Romans 13

Submission to Governing Authorities

1Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been appointed by God. 2Therefore the one who resists the authority has opposed the ordinance of God, and those who oppose will receive judgment upon themselves.

3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to have no fear of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from it; 4for 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 in vain, for it is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath upon the one who practices evil.

5Therefore it is necessary to be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.

7Render to all what is owed: tax to whom tax is due, revenue to whom revenue, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

Love Fulfills the Law

8Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9For “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 word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

The Day Is Near

11And this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to be awakened from sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we believed. 12The night is far gone, and the day has drawn near. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

13Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in strife and jealousy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its desires.