1 E very person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.

Every person must obey the leaders of the land. There is no power given but from God, and all leaders are allowed by God.

2 T herefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

The person who does not obey the leaders of the land is working against what God has done. Anyone who does that will be punished.

3 F or rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;

Those who do right do not have to be afraid of the leaders. Those who do wrong are afraid of them. Do you want to be free from fear of them? Then do what is right. You will be respected instead.

4 f or it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.

Leaders are God’s servants to help you. If you do wrong, you should be afraid. They have the power to punish you. They work for God. They do what God wants done to those who do wrong.

5 T herefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.

You must obey the leaders of the land, not only to keep from God’s anger, but so your own heart will have peace.

6 F or because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.

It is right for you to pay taxes because the leaders of the land are servants for God who care for these things.

7 R ender to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

Pay taxes to whom taxes are to be paid. Be afraid of those you should fear. Respect those you should respect.

8 O we nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Do not owe anyone anything, but love each other. Whoever loves his neighbor has done what the Law says to do.

9 F or this, “ You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “ You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The Law says, “You must not do any sex sin. You must not kill another person. You must not steal. You must not tell a lie about another person. You must not want something someone else has.” The Law also says that these and many other Laws are brought together in one Law, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”

10 L ove does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Anyone who loves his neighbor will do no wrong to him. You keep the Law with love.

11 D o this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.

There is another reason for doing what is right. You know what time it is. It is time for you to wake up from your sleep. The time when we will be taken up to be with Christ is not as far off as when we first put our trust in Him.

12 T he night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Night is almost gone. Day is almost here. We must stop doing the sinful things that are done in the dark. We must put on all the things God gives us to fight with for the day.

13 L et us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.

We must act all the time as if it were day. Keep away from wild parties and do not be drunk. Keep yourself free from sex sins and bad actions. Do not fight or be jealous.

14 B ut put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

Let every part of you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not allow your weak thoughts to lead you into sinful actions.