13 Everyone must obey the government officers. It is God who gives the authority to rule. The people who rule have received their authority from God. 2 So anyone who refuses to obey that authority is refusing to obey God. That person will receive the proper punishment.
3 People who do good things do not need to be afraid of the rulers. Only people who do bad things should be afraid of the rulers. Do you want to live and not be afraid of the rulers? Then you must do good things and they will respect you. 4 Rulers are God's servants. They help you to do good things. But if you do bad things, then you should be afraid of them. They really do have authority to punish people. On God's behalf they punish people who do bad things. 5 So you must obey the people who have authority to rule. You must obey them not only so that they do not punish you. You must obey them because it is right to obey them. And you yourselves know that this is right.
6 This is also the reason why you pay taxes to the government. You should pay them, because the officers are God's servants. They are doing the work that God has given to them. 7 So you must give to each person what you ought to give them. Pay taxes to the people who receive taxes. Do that for every kind of tax. Respect those people that you should respect. Praise people that you should praise.
8 Always pay your debts to people. The only debt that you should have is to love each other. Anyone who loves other people has obeyed God's Law completely.
9 The rules in God's Law say this: ‘Do not have sex with anyone who is not your own wife or your own husband. Do not kill anyone. Do not rob anyone. Do not want things that belong to other people.’ All these rules, and all the other rules in God's Law, are all included in one rule. That one rule is: ‘Love other people as much as you love yourself.’ 10 If you love other people, you will never do anything bad to them. So anyone who loves other people has obeyed God's Law completely.
11 Live in that way, because you know what is happening in this time now. It is time that you should stop sleeping. It is now time to wake up. The time when God will save us completely is near. That time is nearer now than when we first believed in him. 12 The night has nearly finished and the day is almost here. So we must stop doing the bad things that belong to the dark. Instead, we must take weapons like soldiers who are ready to fight in the light. [ a ]
13 We should live in a good way, because we live in the light of day. We should not go to wild parties. We must not be drunks. We must not have sex with anyone who is not our own wife or husband. We must not do wrong things with our bodies. We must not quarrel. We must not be jealous of other people. 14 Instead, you must live with the Lord Jesus Christ as your guide. Do not even think about the bad things that you may want to do to make yourself happy.
13 All of you must obey the government rulers. Everyone who rules was given the power to rule by God. And all those who rule now were given that power by God. 2 So anyone who is against the government is really against something God has commanded. Those who are against the government bring punishment on themselves. 3 People who do right don’t have to fear the rulers. But those who do wrong must fear them. Do you want to be free from fearing them? Then do only what is right, and they will praise you.
4 Rulers are God’s servants to help you. But if you do wrong, you have reason to be afraid. They have the power to punish, and they will use it. They are God’s servants to punish those who do wrong. 5 So you must obey the government, not just because you might be punished, but because you know it is the right thing to do.
6 And this is why you pay taxes too. Those rulers are working for God, and they give all their time to the work of ruling. 7 Give everyone what you owe them. If you owe them any kind of tax, then pay it. Show respect to those you should respect. And show honor to those you should honor.
8 You should owe nothing to anyone, except that you will always owe love to each other. The person who loves others has done all that the law commands. 9 The law says, “You must not commit adultery, you must not murder anyone, you must not steal, you must not want what belongs to someone else.” [ a ] All these commands and all other commands are really only one rule: “Love your neighbor [ b ] the same as you love yourself.” [ c ] 10 Love doesn’t hurt others. So loving is the same as obeying all the law.
11 I say this because you know that we live in an important time. Yes, it is now time for you to wake up from your sleep. Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost finished. The day is almost here. So we should stop doing whatever belongs to darkness. We should prepare ourselves to fight evil with the weapons that belong to the light. 13 We should live in a right way, like people who belong to the day. We should not have wild parties or be drunk. We should not be involved in sexual sin or any kind of immoral behavior. We should not cause arguments and trouble or be jealous. 14 But be like the Lord Jesus Christ, so that when people see what you do, they will see Christ. Don’t think about how to satisfy the desires of your sinful self.
13 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.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
13 Every [ a ] ( A ) person is to be ( B ) subject to the governing authorities. For ( C ) there is no authority except [ b ] from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore [ c ] whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For ( D ) rulers are not a cause of fear for [ d ] good 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; 4 for 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 ( E ) avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also ( F ) for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 ( G ) Pay to all what is due them: ( H ) tax to whom tax is due ; ( I ) custom to whom custom; [ e ] respect to whom [ f ] respect; honor to whom honor.
8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for ( J ) the one who loves [ g ] his neighbor has fulfilled the Law. 9 For this, “ ( K ) You 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, “ ( L ) You shall love your neighbor as yourself .” 10 Love [ h ] does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore ( M ) love is the fulfillment of the Law.
11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is ( N ) already the hour for you to ( O ) awaken from sleep; for now [ i ] salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. 12 ( P ) The night is almost gone, and ( Q ) the day is near. Therefore let’s rid ourselves of ( R ) the deeds of darkness and put on ( S ) the armor of light. 13 Let’s [ j ] ( T ) behave properly as in the day, ( U ) not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and debauchery, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But ( V ) put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh ( W ) in regard to its lusts.
13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, ( A ) for there is no authority except that which God has established. ( B ) The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, ( C ) and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. ( D ) 4 For 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. ( E ) 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. ( F )
6 This is also why you pay taxes, ( G ) for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; ( H ) if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. ( I ) 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” [ a ] ( J ) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up ( K ) in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [ b ] ( L ) 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. ( M )
11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come ( N ) for you to wake up from your slumber, ( O ) because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. ( P ) So let us put aside the deeds of darkness ( Q ) and put on the armor ( R ) of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, ( S ) not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. ( T ) 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, ( U ) and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. [ c ] ( V )
