Romans 13

1Everyone should obey the governing authorities, because all authority comes from God. The authorities that exist were put there by God.

2So anyone who fights against the authority is fighting against what God has set up, and those who do this will bring judgment on themselves.

3For rulers do not frighten those who do right, but those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and he will praise you.

4For he is God's servant, working for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because he does not carry the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, who carries out God's anger on the wrongdoer.

5So you must obey, not only to avoid being punished, but also because it is the right thing to do.

6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.

7Give everyone what you owe them: pay your taxes and fees, and give respect and honor to those they are due.

8Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another. For whoever loves others has fully obeyed the law.

9The commands — Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not want what belongs to others — and any other command, are all summed up in this one rule: Love your neighbor as yourself.

10Love does no harm to a neighbor. So love is how the law is fully obeyed.

11And do this because you know the time we live in. The hour has come for you to wake up from sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

12The night is almost over; the day is near. So let us get rid of the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

13Let us live properly, as in the daytime — not in wild parties and drunkenness, not in sexual sin and wild living, not in fighting and jealousy.

14Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to satisfy the wrong desires of your sinful self.