| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. | 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. |
| 2Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. | 2Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. |
| 3For 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. | 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. |
| 4For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. | 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. |
| 5Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. | 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. |
| 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. | 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. |
| 7Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. | 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. |
| 8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. | 8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. |
| 9For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” | 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." |
| 10Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. | 10Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. |
| 11And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. | 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. |
| 12The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. | 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. |
| 13Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. | 13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. |
| 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. | 14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | 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. |
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