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).

Romerne 13

Forholdet til styremaktene

1 Enhver skal være lydig mot de myndigheter han har over seg. Det finnes ingen myndigheter som ikke er fra Gud, og de som er ved makten, er innsatt av Gud. t 2 Den som setter seg opp mot dem, står derfor imot Guds ordning, og de som gjør det, skal få sin dom. 3 De styrende er ikke til skrekk for den gode gjerning, men for den onde. Vil du slippe å frykte myndighetene, så gjør det gode, og du skal få ros av dem. t 4 Styremakten er en Guds tjener, til beste for deg. Gjør du det onde, har du grunn til å være redd. Det er jo ikke for ingen ting at den bærer sverd. Den er Guds tjener som skal fullbyrde hans straff over den som gjør det onde. 5 Derfor er det nødvendig å underordne seg, ikke bare av frykt for straffen, men også for samvittighetens skyld. 6 Dere betaler jo også skatt. Og myndighetene er Guds tjener og er satt til å ta seg av dette.

7 Oppfyll deres forpliktelser mot alle. Betal skatt til den som skal ha skatt, og toll til den som skal ha toll. Vis respekt for den som har krav på respekt, og gi ære til den dere skylder ære.t

Kjærligheten – oppfyllelsen av loven