Be Subject to Government

13 Every [a](A)person is to be (B)subject to the governing authorities. For (C)there is no authority except [b]from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore [c]whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For (D)rulers are not a cause of fear for [d]good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a servant of God, an (E)avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also (F)for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. (G)Pay to all what is due them: (H)tax to whom tax is due; (I)custom to whom custom; [e]respect to whom [f]respect; honor to whom honor.

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for (J)the one who loves [g]his neighbor has fulfilled the Law. For this, “(K)You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “(L)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love [h]does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore (M)love is the fulfillment of the Law.

11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is (N)already the hour for you to (O)awaken from sleep; for now [i]salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. 12 (P)The night is almost gone, and (Q)the day is near. Therefore let’s rid ourselves of (R)the deeds of darkness and put on (S)the armor of light. 13 Let’s [j](T)behave properly as in the day, (U)not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and debauchery, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But (V)put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh (W)in regard to its lusts.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 13:1 Or soul
  2. Romans 13:1 Lit by
  3. Romans 13:2 Lit the one who
  4. Romans 13:3 Lit good work
  5. Romans 13:7 I.e., for authority; lit fear
  6. Romans 13:7 I.e., for authority; lit fear
  7. Romans 13:8 Lit the other
  8. Romans 13:10 Lit works no evil
  9. Romans 13:11 Or our salvation is nearer than when
  10. Romans 13:13 Lit walk

13 Let kol nefesh (every soul, person) be subject to the official governing authorities. For there is no memshalah (government) except given by Hashem, and the powers that be have been established by G-d.

So then, he who opposes the authority has resisted the ordinance, official decree of G-d; and those who resist shall receive mishpat (judgment) on themselves.

For rulers are not a cause of pachad (terror) to hitnahagut (conduct) that is of HaTov but HaRah. Do you want to be without pachad of memshalah (government)? Do HaTov, and you will have the commendation of the representative of the memshalah.

For he is the mesharet (minister, servant) of Hashem to you for HaTov. But if you do HaRah, be afraid. For he does not bear the cherev (8:35) to no purpose. For he is the mesharet of Hashem, an avenger for Charon Af (1:18 2:8; 3:5; 4:15; 5:9; 9:22; 12:19; 13:4) against the evildoer.

Wherefore it is necessary to be subject, not only on account of the Charon Af of Hashem, but also on account of matzpun (conscience).

For that is why you also pay tribute (taxes). For they are mesharetim of G-d engaged in this very task.

Render to everyone their due: tribute to whom tribute is due, tax to whom tax; fear to whom fear is due, respect to whom respect.

Owe, be indebted, obligated nothing to anyone except a choiv (debt) of ahavah (love); for he who has ahavah has fulfilled the Torah.

For the mitzvoh, LO TIN’AF, LO TIRTZACH, LO TIGNOV, LO TACHMOD, SHEMOT 20:13-15,17; DEVARIM 5:17-19,21) and any other of the mitzvot (commandments) is akitzur (restated, in summary), in this dvar Torah, V’AHAVTA L’RE’ACHA KAMOCHA ("You shall love your neighbor as yourself" VAYIKRA 19:18.)

10 Ahavah (agape) does no wrong to the re’a (neighbor); therefore the fulfillment of the Torah is ahavah.

11 Besides this, you have da’as of the zman, that it is already the hour for you to wake up from sheynah (sleep), for now is Yeshu’at Eloheinu nearer than when we became ma’aminim (believers).

12 The Lailah (Night) (of the old epoch) is far advanced, and HaYom [Yom HaDin, the Day of Judgment] is imminent, at hand. Let us therefore take off the dark cloak of the deeds of choshech, ridding ourselves of it, and let us put on the neshek (weapons 6:13) of Ohr (light).

13 Let us conduct ourselves decently as in HaYom (The Day), not in carousing and shichrut (drunkenness), not in zenut (fornication) and debauchery and zimmah (licentiousness), not in merivah (strife) and quarreling and anochiyut (selfishness) and kinah (jealousy).

14 But put on Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua Adoneinu and make no provision for the basar (old fallen nature), to satisfy its ta’avot (lusts).