Romans 13:1-14
Romans 13:1-14 (Good News Translation)
1Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority
exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been
put there by God.
2Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God has
ordered; and anyone who does so will bring judgment on himself.
3For rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by
those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of those in authority?
Then do what is good, and they will praise you,
4because they are God's servants working for your own good. But
if you do evil, then be afraid of them, because their power to punish is
real. They are God's servants and carry out God's punishment on those who
do evil.
5For this reason you must obey the authorities—not just
because of God's punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.
6That is also why you pay taxes, because the authorities are
working for God when they fulfill their duties.
7Pay, then, what you owe them; pay them your personal and
property taxes, and show respect and honor for them all.
8Be under obligation to no one—the only obligation you have
is to love one another. Whoever does this has obeyed the Law.
9The commandments,
"Do not commit adultery; do not commit murder; do not steal; do
not desire what belongs to someone else"—all these, and any others
besides, are summed up in the one command,
"Love your neighbor as you love yourself."
10If you love others, you will never do them wrong; to love,
then, is to obey the whole Law.
11You must do this, because you know that the time has come for
you to wake up from your sleep. For the moment when we will be saved is
closer now than it was when we first believed.
12The night is nearly over, day is almost here. Let us stop
doing the things that belong to the dark, and let us take up weapons for
fighting in the light.
13Let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the
light of day—no orgies or drunkenness, no immorality or indecency, no
fighting or jealousy.
14But take up the weapons of the Lord Jesus Christ, and stop
paying attention to your sinful nature and satisfying its desires.
God bless you.
1Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority
exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been
put there by God.
2Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God has
ordered; and anyone who does so will bring judgment on himself.
3For rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by
those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of those in authority?
Then do what is good, and they will praise you,
4because they are God's servants working for your own good. But
if you do evil, then be afraid of them, because their power to punish is
real. They are God's servants and carry out God's punishment on those who
do evil.
5For this reason you must obey the authorities—not just
because of God's punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.
6That is also why you pay taxes, because the authorities are
working for God when they fulfill their duties.
7Pay, then, what you owe them; pay them your personal and
property taxes, and show respect and honor for them all.
8Be under obligation to no one—the only obligation you have
is to love one another. Whoever does this has obeyed the Law.
9The commandments,
"Do not commit adultery; do not commit murder; do not steal; do
not desire what belongs to someone else"—all these, and any others
besides, are summed up in the one command,
"Love your neighbor as you love yourself."
10If you love others, you will never do them wrong; to love,
then, is to obey the whole Law.
11You must do this, because you know that the time has come for
you to wake up from your sleep. For the moment when we will be saved is
closer now than it was when we first believed.
12The night is nearly over, day is almost here. Let us stop
doing the things that belong to the dark, and let us take up weapons for
fighting in the light.
13Let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the
light of day—no orgies or drunkenness, no immorality or indecency, no
fighting or jealousy.
14But take up the weapons of the Lord Jesus Christ, and stop
paying attention to your sinful nature and satisfying its desires.
God bless you.
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