Submission to Governing Authorities

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.

Saved in Order to Do Good

3 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities,^(A) to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,^(B)

¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:^(A) whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong^(B) and to commend those who do right.^{(C) 15} For it is God’s will^(D) that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.^{(E) 16} Live as free people,^(F) but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;^(G) live as God’s slaves.^{(H) 17} Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,^(I) fear God, honor the emperor.^(J)

¹¹ Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.^(A) Therefore the one who handed me over to you^(B) is guilty of a greater sin.”

⁵ With my great power and outstretched arm^(A) I made^(B) the earth and its people and the animals^(C) that are on it, and I give^(D) it to anyone I please. ⁶ Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant^(E) Nebuchadnezzar^(F) king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.^{(G) 7} All nations will serve^(H) him and his son and his grandson until the time^(I) for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate^(J) him.

⁸ “‘“If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish^(K) that nation with the sword,^(L) famine^(M) and plague,^(N) declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand.

⁸ In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings.^(A)

¹⁸ “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar^(A) sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor.^{(B) 19} Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death;^(C) those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled.^{(D) 20} But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride,^(E) he was deposed from his royal throne^(F) and stripped^(G) of his glory.^{(H) 21} He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign^(I) over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.^(J)

²² “But you, Belshazzar, his son,^[a] have not humbled^(K) yourself, though you knew all this. ²³ Instead, you have set yourself up against^(L) the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives^(M) and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand.^(N) But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life^(O) and all your ways.^(P)