Submission to Authorities
- 1 Let every soul be submitted to the authorities surpassing him or her, for there’s no authority except under God and the ones existing have been appointed by God.
- 2 Therefore, the man setting himself against the authority has resisted the mandate of God, and the men who have resisted shall incur judgement on themselves.
- 3 For the rulers aren’t a terror to a good deed, but to evil. And do you wish not to fear the authority? Do good and you will have praise from the authority.
- 4 For he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do evil, be frightened, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain. For he is a servant of God, an avenger for bringing wrath to the man practicing evil.
- 5 Therefore, it’s necessary to be submitted, not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience.
- 6 For because of this, you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God, continually attending to this same thing.
- 7 Repay what’s owed to all; tax to whom tax is owed, the toll to whom the toll is owed, fear to whom fear is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
- 8 Owe nothing to anyone, except to ^love one another, for the man ^loving another has fulfilled the law.
- 9 For “You shall not have sex with another man’s wife.” “You shall not murder“ “You shall not steal“ [“You shall not testify falsely“] “You shall not covet“, and if there’s any other commandment, it is summarized in this statement: “You shall ^love your neighbor as yourself.”
- 10 ^Love doesn’t do evil to its neighbor, therefore, ^love is the fulfillment of the law.
Clothe yourselves in the Anointed
- 11 And do this *knowing the season, that it’s already the hour for you to awaken from sleep. For now, our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
- 12 The night progressed and the day has drawn near. Therefore, we should cast off the works of darkness and should clothe ourselves with the war equipment of light.
- 13 We should walk properly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in immoral sex and wanton debaucheries, and not in strife and jealousy.
- 14 But clothe yourselves with the Anointed Lord Jesus, and don’t make provision for the cravings of the flesh.