Romans 13:1

Romans 13:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
• New International Version (NIV)Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

Context of Romans 13:1

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment 3(for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation,

Romans 13:1 word by word

Πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἐξουσίαις ὑπερεχούσαις ὑποτασσέσθω. οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἐξουσία εἰ μὴ ὑπὸ θεοῦ, αἱ δὲ οὖσαι ὑπὸ θεοῦ τεταγμέναι εἰσίν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·δέde · thenG1161
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Letὑποτάσσωhupotassō · to subjectG5293
• everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• soulψυχήpsuchē · soul: personG5590
• the higherὑπερέχωhuperechō · be higherG5242
• powersἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• there isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• noοὐou · noG3756
• ·εἰei · if: notG1487
• butμήmē · notG3361
• ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• ordainedτάσσωtassō · to appointG5021
• ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259

Cross-references for Romans 13:1

• Deuteronomy 17:12The person who pays no attention to the priest currently serving the Lord your God there, or to the verdict – that person must die, so that you may purge evil from Israel.
• Ephesians 5:21and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
• 1 Peter 2:13Be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme
• 2 Peter 2:10especially those who indulge their fleshly desires and who despise authority. Brazen and insolent, they are not afraid to insult the glorious ones,
• Jude 1:8Yet these men, as a result of their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and insult the glorious ones.
• 1 Samuel 2:8He lifts the weak from the dust; he raises the poor from the ash heap to seat them with princes and to bestow on them an honored position. The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord, and he has placed the world on them.
• 1 Chronicles 28:4The Lord God of Israel chose me out of my father’s entire family to become king over Israel and have a permanent dynasty. Indeed, he chose Judah as leader, and my father’s family within Judah, and then he picked me out from among my father’s sons and made me king over all Israel.
• Psalms 62:11God has declared one principle; two principles I have heard: God is strong,
• Proverbs 8:15Kings reign by means of me, and potentates decree righteousness;
• Jeremiah 27:5“I made the earth and the people and animals on it by my mighty power and great strength, and I give it to whomever I see fit.
• Daniel 2:21He changes times and seasons, deposing some kings and establishing others. He gives wisdom to the wise; he imparts knowledge to those with understanding;
• Daniel 4:32You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”
• Daniel 5:18As for you, O king, the most high God bestowed on your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty.
• Matthew 6:13And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
• John 19:11Jesus replied, “You would have no authority over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”
• Revelation 1:5and from Jesus Christ – the faithful witness, the firstborn from among the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has set us free from our sins at the cost of his own blood

Commentaries on Romans 13:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers - This is a very strong saying, and most solemnly introduced; and we must consider the apostle as speaking, not from his own private judgment, or teaching a doctrine of present expediency, but declaring the mind of God on a subject of the utmost importance to the peace of the world; a doctrine which does not exclusively belong to any class of people, order of the community, or official situations, but to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Let every soul - Every person. In the seven first verses of this chapter, the apostle discusses the subject of the duty which Christians owe to civil government; a subject which is extremely important, and at the same time exceedingly difficult. There is no doubt that he had express reference to the special situation of the Christians at Rome; but the subject was of so much importance that he gives it a “general” bearing, and states the great principles…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The duty of subjection to governors. (1-7) Exhortations to mutual love. (8-10) To temperance and sobriety. (11-14) Verses 1-7 The grace of the gospel teaches us submission and quiet, where pride and the carnal mind only see causes for murmuring and discontent. Whatever the persons in authority over us themselves may be, yet the just power they have, must be submitted to and obeyed. In the general course of human affairs, rulers are not a terror to honest…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 13:1

• Citizens
• Government
• Loyalty
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

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

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