Submit

1Let every soul submit to the governing authorities, because there is no authority except under God, and the existing authorities have been placed by God.

2Therefore whoever resists the authority is opposed to God's ordinance, and those who oppose will bring judgment on themselves. ²⁰³

3Now rulers are not a terror to good deeds but to bad ones. So if you wish not to fear the authority, do the good and you will have praise from the same;

4because it is God's minister to you with a view to the good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not bear the sword for nothing; because it is God's minister, an avenger with a view to wrath on the wrongdoer.

5Therefore it is necessary to submit, not only because of the wrath, but also because of the conscience. ²⁰⁴

6This is precisely why you pay taxes, for they are God's servants, continually attending on this very thing. ²⁰⁵

7Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes, customs to whom customs, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor.

Love

8Owe no one anything except to love one another, since he who loves the other has fulfilled the law. ²⁰⁶

9Because—“You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” ²⁰⁷“You shall not covet,” ²⁰⁸and whatever further commandment—everything is summed up in this word, namely: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁰⁹

10Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment ²¹⁰of the law.

Put on Christ

11Besides this, knowing the time, it is high time for us to be awakened from sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

12The night is nearly over, and the day is near; ²¹¹so let us get rid of the works of the darkness, and let us put on the weapons of the light. ²¹²

13Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual orgies and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy.

14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, with a view to lusts. ²¹³