Being Subject to Authorities

13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God.^{(A) 2} Therefore whoever resists authority 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. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval,^{(B) 4} for it is God’s agent for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority^[a] does not bear the sword in vain! It is the agent of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience.^{(C) 6} For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s agents, busy with this very thing. ⁷ Pay to all what is due them: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

⁵ If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.^(A)

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes^[a] with groanings too deep for words.^{(A) 27} And God,^[b] who searches hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit^[c] intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.^(B)

²⁸ We know that all things work together^[d] for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.^(C)

Ask, Search, Knock

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.^{(A) 8} For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.^(B)

¹³ Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.”^(A)