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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do.

Context of Romans 13:6

4For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. 8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• this causeοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• pay yeτελέωteleō · to finishG5055
• tributeφόροςphoros · taxG5411
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• they areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• God’sθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• ministersλειτουργόςleitourgos · ministerG3011
• attending continuallyπροσκαρτερέωproskartereō · to continue in/withG4342
• uponεἰςeis · towardG1519
• very thingαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Romans 13:6

• Ezra 4:13Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.
• Ezra 6:8Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop.
• Nehemiah 5:4Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
• Matthew 17:24After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
• Matthew 22:17Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”
• Mark 12:14They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?
• Luke 20:21So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
• Luke 23:2And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”
• Romans 12:8if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
• Exodus 18:13The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.
• Deuteronomy 1:9At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone.
• 1 Samuel 7:16From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places.
• 2 Samuel 8:5When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them.
• 1 Chronicles 18:14David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people.
• Job 29:7“When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public 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