Romans 13

Let every person submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed what God has ordained, and those who have opposed it will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will receive praise from it, for it is God's servant for your good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God's servant, an avenger bringing wrath on the one who does evil. Therefore it is necessary to submit, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are God's servants, constantly attending to this very task. Give everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are owed, customs duties to whom customs duties are owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for whoever loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this saying: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, knowing the time: it is already time for you to wake from sleep, for our salvation is nearer now than when we believed. The night is far gone, and the day has drawn near. So let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk honorably, as in the daytime, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in strife and jealousy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Rights and attribution