Romans 13
New English Translation
Submission to Civil Government
13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment,[a] and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2 So the person who resists such authority[b] resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment 3 (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation 4 because it is God’s servant for your well-being. But be afraid if you do wrong because government[c] does not bear the sword for nothing. It is God’s servant to administer punishment on the person who does wrong. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities[d] but also because of your conscience.[e] 6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities[f] are God’s servants devoted to governing.[g] 7 Pay everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
Exhortation to Love Neighbors
8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments,[h] “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,”[i] (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[j] 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Motivation to Godly Conduct
11 And do this[k] because we know[l] the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers. 12 The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light. 13 Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to arouse its desires.[m]
Footnotes
- Romans 13:1 tn Grk “by God.”
- Romans 13:2 tn Grk “the authority,” referring to the authority just described.
- Romans 13:4 tn Grk “it.”
- Romans 13:5 tn Grk “its wrath”; the referent (the governing authorities) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Romans 13:5 tn Grk “because of (the) conscience,” but the English possessive “your” helps to show whose conscience the context implies.
- Romans 13:6 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the governing authorities) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Romans 13:6 tn Grk “devoted to this very thing.”
- Romans 13:9 tn Grk “For the…” (with the word “commandments” supplied for clarity). The Greek article (“the”) is used here as a substantiver to introduce the commands that are quoted from the second half of the Decalogue (ExSyn 238).
- Romans 13:9 sn A quotation from Exod 20:13-15, 17; Deut 5:17-19, 21.
- Romans 13:9 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
- Romans 13:11 tn Grk “and this,” probably referring to the command to love (13:8-10); hence, “do” is implied from the previous verses.
- Romans 13:11 tn The participle εἰδότες (eidotes) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
- Romans 13:14 tn Grk “make no provision for the flesh unto desires.”
Romans 13
New King James Version
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.
Love Your Neighbor(G)
8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for (H)he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, (I)“You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” [b]“You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, (J)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore (K)love is the fulfillment of the law.
Put on Christ
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time (L)to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. (M)Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and (N)let us put on the armor of light. 13 (O)Let us walk [c]properly, as in the day, (P)not in revelry and drunkenness, (Q)not in lewdness and lust, (R)not in strife and envy. 14 But (S)put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and (T)make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Footnotes
- Romans 13:2 Lit. receive
- Romans 13:9 NU omits “You shall not bear false witness,”
- Romans 13:13 decently
Romans 13
English Standard Version
Submission to the Authorities
13 Let every person (A)be subject to the governing authorities. For (B)there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you (C)will receive his approval, 4 for (D)he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, (E)an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also (F)for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 (G)Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Fulfilling the Law Through Love
8 (H)Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for (I)the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, (J)“You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: (K)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore (L)love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you (M)to wake from sleep. (N)For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 (O)The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us (P)cast off (Q)the works of darkness and (R)put on the armor of light. 13 (S)Let us walk properly as in the daytime, (T)not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, (U)not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But (V)put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, (W)to gratify its desires.
Romans 13
Revised Geneva Translation
13 Let every soul be subject to the superior authorities. For there is no authority except from God. And the existing authority is ordained by God.
2 Therefore, whoever resists that authority, resists the ordinance of God. And those who resist, shall receive condemnation upon themselves.
3 For rulers are not to be feared for good works, but for evil. Do you, then, wish to be without fear of authority? Do well, and you shall have of the same.
4 For he is the minister of God for your good. But if you do evil, fear. For he does not bear the sword for nothing. For he is the minister of God to take vengeance on evildoers.
5 Therefore, you must be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
6 For because of this you also pay tribute. For they are God’s ministers, persisting continually in this very thing.
7 Therefore, give all their due - tribute to whom you owe tribute, custom to whom custom: fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
8 Owe nothing to anyone, except to be loving one another. For the one who loves another has fulfilled the Law.
9 For these: ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, You shall not covet’ - as well as any other Commandment - are summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’.
10 Love does no evil to his neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law.
11 And this also we know (considering the season): that now is the time that we should arise from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we believed it.
12 The night is past, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast away the works of darkness. And let us put on the armor of light,
13 so that we walk honestly (as in the day), not in gluttony and drunkenness, nor in promiscuity and lewdness, nor in strife and envying.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ. And take no thought for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts of it.
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