Romans 13

Paul instructs believers to submit to governing authorities, for the powers that be are ordained of God, and whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God. He summarizes the law in the command to love one's neighbor and urges the church to put on the armour of light, for salvation is nearer than when they first believed.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.	Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been established by God.
2	Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.	Therefore whoever resists the authority resists what God has ordained, and those who resist will bring damnation on themselves.
3	For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:	For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Do what is good and you will have his approval.
4	For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.	For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid — He does not carry the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
5	Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.	Therefore it is necessary to be in submission, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
6	For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.	This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, devoting themselves to this very thing.
7	Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.	Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
8	Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.	Owe no one anything except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
9	For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.	The commandments — you shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet — and any other commandment are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
10	Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.	Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11	And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.	Do this, knowing the time — that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
12	The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.	The night is almost over; the day is near. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13	Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.	Let us behave properly, as in the daytime — not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
14	But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.	Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to gratify the desires of the flesh.