The Bible

Romans Chapter 13

¹Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God. ²So he who resists the authority withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment. ³For rulers are not a terror to good actions, but to evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the authority, ⁴for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid, for he doesn't bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil. ⁵So you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience' sake. ⁶For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God's service, continually doing this very thing. ⁷So give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

⁸Owe no one anything, except to selflessly-love one another; for he who selflessly-loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. ⁹For [the commandments], "Don't commit adultery," "Don't murder," "Don't steal," [*"Don't give false testimony,"] "Don't covet," and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "Selflessly-love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁰Selfless-love doesn't harm a neighbor. So selfless-love is the fulfillment of the law.

¹¹Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed. ¹²The night is far gone, and the day is near. So let's throw off the actions of darkness, and let's put on the armor of light. ¹³Let's walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy. ¹⁴But put on the Lord Jesus AnointedOne, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.