BRETHREN, let every
person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no
authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by
God.
Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has
appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you
have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you
will receive his approval,
for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be
afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God
to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer.
Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God's wrath but
also for the sake of conscience.
For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are
ministers of God, attending to this very thing.
Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to
whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor
is due.
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves
his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not
kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other
commandment, are summed up in this sentence, "You shall love your
neighbor as yourself."
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling
of the law.
