Romans 13
1 Everyone should submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been established by God.
2 So whoever resists authority resists what God has ordained, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good conduct, but for bad. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will receive its praise.
4 For it is God's servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for nothing. It is God's servant, an avenger who carries out wrath against the one who does wrong.
5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience.
6 That is also why you pay taxes, for they are God's servants, devoted to this very task.
7 Give everyone what you owe them: tax to whom tax is due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
8 Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another, for whoever loves another has fulfilled the Law.
9 For the commandments—“Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” and any other commandment—are summed up in this saying: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law.
11 And do this, knowing the time: it is already time for you to wake from sleep, for salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
12 The night is far advanced, and the day is near. So let us put aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime: not in wild parties and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in quarrels and jealousy.
14 Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.
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