Romans 13

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

2 Therefore he who resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment.

3 For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same,

4 for it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God's servant to administer retribution on those who do what is wrong.

5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of this retribution, but also as a matter of conscience.

6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God, concerned with this very thing.

7 Give therefore to everyone what you owe: taxes to whom taxes are due; customs to whom customs; respect to whom respect; honor to whom honor.

8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

9 For the commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not give false testimony," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You are to love your neighbor as yourself."

10 Love does not harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

11 Do 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.

12 The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let us therefore throw off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

13 Let us walk decently, as in the daytime; not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and lustful acts, and not in dissension and jealousy.

14 But put on the Lord Jesus (the) Messiah, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.