Romans 13:3
New International Version
For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.

New Living Translation
For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you.

English Standard Version
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,

Berean Standard Bible
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.

Berean Literal Bible
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Now do you desire not to fear the authority? Do the good, and you will have praise from him.

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.

New American Standard Bible
For 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;

NASB 1995
For 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;

NASB 1977
For 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;

Legacy Standard Bible
For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of that authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same;

Amplified Bible
For [civil] authorities are not a source of fear for [people of] good behavior, but for [those who do] evil. Do you want to be unafraid of authority? Do what is good and you will receive approval and commendation.

Christian Standard Bible
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For 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.

American Standard Version
For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. And wouldest thou have no fear of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For judges are not a fear to the good doer, but to the wicked. Do you wish, therefore, to be unafraid of the authority? Do good, and you shall have praise from him.

Contemporary English Version
Rulers are a threat to evil people, not to good people. There is no need to be afraid of the authorities. Just do right, and they will praise you for it.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For princes are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good: and thou shalt have praise from the same.

English Revised Version
For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. And wouldest thou have no fear of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
People who do what is right don't have to be afraid of the government. But people who do what is wrong should be afraid of it. Would you like to live without being afraid of the government? Do what is right, and it will praise you.

Good News Translation
For rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of those in authority? Then do what is good, and they will praise you,

International Standard Version
For the authorities are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to live without being afraid of the authorities? Then do what is right, and you will receive their approval.

Literal Standard Version
For those ruling are not a terror to the good works, but to the evil; and do you wish to not be afraid of the authority? Be doing that which is good, and you will have praise from it,

Majority Standard Bible
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.

New American Bible
For rulers are not a cause of fear to good conduct, but to evil. Do you wish to have no fear of authority? Then do what is good and you will receive approval from it,

NET Bible
(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,

New Revised Standard Version
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval;

New Heart English Bible
For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same,

Webster's Bible Translation
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 from the same:

Weymouth New Testament
For judges and magistrates are to be feared not by right-doers but by wrong-doers. You desire--do you not? --to have no reason to fear your ruler. Well, do the thing that is right, and then he will commend you.

World English Bible
For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the authority,

Young's Literal Translation
For those ruling are not a terror to the good works, but to the evil; and dost thou wish not to be afraid of the authority? that which is good be doing, and thou shalt have praise from it,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Submission to Authorities
2Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval. 4For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.…

Cross References
Romans 13:2
Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

1 Peter 2:14
or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.


Treasury of Scripture

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Will you then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and you shall have praise of the same:

rulers.

Romans 13:4
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.

Deuteronomy 25:1
If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

Proverbs 14:35
The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

Wilt.

1 Peter 2:13,14
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; …

1 Peter 3:13,14
And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? …

Jump to Previous
Afraid Approval Authority Bad Cause Commend Conduct Desire Evil Fear Feared Free Good Hold Judges Magistrates Power Praise Reason Receive Right Ruler Rulers Terror Wilt Work Works Wrong
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Afraid Approval Authority Bad Cause Commend Conduct Desire Evil Fear Feared Free Good Hold Judges Magistrates Power Praise Reason Receive Right Ruler Rulers Terror Wilt Work Works Wrong
Romans 13
1. Subjection, and many other duties, we owe to the authorities.
8. Love is the fulfillment of the law.
11. The acts of darkness are out of season in the time of the Gospel.














(3) To good works.--Literally, to the good work, as if it were personified. Human law can only take account of that which is actually done, not of the intention.

In this and the following verse it is clearly the ideal aspect of the magistracy that the Apostle has in view. So Bishop Butler, in the paragraph next to that just quoted, continues: "If it be objected that good actions, and such as are beneficial to society, are often punished, as in the case of persecution and in other cases, and that ill and mischievous actions are often rewarded, it may be answered distinctly: first, that this is in no sort necessary, and consequently not natural, in the sense in which it is necessary and therefore natural, that ill or mischievous actions should be punished; and in the next place, that good actions are never punished considered as beneficial to society, nor ill actions rewarded under the view of their being hurtful to it. So that it stands good . . . that the Author of Nature has as truly directed that vicious actions, considered as mischievous to society, should be punished, and put mankind under a necessity of punishing them, as He has directed and necessitated us to preserve our lives by food." Occasional failures of justice on the part of the executive do not make the strict administration of justice any the less its proper duty and office.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

rulers
ἄρχοντες (archontes)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 758: Present participle of archo; a first.

are
εἰσὶν (eisin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

not
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

a terror
φόβος (phobos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5401: (a) fear, terror, alarm, (b) the object or cause of fear, (c) reverence, respect. From a primary phebomai; alarm or fright.

to good
ἀγαθῷ (agathō)
Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 18: A primary word; 'good'.

conduct,
ἔργῳ (ergō)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2041: From a primary ergo; toil; by implication, an act.

but
ἀλλὰ (alla)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

bad.
κακῷ (kakō)
Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2556: Bad, evil, in the widest sense. Apparently a primary word; worthless, i.e. depraved, or injurious.

Do you want
θέλεις (theleis)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design.

to be unafraid
φοβεῖσθαι (phobeisthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 5399: From phobos; to frighten, i.e. to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of, i.e. Revere.

of the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

one in authority?
ἐξουσίαν (exousian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1849: From exesti; privilege, i.e. force, capacity, competency, freedom, or mastery, delegated influence.

[Then] do
ποίει (poiei)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

what [is]
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

right,
ἀγαθὸν (agathon)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 18: A primary word; 'good'.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

you will have
ἕξεις (hexeis)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

his
αὐτῆς (autēs)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

approval.
ἔπαινον (epainon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1868: Commendation, praise, approval. From epi and the base of aineo; laudation; concretely, a commendable thing.


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NT Letters: Romans 13:3 For rulers are not a terror (Rom. Ro)
Romans 13:2
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