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].
Romarbrevet 13
nuBibeln (Swedish Contemporary Bible)
Goda medborgare
13 Var och en ska underordna sig de styrande myndigheterna, för de är tillsatta av Gud. Det finns ingen myndighet som inte är av Gud, och alla har de fått sin makt av Gud.[a] 2 Den som sätter sig upp mot en myndighet sätter sig därför upp mot Guds ordning och kommer att bli straffad. 3 De styrande är ju inte ett hot mot den som gör det som är gott, utan mot den som gör det som är ont. Om du vill slippa att vara rädd för myndigheterna, så gör det som är gott. Då kan du få beröm av dem. 4 Myndigheten är ditsatt av Gud för att hjälpa dig till det goda. Men om du gör det som är ont, måste du naturligtvis vara rädd, för myndigheten bär inte sitt vapen förgäves utan är Guds tjänare för vreden, för att straffa den som gör det onda. 5 Därför ska man alltså underordna sig myndigheterna, dels för vredens skull, dels för samvetets skull.
6 Det är ju också därför ni betalar skatt, för myndigheterna är Guds tjänare som utför det arbete de är satta att göra. 7 Betala till alla det ni är skyldiga att ge dem, både skatter och andra avgifter, och visa respekt och vördnad.
Det viktigaste budet
8 Var inte skyldiga någon någonting annat än att älska varandra. Den som älskar sin medmänniska uppfyller lagen. 9 Buden: ”Du ska inte vara otrogen i ditt äktenskap, Du ska inte mörda, Du ska inte stjäla, Du ska inte ha begär,” och alla andra bud, kan ju sammanfattas i ett enda: ”Du ska älska din medmänniska som dig själv.”[b] 10 Kärleken gör inte medmänniskan något ont. Det är därför kärleken är lagens uppfyllelse.
11 Ni vet ju att den tid vi har kvar är begränsad. Vakna upp, för vår räddning är närmare nu än när vi först började tro. 12 Natten är snart slut, och dagen närmar sig. Låt oss därför lägga bort mörkrets gärningar och i stället ta på oss ljusets rustning. 13 Låt oss leva i värdighet, på ett sätt som tål dagsljuset, och inte i vilda fester och drickande, inte i sexuell omoral och omoral, inte i strider och avund. 14 Klä er i Herren Jesus Kristus. Bli inte så upptagna med att sköta om er kropp att begären väcks.
Footnotes
- 13:1 Att de har fått sin makt av Gud, betyder inte att de alltid följer Guds vilja.
- 13:9 Se 2 Mos 20:12-16 och 3 Mos 19:18.
Romans 13
Holman Christian Standard Bible
A Christian’s Duties to the State
13 Everyone must submit to the governing authorities,(A) for there is no authority except from God,(B) and those that exist are instituted by God. 2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror(C) to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. 4 For government is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger(D) that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. 5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience.(E) 6 And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s public servants, continually attending to these tasks.[a] 7 Pay your obligations(F) to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes,(G) tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect,(H) and honor to those you owe honor.
Love, Our Primary Duty
8 Do not owe anyone anything,[b] except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.(I) 9 The commandments:
and whatever other commandment—all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself.(K)[e]
10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.
Put On Christ
11 Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour(L) for you[f] to wake up from sleep,(M) for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.(N) 12 The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near,(O) so let us discard the deeds of darkness(P) and put on the armor of light.(Q) 13 Let us walk with decency,(R) as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness;(S) not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,(T) and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.(U)
Footnotes
- Romans 13:6 Lit to this very thing
- Romans 13:8 Or Leave no debt outstanding to anyone
- Romans 13:9 Other mss add you shall not bear false witness
- Romans 13:9 Ex 20:13-17; Dt 5:17-21
- Romans 13:9 Lv 19:18
- Romans 13:11 Other mss read for us
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