Romans Chapter 13

Respect for Political Rulers

¹ Every person needs to submit to higher authorities, because there’s no authority except by God’s approval. God has established the authorities that exist. ² So if a person resists them, he’s resisting what God has established, and he’ll be condemned for it. ³ Rulers don’t bring fear for good behavior, but for bad. You shouldn’t be afraid of authority. Do what’s right, and you’ll be praised for it. ⁴ They’re God’s ministers to you for good. If you do what’s wrong, be afraid; they don’t carry a sword for nothing. They punish people for doing bad things. ⁵ So you need to submit, not only to avoid punishment, but for conscience sake. ⁶ For the same reason, pay your taxes, because they’re God’s ministers, who dedicate themselves to those very things. ⁷ Pay everybody what’s due to them—taxes, customs, respect, honor.                 

Rom 13:1-7

Call for Renewed Goodness

            ⁸ Don’t owe people anything except to love them. The one that loves another fulfills the Law. ⁹ “Do not commit adultery, murder, steal, covet” [Ex 20:13-15, 17; Deut 5:17-19, 21] or any other commandment is summed up in “Love your neighbor as yourself” [Lev 19:18]. ¹⁰ Love doesn’t do anything bad to a “neighbor;” so it fulfills the Law.                                                       

¹¹ Do that because you know it’s time to get up from sleeping. Your salvation’s nearer now than when you came to believe. ¹² Nighttime is far gone and daytime’s coming; so lay aside what people do in the dark and pick up the tools used in daylight. ¹³ Live respectably in the daylight, not with carousing and indecency, rivalry and jealousy. ¹⁴ Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and don’t cater to physical drives.                  

Rom 13:8-14