Romans 13

1Every soul must submit to superior authorities, for no authority exists except from God, and those that exist are appointed by God.

2So whoever resists authority has resisted God's decree, and those who have resisted will receive judgment on themselves.

3For rulers are not a source of fear for good deeds, but for evil. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Do good, and you will have praise from the same.

4For he is God's servant to you for good, but if you do evil, fear—for he does not bear the sword without cause; for he is God's servant, an avenger bringing wrath on the one who does evil.

5Therefore it is necessary to submit, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience.

6For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing.

7Pay everyone what is owed: tribute to the one owed tribute, custom to the one owed custom, fear to the one owed fear, honor to the one owed honor.

8Owe no one anything except to love each other; for the one who loves another has accomplished the law.

9For "Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet," and any other commandment is summed up in this one saying: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

10Love works no evil to a neighbor. Love is therefore the fulfillment of the law.

11And do this, knowing the season, that it is already the hour for you to awake out of sleep, for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.

12The night has advanced, but the day has drawn near; therefore let us cast aside the works of darkness and clothe ourselves with the weapons of light.

13Let us walk decently, as in the day—not in revelry and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy.

14But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh for lusts.