New Testament
Romans 13
Overview
Paul turns from love within the church to the believer's relationship with the wider order, beginning with civil authority: every person should be subject to the governing authorities, because there is no authority except from God, and rulers are God's servants who do not bear the sword in vain, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on wrongdoers. Therefore one must submit not only to avoid wrath but for conscience' sake, and pay taxes, revenue, respect, and honor to whom they are owed. Paul then gathers all duties into a single debt that can never be discharged: "Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." The commandments against adultery, murder, theft, and coveting are all summed up in "love your neighbor as yourself," for love does no wrong to a neighbor and is the fulfilling of the law. The chapter ends with an urgent eschatological summons: knowing the hour, that salvation is nearer than when we first believed, the night is far gone and the day is at hand—so cast off the works of darkness, put on the armor of light, walk properly as in the daytime, and "put on the Lord Jesus Christ."
1Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.
2Therefore he who resists the authority withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.
3For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the authority,
4for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.
5Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
6For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, continually doing this very thing.
7Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
8Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
9For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
10Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.
11Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.
12The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light.
13Let’s walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy.
14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.