Romans 13

A Christian’s Duties to the State

13Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, ^xfor there is no authority except from God, ^yand those that exist are instituted by God. ²So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. ³For rulers are not a terror ^zto good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. ⁴For government is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger ^athat brings wrath on the one who does wrong. ⁵Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience. ^b6And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s public servants, continually attending to these tasks. ^c7Pay your obligations ^dto everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, ^etolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, ^fand honor to those you owe honor.

Love, Our Primary Duty

⁸Do not owe anyone anything, ^gexcept to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. ^h9The commandments:

Do not commit adultery;

do not murder;

do not steal; ⁱ

do not covet; ^jk

and whatever other commandment—all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself. ^lm

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

Put On Christ

¹¹Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour ⁿfor you ^oto wake up from sleep, ^pfor now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. ^q12The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, ^rso let us discard the deeds of darkness ^sand put on the armor of light. ^t13Let us walk with decency, ^uas in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; ^vnot in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, ^wand make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires. ^x