; shall be condemned both by the spirit and letter of that constitution, which, under pretense of defending or improving, they are indirectly…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Whosoever therefore resisteth … - That is, they who rise up against “government itself;” who seek anarchy and confusion; and who oppose the regular execution of the laws. It is implied, however, that those laws shall not be such as to violate the rights of conscience, or oppose the laws of God. Resisteth the ordinance of God - What God has ordained, or appointed. This means clearly that we are to regard “government” as instituted by God, and as agreeable…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2The main command in 13:1–7 is to submit to governing authorities. In God’s ordering of the world, people are accountable to those who hold positions of authority. This submission usually takes the form of obedience. However, God stands above all governments. For this reason, submission to governing authorities is always shaped by our ultimate obedience to God (see Acts 4:19–20). Some Christians in Rome may have been resisting the government. They may have…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-141-2. Let every soul--every man of you be subject unto the higher powers--or, "submit himself to the authorities that are above him." For there is no power--"no authority" but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God--"have been ordained of God."Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 13:2

• Citizens
• Government
• Ordinance
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Chamber
• Chambering
• Comprehend
• Custom
• Damnation
• Fear
• Near
• Owe

Commentaries on Romans 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings