13
Be Subject to the Governing Authorities
1 Every person must be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist have been appointed by God.
2 So then, whoever resists authority opposes what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil works. Do yoʋ wish to have no fear of the one in authority? Do what is good, and yoʋ will have praise from him.
4 For he is God's servant for your good. But if yoʋ do evil, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. As God's servant, he is an avenger who executes wrath on the one who does evil.
5 Therefore it is necessary to be subject to authority, not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience.
6 That is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are servants of God, attending continually to this work.
7 Therefore render to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, fear to whom fear is due, and honor to whom honor is due.
Love One Another
8 Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another, for he who loves others has fulfilled the law.
9 For the commandments, “Yoʋ shall not commit adultery, Yoʋ shall not murder, Yoʋ shall not steal, Yoʋ shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Yoʋ shall love yoʋr neighbor as yoʋrself.”
10 Love does no harm to its neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11 And do this, knowing that the hour has now come for us to be awakened from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
12 The night is nearly over, and the day is almost here. So let us lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelries and drinking bouts, not in illicit affairs and sensual indulgences, not in strife and jealousy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.