| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God's appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. | 1Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God. |
| 2So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment | 2So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God's command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. |
| 3(for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation, | 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. |
| 4for it is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be in fear, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God's servant to administer retribution on the wrongdoer. | 4For government is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God's servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. |
| 5Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities but also because of your conscience. | 5Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience. |
| 6For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants devoted to governing. | 6And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God's public servants, continually attending to these tasks. |
| 7Pay everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. | 7Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor. |
| 8Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. | 8Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. |
| 9For the commandments, "Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet," (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, "Love your neighbor as yourself." | 9The commandments: Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and whatever other commandment--all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself. |
| 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. | 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law. |
| 11And do this because we know the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers. | 11Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. |
| 12The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light. | 12The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. |
| 13Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy. | 13Let us walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. |
| 14Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to arouse its desires. | 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires. |
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