13:01 .. every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities .. for there is no authority except from God .. ......... and those which exist are established by God 13:02 .. therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God .. ......... and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves 13:03 .. 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 13:04 .. for it is a minister of God to you for good .. but if you do what is evil .. be afraid .. for it does not bear the sword for nothing .. ......... for it is a minister of God .. an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil 13:05 .. therefore it is necessary to be in subjection .. not only because of wrath .. but also for conscience sake
13:06 .. for because of this you also pay taxes .. for rulers are servants of God .. devoting themselves to this very thing 13:07 .. render to all what is due them .. tax to whom tax is due .. custom to whom custom .. fear to whom fear .. honor to whom honor
13:08 .. owe nothing to anyone except to love one another .. for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law 13:09 .. for this .. you shall not commit adultery .. you shall not murder .. you shall not steal .. you shall not covet .. ......... and if there is any other commandment .. ......... it is summed up in this saying . . . you shall love your neighbor as yourself 13:10 .. Love does no wrong to a neighbor .. therefore love is the fulfillment of the law
13:11 .. do this .. knowing the time .. that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep .. ......... for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed 13:12 .. the night is almost gone .. and the day is near .. therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light 13:13 .. let us behave properly as in the day .. not in carousing and drunkenness .. not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality .. ......... not in strife and jealousy 13:14 .. but put on the Lord Jesus Christ .. and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts
Obedience to civil magistrates is one of the laws of Christ whose religion makes people good subjects .. love to our fellow-men is a debt that must always be in the paying .. yet always owing .. for love is inclusive of all duties and is the image of Christ upon the soul . . . . Romans 13:14 victory over the flesh may be always ours through personal dealings with Christ .. to “put on Christ” is not imitation of Christ .. but appropriation of him .. “Christ liveth in me” .. is the victory .. and if he has the right of way in us .. we will make no provisions for satisfying the flesh