ROMEINE 13

Onderwerping aan die owerheid.

1 LAAT elke mens hom tonderwerp aan die magte wat oor hom gestel is, want tdaar is geen mag behalwe van God nie, en die wat daar is, is deur God ingestel,

2 sodat hy wat hom teen die mag versit, die instelling van God weerstaan; en die wat dit weerstaan, sal hulle oordeel ontvang.

3 Want die owerhede is geen voorwerp van vrees by die goeie dade nie, maar by die slegte. Maar wil jy die mag nie vrees nie, doen wat goed is, en tjy sal lof van hom ontvang;

4 want hy is ’n dienaar van God, jou ten goede. Maar as jy kwaad doen, vrees dan; want hy dra die swaard nie verniet nie, want hy is ’n dienaar van God, ’n wreker om die een wat kwaad doen, te straf.

5 Daarom is dit noodsaaklik om jou te onderwerp, nie alleen ter wille van die straf nie, maar ter wille van die gewete.

6 Want daarom betaal julle ook tbelastings; want hulle is dienaars van God wat juis hiermee voortdurend besig is.

7  tBetaal dan aan almal wat aan hulle verskuldig is: belasting aan die wat belasting, ttol aan die wat tol, vrees aan die wat vrees, eer aan die wat eer toekom.

Liefde vir die naaste, waaksaamheid, reinheid.

8 WEES aan niemand iets skuldig nie, behalwe om mekaar lief te hê; want thy wat ’n ander liefhet, het die wet vervul.

9 Want dít: tJy mag nie egbreek nie, jy mag nie doodslaan nie, jy mag nie steel nie, jy mag geen valse getuienis gee nie, jy mag nie begeer nie, en watter ander gebod ook al, word in hierdie woord saamgevat: tJy moet jou naaste liefhê soos jouself.

10 Die liefde doen die naaste geen kwaad nie; daarom is tdie liefde die vervulling van die wet.

11 En dit te meer, omdat ons die tydsomstandighede ken, dat die uur vir ons reeds daar is tom uit die slaap wakker te word; want die saligheid is nou nader by ons as toe ons gelowig geword het.

12 Die nag het ver gevorder en tdit is amper dag. Laat ons dan tdie werke van die duisternis aflê en tdie wapens van die lig aangord.

13 Laat ons welvoeglik wandel soos in die dag, nie in brassery en dronkenskap, nie tin ontug en ongebondenheid, nie in twis en nydigheid nie.
14 Maar tbeklee julle met die Here Jesus Christus, en maak geen voorsorg vir die vlees om sy begeerlikhede te bevredig nie.

Romans 13

1  LET EVERY person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authorities. For there is no authority except from God [by His permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God’s appointment. 2  Therefore he who resists and sets himself up against the authorities resists what God has appointed and arranged [in divine order]. And those who resist will bring down judgment upon themselves [receiving the penalty due them].3  For civil authorities are not a terror to [people of] good conduct, but to [those of] bad behavior. Would you have no dread of him who is in authority? Then do what is right and you will receive his approval and commendation.4  For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, [you should dread him and] be afraid, for he does not bear and wear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant to execute His wrath (punishment, vengeance) on the wrongdoer.5  Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God’s wrath and escape punishment, but also as a matter of principle and for the sake of conscience.6  For this same reason you pay taxes, for [the civil authorities] are official servants under God, devoting themselves to attending to this very service.7  Render to all men their dues. [Pay] taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, and honor to whom honor is due.8  Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor [who practices loving others] has fulfilled the Law [relating to one’s fellowmen, meeting all its requirements].9  The commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet (have an evil desire), and any other commandment, are summed up in the single command, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. 10  Love does no wrong to one’s neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law.11  Besides this you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah).12  The night is far gone and the day is almost here. Let us then drop (fling away) the works and deeds of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light.13  Let us live and conduct ourselves honorably and becomingly as in the [open light of] day, not in reveling (carousing) and drunkenness, not in immorality and debauchery (sensuality and licentiousness), not in quarreling and jealousy.14  But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts).