Romans
Chapter 13
1 Everyone should obey those in authority, because all authority comes from God, and those who govern have been placed there by God.
2 Anyone who fights against authority is fighting against what God has established, and those who resist will bring punishment on themselves.
3 Leaders are not to scare people doing good, but those doing bad. So if you don’t want to be afraid of authority, do good things, and you will get their approval.
4 He serves God to do good to you. But if you do evil, be scared; he doesn’t carry the sword for no reason: he serves God to punish those who do evil.
5 You must obey, not only to avoid punishment, but also to have a clear conscience.
6 You should pay taxes too because tax collectors are serving God by doing this important work.
7 Give everyone what you owe them: pay taxes to those you owe taxes, follow customs for those who deserve it, show respect to those who should be respected, and honor those who should be honored.
8 Don’t owe anyone anything, except to love each other, because the one who loves another has done what the law requires.
9 Do not cheat in marriage, do not kill, do not steal, do not lie, do not desire what others have; all other rules are included in this one: Love others as much as you love yourself.
10 Love does no harm to others, so love fulfills the law.
11 Understand the time, that it is now important to wake up from sleep: for our rescue is closer than when we first believed.
12 The night is almost over, the day is coming: so let’s stop doing bad things, and start living in a good and right way.
13 Let’s live well, as in daylight; not with wild parties and drinking, not with wild sex and unchecked desire, not with fighting and jealousy.
14 Wear the ways of Jesus Christ, and don’t make plans for self-indulgence to satisfy its desires.