Romans 13–15

Submission to Governing Authorities

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities,^a for there is no authority except that which God has established.^b The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted,^c and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.^d For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.^e Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.^f

This is also why you pay taxes,^g for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe: If you owe taxes, pay taxes;^h if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Love Fulfills the Law

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.^a The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”^b and whatever other command there may be, are summed up^c in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^d Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.^e

The Day Is Near

And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has already come^a for you to wake up from your slumber,^b because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.^c So let us put aside the deeds of darkness^d and put on the armor^e of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness,^f not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.^g Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,^h and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.ⁱ

The Weak and the Strong

Accept those whose faith is weak,^a without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat everything, but another person, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.^b The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt^c the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge^d the one who does, for God has accepted that person. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?^e To their own master they stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

Some consider one day more sacred than another;^f others consider every day alike. Everyone should be fully convinced in their own mind. Those who regard one day as special do so to the Lord. Those who eat meat do so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God;^g and those who abstain do so to the Lord and give thanks to God. For we do not live to ourselves alone^h and we do not die to ourselves alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.ⁱ For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life^j so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.^k

You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat your brother or sister with contempt?^l For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.^m It is written:

“ ‘As surely as I live,’ⁿ says the Lord,

‘every knee will bow before me;

every tongue will confess to God.’ ”^o

So then, we will all give an account of ourselves to God.^p

Therefore let us stop passing judgment^q on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.^r I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself.^s But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.^t If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.^u Do not by your eating destroy your brother or sister for whom Christ died.^v Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.^w For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking,^x but of righteousness, peace^y and joy in the Holy Spirit,^z because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.^a

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace^b and to mutual edification.^c Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.^d All food is clean,^e but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.^f It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.^g

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn^h themselves by what they approve. But those who have doubtsⁱ are condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak^j and not to please ourselves. We should all please our neighbors for their good,^k to build them up.^l For even Christ did not please himself^m but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”ⁿ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us,^o so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind^p toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify^q the God and Father^r of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Accept one another,^s then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews^t on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises^u made to the patriarchs might be confirmed and, moreover, that the Gentiles^v might glorify God^w for his mercy. As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;

I will sing the praises of your name.”^x

Again, it says,

“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”^y

And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;

let all the peoples extol him.”^z

And again, Isaiah says,

“The Root of Jesse^a will spring up,

one who will arise to rule over the nations;

in him the Gentiles will hope.”^b

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace^c as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.^d

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness,^a filled with knowledge^b and competent to instruct one another. Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me^c to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles.^d He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God,^e so that the Gentiles might become an offering^f acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus^g in my service to God.^h I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentilesⁱ to obey God^j by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders,^k through the power of the Spirit of God.^l So from Jerusalem^m all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.ⁿ It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel^o where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.^p Rather, as it is written:

“Those who were not told about him will see,

and those who have not heard will understand.”^q

This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.^r

Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome

But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you,^a I plan to do so when I go to Spain.^b I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist^c me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem^d in the service^e of the Lord’s people^f there. For Macedonia^g and Achaia^h were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem.ⁱ They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.^j So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain^k and visit you on the way. I know that when I come to you,^l I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit,^m to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.ⁿ Pray that I may be kept safe^o from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution^p I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people^q there, so that by God’s will^r I may come to you^s with joy and together with you be refreshed.^t The God of peace^u be with you all. Amen.