Romans 13

1 Let every soul be subject to the authorities that are over him. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been arranged by God. [a] † 2 So the one who sets himself against the authority has taken his stand against the arrangement of God, and those who have taken such a stand will receive judgment on themselves.

3 For the rulers are not a terror to the good work but to the evil. Do you want not to fear the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from it; 4 for it is God’s servant to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not carry the sword to no purpose. For it is God’s servant, an avenger for wrath on the one who does what is evil. [b] 5 That is why it is necessary to be subject, not only because of the wrath but also because of conscience.

6 For this is why you also pay tribute: they are God’s public servants, devoting themselves to this very thing. [c] 7 Pay to all what is owed: tribute to the one owed tribute, duty to the one owed duty, fear to the one owed fear, honor to the one owed honor. [d]

8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves the other has fulfilled the law. 9 For the “You are not to commit adultery,” “You are not to murder,” “You are not to steal,” “You are not to set your desire,” and any other command, is summed up under one head in this word, in the “You are to love your neighbor as yourself.” [e] 10 Love does no evil to the neighbor; love, then, is the fullness of the law.

11 And this, knowing the time — that it is already the hour for you to be raised out of sleep; for now our rescue is nearer than when we came to trust. [g] 12 The night has advanced, and the day has drawn near. So let us throw off the works of darkness, and let us put on the weapons of light. [h] 13 As in the day, let us walk decently: not in carousing and drunken bouts, not in beds and indecencies, not in strife and jealousy; [i] 14 but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its desires. [j]