Romans 13

¹Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the existing authorities have been appointed by God.

²Therefore whoever opposes the authority has resisted the ordinance of God, and those who have resisted will bring judgment upon themselves.

³For rulers are not a terror to good work, but to evil. Do you wish, then, not to fear the authority? Do the good, and you will have praise from it.

⁴for he is God's servant to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is God's servant, an avenger for wrath upon the one who practices evil.

⁵Therefore it is necessary to be subject, not only because of the wrath but also because of the conscience.

⁶For on account of this you also pay taxes, for they are ministers of God, attending continually to this very thing.

⁷Render therefore to all their dues: to whom tax, the tax; to whom tribute, the tribute; to whom fear, the fear; to whom honor, the honor.

⁸Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves the other has fulfilled the law.

⁹For the commandments: 'You will not commit adultery,' 'You will not murder,' 'You will not steal,' 'You will not covet,' and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying: 'You will love your neighbor as yourself.'

¹⁰Love does not work evil to the neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

¹¹And this, knowing the time — that it is already the hour for you to be roused from sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we believed.

¹²The night is far spent, and the day has drawn near. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

¹³as in daytime, let us walk becomingly, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy.

¹⁴But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its desires.