Romans 13:6

Romans 13:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
• New International Version (NIV)This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.

Context of Romans 13:6

4for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. 8Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:6 word by word

διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ φόρους τελεῖτε· λειτουργοὶ γὰρ θεοῦ εἰσιν εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο προσκαρτεροῦντες.¶Read the interlinear

• For becauseδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• of thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• you alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• payτελέωteleō · to finishG5055
• taxesφόροςphoros · taxG5411
• are servantsλειτουργόςleitourgos · ministerG3011
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• devotingπροσκαρτερέωproskartereō · to continue in/withG4342
• veryαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Romans 13:6

• Ezra 4:13Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, custom or toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings.
• Ezra 6:8Moreover, I issue a decree concerning what you are to do for these elders of Judah in the rebuilding of this house of God: the full cost is to be paid to these people from the royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces beyond the River, and that without delay.
• Nehemiah 5:4Also there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards.
• Matthew 17:24When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax?”
• Matthew 22:17Tell us then, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?”
• Mark 12:14They came and said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?
• Luke 20:21They questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth.
• Luke 23:2And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”
• Romans 12:8or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
• Exodus 18:13It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening.
• Deuteronomy 1:9“I spoke to you at that time, saying, ‘I am not able to bear the burden of you alone.
• 1 Samuel 7:16He used to go annually on circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places.
• 2 Samuel 8:5When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David killed 22,000 Arameans.
• 1 Chronicles 18:14So David reigned over all Israel; and he administered justice and righteousness for all his people.
• Job 29:7When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat in the square,

Commentaries on Romans 13:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6For this cause pay ye tribute also - Because civil government is an order of God, and the ministers of state must be at considerable expense in providing for the safety and defense of the community, it is necessary that those in whose behalf these expenses are incurred should defray that expense; and hence nothing can be more reasonable than an impartial and moderate taxation, by which the expenses of the state may be defrayed, and the various officers…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6For this cause - Because they are appointed by God; for the sake of conscience, and in order to secure the execution of the laws. As they are appointed by God, the tribute which is needful for their support becomes an act of homage to God, an act performed in obedience to his will, and acceptable to him. Tribute also - Not only be subject Romans 13:5, but pay what may be necessary to support the government. “Tribute” properly denotes the “tax,” or annual…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6pay taxes: Jesus spoke about paying taxes in his well-known teaching on the disciples’ relationship to government (Matthew 22:21). A tax revolt took place in Rome around the time Paul was writing this letter. Paul may have known about this event. His discussion of the Christian responsibility toward government may have been prompted by reports that some Roman Christians were involved in this revolt (see Tacitus, Annals 13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-76-7. For, for this cause pay ye--rather, "ye pay" tribute also--that is, "This is the reason why ye pay the contributions requisite for maintaining the civil government." for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing--"to this very thing."Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 13:6

• Citizens
• Government
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Chamber
• Chambering
• Comprehend
• Custom
• Fear
• Minister
• Near
• Owe
• Sword
• Taxes

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