Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
Romans 13
Governing Authorities
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, because there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist have been put in place by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority opposes what God has ordered, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. For 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 receive praise from it, because it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for nothing. It is God’s servant, an agent of wrath against the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, because the authorities are God’s public servants, devoting themselves to this very task. Give everyone what is owed: tax to whom tax is owed, revenue to whom revenue, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
Love Fulfills the Law
Owe no one anything except to love one another, because the one who loves another has fulfilled the Law. For the commandments, “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.
The Day Has Drawn Near
And do this knowing the time: the hour has already come for you to wake from sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first trusted. The night is nearly over, and the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the works of darkness and put on the weapons of light. Let us walk honorably, as in daylight—not in wild parties and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensual excess, not in strife and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to satisfy its desires.