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Romans 13
New International Version
Romans 13
New International Version
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. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted,(C) and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.(D) 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.(E) 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.(F)
6 This is also why you pay taxes,(G) for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes;(H) if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Love Fulfills the Law
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.(I) 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a](J) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up(K) in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b](L) 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.(M)
The Day Is Near
11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come(N) for you to wake up from your slumber,(O) because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.(P) So let us put aside the deeds of darkness(Q) and put on the armor(R) of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness,(S) not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.(T) 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,(U) and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.[c](V)
Footnotes
- Romans 13:9 Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deut. 5:17-19,21
- Romans 13:9 Lev. 19:18
- Romans 13:14 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
Romans 13
The Message
Romans 13
The Message
To Be a Responsible Citizen
13 1-3 Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it’s God’s order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you’re irresponsible to the state, then you’re irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. Duly constituted authorities are only a threat if you’re trying to get by with something. Decent citizens should have nothing to fear.
3-5 Do you want to be on good terms with the government? Be a responsible citizen and you’ll get on just fine, the government working to your advantage. But if you’re breaking the rules right and left, watch out. The police aren’t there just to be admired in their uniforms. God also has an interest in keeping order, and he uses them to do it. That’s why you must live responsibly—not just to avoid punishment but also because it’s the right way to live.
6-7 That’s also why you pay taxes—so that an orderly way of life can be maintained. Fulfill your obligations as a citizen. Pay your taxes, pay your bills, respect your leaders.
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8-10 Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don’t sleep with another person’s spouse, don’t take someone’s life, don’t take what isn’t yours, don’t always be wanting what you don’t have, and any other “don’t” you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can’t go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love.
11-14 But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can’t afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!
Romans 13
Expanded Bible
Romans 13
Expanded Bible
Christians Should Obey the Law
13 All of you must ·yield [obey; submit; be subject] to the government ·rulers [authorities]. [L Because; For] ·No one rules [L There is no authority] ·unless God has given him the power to rule [L except by/through God], and ·no one rules now without that power from God [L those that exist are appointed/established by God]. 2 So those who ·are against the government [rebel/resist the authority] are really ·against [resisting; opposing] what God has ·commanded [ordained; instituted]. And they will bring ·punishment [judgment] on themselves. 3 [L For] Those who do ·right [good] do not have to fear the rulers; only those who do ·wrong [evil] fear them. Do you want to be unafraid of the ·rulers [L authority]? Then do what is ·right [good], and they will ·praise [commend] you. 4 The ruler is God’s servant ·to help you [for your good]. But if you do wrong, then be afraid. ·He has the power to punish [L For he does not bear the sword in vain]; he is God’s servant ·to punish [an avenger for (God’s) wrath to] those who do wrong. 5 So you must ·yield [submit; be subject] to the government, not only because ·you might be punished [L of wrath], but because ·you know it is right [of (your) conscience].
6 This is also why you pay taxes. [L Because] Rulers are ·working for God [God’s servants/ministers] ·and give their time to [devoting themselves to] their work. 7 Pay everyone what you owe them: taxes to those you owe taxes, ·fees [tolls] to those you owe ·fees [tolls], ·respect [reverence; fear] to those you owe ·respect [reverence; fear], and honor to those you owe honor.
Loving Others
8 Do not owe ·people [L anyone] anything, except always owe love to each other, because the person who loves others has ·obeyed all [fulfilled] the law. 9 [L For] The law says, “You must not be guilty of adultery. You must not murder anyone. You must not steal. You must not ·want to take your neighbor’s things [covet; Ex. 20:13–15, 17; Deut. 5:17–21].” All these commands and all others are really summed up in this one ·rule [command; word]: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself [Lev. 19:18].” 10 Love never ·hurts [does wrong/evil to] a neighbor, so loving is ·obeying all [fulfilling] the law.
11 Do this ·because you know the times in which we live [L knowing the time/season]. It is ·now [or already the] ·time [hour] for you to wake up from your sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night [C a metaphor for the present evil age] is ·almost finished [advancing], and the day [C the time of final judgment and reward] is ·almost here [near; or at hand]. So we should ·stop doing [put aside; cast off] ·things that belong to [L the deeds/works of] darkness and ·take up the weapons [or put on the armor] ·used for fighting in [or that belong to; L of] the light. 13 Let us ·live [walk] ·in a right way [properly; decently], like people who belong to the day. We should not have wild parties or get drunk. There should be no ·sexual sins of any kind [L sexual immorality or debauchery/sensuality], no ·fighting [strife; quarrels] or jealousy. 14 But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and ·forget about satisfying [or give no opportunity to the desires of; or don’t think about ways to gratify] ·your sinful self [the sinful nature; T the flesh].
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.