Romans 13

Be Subject to Government

1Every 12person is to be 3subject to the governing authorities. For 4there is no authority except 5from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2Therefore 6whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3For 7rulers are not a cause of fear for 8good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4for it is a servant 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 servant of God, an 9avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also 10for the sake of conscience. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 711Pay to all what is due them: 12tax to whom tax is due; 13custom to whom custom; 14respect to whom 15respect; honor to whom honor.

8Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for 16the one who loves 17his neighbor has fulfilled the Law. 9For this, “18You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “19You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love 20does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore 21love is the fulfillment of the Law.

11Do this, knowing the time, that it is 22already the hour for you to 23awaken from sleep; for now 24salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. 1225The night is almost gone, and 26the day is near. Therefore let’s rid ourselves of 27the deeds of darkness and put on 28the armor of light. 13Let’s 2930behave properly as in the day, 31not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and debauchery, not in strife and jealousy. 14But 32put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh 33in regard to its lusts.