Romans 13

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

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Romans 13:6

“For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.”

Study Summary

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. — Telos (tax, toll, revenue) payment to the leitourgoi (public ministers, servants) who proskartereō (persist in, devote themselves to) tēi leitourgiai (the public service) is obedience rendered. Taxes fund the protective and judicial functions of government. This is not tribute to an alien power but support for God's ordained servants.

Community Reflections

Yuki Tanaka (Test User)7h ago

The meaning of sacrifice — Romans 13

God is faithful in every circumstance.. This is one of those passages that reads differently in every season of life. The Hebrew word used here carries a richness that English can't fully capture. The thread of covenant runs through every book of the Bible.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. Today it speaks comfort; a year ago it spoke conviction.. I think this is a call to trust beyond what we can see. The imagery here is agricultural — the original audience would have immediately understood the metaphor of sowing, waiting, and harvesting.. There's something deeply comforting about knowing that the same God who spoke these words is the same yesterday, today, and forever.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. I love how this passage doesn't shy away from the difficulty of obedience. Now I understand why — it's a daily declaration of dependence on God.. God is faithful in…

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