THE BOOK OF ROMANS

 

Romans Chapter 13

1 ¶ Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God: and those that exist are established by God.

2 Therefore he who resists the authorities, resists the arrangement of God: and those who resist will bring judgement on themselves.

3 For rulers are not a terror to those who do right, but to those who do evil. Do you want to be free from fear of government? Then do what is right, and you will have praise from the same:

4 For it is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain: for it is the agent of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon the one doing evil.

5 Therefore you need to be subject, not only to avoid wrath, but also for conscience sake.

6 This is also why you pay your taxes: for the authorities are God’s servants, attending continually to this very thing.

7 ¶ Give to all men what you owe them: taxes to whom taxes are due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

9 For this, You will not commit adultery, You will not kill, You will not steal, You will not bear false witness, You will not covet; and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, namely, You will love your neighbor as yourself.

10 Love does no harm to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

11 ¶ And this do, knowing the hour, that it is already time for us to awake out of sleep: for our salvation is nearer now than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in sensuality and debauchery, not in strife and envying.

14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts.