ROMANS 13

Be subject to civil authorities, because those who oppose them oppose what God has established and will bring punishment on themselves. Do what is good and then they will commend you. Give to all the authorities what you are obligated to give to them.

1 Every believer must be subject to the authorities. Remember that God is the only one who gives officials their authority. Furthermore, those officials that exist are ones who have been appointed by God {God has appointed}. 2 So whoever resists the officials is resisting what God has established. Furthermore, those who resist officials will bring on themselves from the officials the punishment that God considers fitting. 3 What rulers do is not to cause people who do good deeds to be afraid. Instead, what they do is to cause people who do evil to be afraid. So, if any of you [RHQ] wants to be unafraid of officials, do what is good! If you(sg) do good, they will commend you instead of punishing you! 4 It is in order to serve God by doing their work that every official exists, in order that they may benefit each of you. If any of you does what is evil, you (sg) will rightfully have reason to be afraid, because the authority that they have to punish people [MTY] is very real [LIT]! The officials exist to serve God. That is, they act as God’s agents as they punish those who do evil. 5 So, it is necessary for you (pl) to be subject to officials, not only because they will punish you [MTY] if you disobey them, but also because you know that you should be subject to them 6 It is for this reason that you also pay taxes, because the officials are ones who serve God as they continually do their work. 7 Give to all the officials what you are supposed to give to them! Pay taxes to those who require that you pay taxes. Pay duties on goods to those who require that you pay those duties. Respect those who ought to be respected. Honor those who ought to be honored.