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Kehilah in Rome 13

1 Let kol nefesh (every soul, person) be subject to the official governing authorities. For there is no memshalah (government) except given by Hashem, and the powers that be have been established by G-d.2 So then, he who opposes the authority has resisted the ordinance, official decree of G-d; and those who resist shall receive mishpat (judgment) on themselves.3 For rulers are not a cause of pachad (terror) to hitnahagut (conduct) that is of HaTov but HaRah. Do you want to be without pachad of memshalah (government)? Do HaTov, and you will have the commendation of the representative of the memshalah.4 For he is the mesharet (minister, servant) of Hashem to you for HaTov. But if you do HaRah, be afraid. For he does not bear the cherev (8:35) to no purpose. For he is the mesharet of Hashem, an avenger for Charon Af (1:18 2:8; 3:5; 4:15; 5:9; 9:22; 12:19; 13:4) against the evildoer.5 Wherefore it is necessary to be subject, not only on account of the Charon Af of Hashem, but also on account of matzpun (conscience).6 For that is why you also pay tribute (taxes). For they are mesharetim of G-d engaged in this very task.7 Render to everyone their due: tribute to whom tribute is due, tax to whom tax; fear to whom fear is due, respect to whom respect.8 Owe, be indebted, obligated nothing to anyone except a choiv (debt) of ahavah (love); for he who has ahavah has fulfilled the Torah.9 For the mitzvoh, LO TIN'AF, LO TIRTZACH, LO TIGNOV, LO TACHMOD, SHEMOT 20:13-15,17; DEVARIM 5:17-19,21) and any other of the mitzvot (commandments) is akitzur (restated, in summary), in this dvar Torah, V'AHAVTA L'RE'ACHA KAMOCHA ("You shall love your neighbor as yourself" VAYIKRA 19:18.)10 Ahavah (agape) does no wrong to the re'a (neighbor); therefore the fulfillment of the Torah is ahavah.11 Besides this, you have da'as of the zman, that it is already the hour for you to wake up from sheynah (sleep), for now is Yeshu'at Eloheinu nearer than when we became ma'aminim (believers).12 The Lailah (Night) (of the old epoch) is far advanced, and HaYom [Yom HaDin, the Day of Judgment] is imminent, at hand. Let us therefore take off the dark cloak of the deeds of choshech, ridding ourselves of it, and let us put on the neshek (weapons 6:13) of Ohr (light).13 Let us conduct ourselves decently as in HaYom (The Day), not in carousing and shichrut (drunkenness), not in zenut (fornication) and debauchery and zimmah (licentiousness), not in merivah (strife) and quarreling and anochiyut (selfishness) and kinah (jealousy).14 But put on Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua Adoneinu and make no provision for the basar (old fallen nature), to satisfy its ta'avot (lusts).

ROMANS 13

Obey Rulers

1  t Obey the rulers who have authority over you. Only God can give authority to anyone, and he puts these rulers in their places of power. 2 People who oppose the authorities are opposing what God has done, and they will be punished. 3 Rulers are a threat to evil people, not to good people. There is no need to be afraid of the authorities. Just do right, and they will praise you for it.

4 After all, they are God's servants, and it is their duty to help you.
If you do something wrong, you ought to be afraid, because these rulers have the right to punish you. They are God's servants who punish criminals to show how angry God is.

5 But you should obey the rulers because you know it is the right thing to do, and not just because of God's anger.
6  t You must also pay your taxes. The authorities are God's servants, and it is their duty to take care of these matters.

7 Pay all that you owe, whether it is taxes and fees or respect and honor.

Love


8 Let love be your only debt! If you love others, you have done all that the Law demands. 9 t In the Law there are many commands, such as, “Be faithful in marriage. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not want what belongs to others.” But all of these are summed up in the command that says, “Love others as much as you love yourself.”

10 No one who loves others will harm them. So love is all that the Law demands.

The Day //When Christ Returns


11 You know what sort of times we live in, and so you should live properly. It is time to wake up. You know that the day when we will be saved is nearer now than when we first put our faith in the Lord. 12 Night is almost over, and day will soon appear. We must stop behaving as people do in the dark and be ready to live in the light. 13 So behave properly, as people do in the day. Don't go to wild parties or get drunk or be vulgar or indecent. Don't quarrel or be jealous. 14 Let the Lord Jesus Christ be as near to you as the clothes you wear. Then you won't try to satisfy your selfish desires.