Submission to Authority

^13 (A)Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,^[a] whether it be to the emperor^[b] as supreme,

Be Ready for Every Good Work

3 Remind them ^(A)to be submissive to rulers and authorities, ^(B)to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,

Submission to the Authorities

13 Let every person ^(A)be subject to the governing authorities. For ^(B)there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. ² Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. ³ For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you ^(C)will receive his approval, ⁴ for ^(D)he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, ^(E)an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also ^(F)for the sake of conscience. ⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. ^7 (G)Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Pray for All People

2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, ^2 (A)for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and ^(B)dignified in every way.

²⁵ He said to them, “Then ^(A)render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”

¹⁷ Jesus said to them, ^(A)“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.

²¹ They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, ^(A)“Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”

⁷ But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and ^(A)pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

¹⁰ and especially ^(A)those who indulge^[a] in the lust of defiling passion and ^(B)despise authority.