Paul's fourfold repetition of "authority" (exousia) in verses 1-2 creates a theological cascade where divine sovereignty flows through human institutions, making civil disobedience tantamount to resisting God himself.
Romans 13
Submission to Governing Authorities
1Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.
2Therefore he who resists the authority withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.
3For 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,
4for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.
5Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
6For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, continually doing this very thing.
7Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Love as Fulfillment of the Law
8Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
9For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
10Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.
11Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.
12The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light.
13Let’s walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy.
14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.
Font Size 17pt
Line Spacing
Theme
Paul instructs Roman Christians on their relationship to governing authorities, emphasizing that all authority comes from God and believers should submit to rulers while fulfilling civic duties like paying taxes. He then transitions to love as the supreme ethical principle, arguing that loving one's neighbor fulfills all the commandments of the law. The chapter concludes with an urgent call to holy living in light of Christ's approaching return, urging believers to abandon sinful behaviors and clothe themselves with Christ.
Context
Following Paul's teaching on Christian unity and spiritual gifts in chapter 12, this chapter addresses believers' responsibilities toward civil society before moving to issues of Christian liberty in chapter 14.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-7 Submission to Governing Authorities Paul commands obedience to civil authorities as God's appointed servants, including paying taxes and showing proper respect.
- 8-10 Love as Fulfillment of the Law Love for neighbor is presented as the summary and fulfillment of all moral commandments.
- 11-14 Urgent Call to Holy Living Believers must awaken from spiritual slumber and live righteously in anticipation of Christ's imminent return.
Submission to Governing Authorities
13:1–13:7 epistle instruction solemn
Paul teaches that governing authorities are established by God and Christians should submit to them, paying taxes and showing proper respect as part of their civic duty.
structural
Paul's fourfold repetition of "authority" (exousia) in verses 1-2 creates a theological cascade where divine sovereignty flows through human institutions, making civil disobedience tantamount to resisting God himself.
Love as Fulfillment of the Law
13:8–13:14 epistle instruction urgent
Paul explains that love fulfills the law's requirements and urges believers to live righteously in light of Christ's approaching return, putting on Christ and rejecting sinful desires.
quotation_chain
Paul uniquely bridges Decalogue prohibitions with Leviticus's love command, creating the New Testament's most comprehensive synthesis of negative and positive law fulfillment.
Insights
Paul uniquely bridges Decalogue prohibitions with Leviticus's love command, creating the New Testament's most comprehensive synthesis of negative and positive law fulfillment.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Romans 13:1 2 references
Romans 13:4 1 reference
Romans 13:8 1 reference
Romans 13:9 5 references
Lexicals 5
Mark 10:19 Lexical
You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony,’ ‘Do…
Luke 18:20 Lexical
You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor…
Matthew 19:18 Lexical
He said to him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder.’ ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not steal…
Mark 12:31 Lexical
The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Galatians 5:14 Lexical
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Romans 13:11 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Corinthians 6:2 Lexical
For he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you. In a day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the acceptabl…
John 4:23 Lexical
But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father see…
John 5:25 Lexical
Most certainly I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hea…
John 2:22 Lexical
When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture…
2 Thessalonians 2:6 Lexical
Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
Romans 13:12 3 references
Lexicals 3
1 Thessalonians 5:5 Lexical
You are all children of light and children of the day. We don’t belong to the night, nor to darkness,
John 3:19 Lexical
This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for thei…
John 9:4 Lexical
I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work.
Romans 13:13 4 references
Lexicals 4
1 Corinthians 3:3 Lexical
for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren’t you fleshly, and don…
Galatians 5:21 Lexical
envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that…
1 Peter 4:3 Lexical
For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunke…
1 Thessalonians 4:12 Lexical
that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
v. 1
v. 2
v. 3
v. 4
v. 5
v. 6
v. 7
v. 8
v. 9
v. 10
v. 11
v. 12
v. 13
v. 14
Lemma
Morphology
Semantic Range
Theological Significance
Translation Notes
Key Passages