| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established 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. |
| 2Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. | 2So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God's command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. |
| 3For 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. | 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 the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment 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 submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. | 5Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience. |
| 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. | 6And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God's public servants, continually attending to these tasks. |
| 7Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. | 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. |
| 8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. | 8Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. |
| 9The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet," and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "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 harm 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, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. | 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 is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor 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 behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension 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. |
| 14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. | 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
|
