Submit to Government

13 Let every soul be ^(A)subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. ² Therefore whoever resists ^(B)the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will ^[a]bring judgment on themselves. ³ For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? ^(C)Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. ⁴ For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. ⁵ Therefore ^(D)you must be subject, not only because of wrath ^(E)but also for conscience’ sake. ⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. ^7 (F)Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

²¹ Moreover you shall select from all the people ^(A)able men, such as ^(B)fear God, ^(C)men of truth, ^(D)hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ²² And let them judge the people at all times. ^(E)Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for ^(F)they will bear the burden with you.

⁵ Then Paul said, ^(A)“I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ^(B)‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”

²¹ They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

And He said to them, ^(A)“Render^[a] therefore to Caesar the things that are ^(B)Caesar’s, and to God the things that are ^(C)God’s.”

²⁰ but that we ^(A)write to them to abstain ^(B)from things polluted by idols, ^(C)from ^[a]sexual immorality, ^(D)from things strangled, and from blood.

¹⁹ But Peter and John answered and said to them, ^(A)“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. ^20 (B)For we cannot but speak the things which ^(C)we have seen and heard.”

¹⁷ If that is the case, our ^(A)God whom we serve is able to ^(B)deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we ^(C)worship the gold image which you have set up.”