1 All|strong="G3956" of|strong="G2316" you|strong="G1487" must|strong="G1510" obey the|strong="G3956" government rulers. Everyone|strong="G3956" who|strong="G3588" rules was|strong="G1510" given the|strong="G3956" power|strong="G1849" to|strong="G1849" rule by|strong="G5259" God|strong="G2316". And|strong="G1161" all|strong="G3956" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" rule now|strong="G1161" were|strong="G1510" given that|strong="G3956" power|strong="G1849" by|strong="G5259" God|strong="G2316".
2 So|strong="G1161" anyone who|strong="G3588" is|strong="G2316" against the|strong="G3588" government is|strong="G2316" really against something God|strong="G2316" has|strong="G2316" commanded. Those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" against the|strong="G3588" government bring|strong="G2983" punishment|strong="G2917" on|strong="G1849" themselves|strong="G1438".
3 People|strong="G0846" who|strong="G3588" do|strong="G4160" right|strong="G1849" don’t|strong="G3756" have|strong="G2192" to|strong="G2309" fear|strong="G5401" the|strong="G3588" rulers|strong="G0758". But|strong="G1161" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" do|strong="G4160" wrong|strong="G2556" must|strong="G4160" fear|strong="G5401" them|strong="G0846". Do|strong="G4160" you|strong="G1510" want|strong="G2309" to|strong="G2309" be|strong="G1510" free from|strong="G1537" fearing|strong="G5399" them|strong="G0846"? Then|strong="G2532" do|strong="G4160" only|strong="G3756" what|strong="G3588" is|strong="G1510" right|strong="G1849", and|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" will|strong="G1510" praise|strong="G1868" you|strong="G1510".
4 Rulers are|strong="G1510" God’s|strong="G2316" servants|strong="G1249" to|strong="G1519" help you|strong="G4771". But|strong="G1161" if|strong="G1437" you|strong="G4771" do|strong="G4160" wrong|strong="G2556", you|strong="G4771" have|strong="G1510" reason to|strong="G1519" be|strong="G1510" afraid|strong="G5399". They|strong="G1161" have|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3588" power to|strong="G1519" punish, and|strong="G1161" they|strong="G1161" will|strong="G2316" use it|strong="G4160". They|strong="G1161" are|strong="G1510" God’s|strong="G2316" servants|strong="G1249" to|strong="G1519" punish those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" do|strong="G4160" wrong|strong="G2556".
5 So|strong="G2532" you|strong="G2532" must|strong="G0235" obey the|strong="G3588" government, not|strong="G3756" just|strong="G3440" because|strong="G1223" you|strong="G2532" might|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" punished, but|strong="G0235" because|strong="G1223" you|strong="G2532" know it|strong="G1223" is|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" right thing|strong="G3441" to|strong="G2532" do|strong="G2532".
6 And|strong="G2532" this|strong="G3778" is|strong="G1510" why|strong="G1223" you|strong="G1510" pay|strong="G5055" taxes|strong="G5411" too|strong="G2532". Those|strong="G3778" rulers are|strong="G1510" working for|strong="G1063" God|strong="G2316", and|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" give all|strong="G1063" their|strong="G0846" time to|strong="G1519" the|strong="G1223" work of|strong="G1223" ruling.
7 Give|strong="G0591" everyone|strong="G3956" what|strong="G3588" you|strong="G3956" owe them. If you|strong="G3956" owe them any|strong="G3956" kind|strong="G3956" of|strong="G3956" tax|strong="G5411", then|strong="G3956" pay|strong="G0591" it|strong="G0591". Show respect|strong="G5092" to|strong="G3956" those|strong="G3588" you|strong="G3956" should respect|strong="G5092". And|strong="G5092" show honor|strong="G5092" to|strong="G3956" those|strong="G3588" you|strong="G3956" should honor|strong="G5092".
8 You|strong="G1487" should|strong="G3784" owe|strong="G3784" nothing|strong="G3367" to|strong="G3784" anyone|strong="G3367", except|strong="G1487" that|strong="G3551" you|strong="G1487" will|strong="G3367" always owe|strong="G3784" love|strong="G0025" to|strong="G3784" each|strong="G0240" other|strong="G2087". The|strong="G3588" person|strong="G2087" who|strong="G3588" loves|strong="G0025" others|strong="G2087" has|strong="G4137" done all|strong="G3588" that|strong="G3551" the|strong="G3588" law|strong="G3551" commands.
9 The|strong="G3588" law says|strong="G3056", “You|strong="G4771" must|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3756" commit|strong="G3431" adultery|strong="G3431", you|strong="G4771" must|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3756" murder|strong="G5407" anyone|strong="G5100", you|strong="G4771" must|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3756" steal|strong="G2813", you|strong="G4771" must|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3756" want what|strong="G3588" belongs to|strong="G2532" someone|strong="G5100" else|strong="G2087".” All|strong="G3588" these|strong="G3778" commands|strong="G1785" and|strong="G2532" all|strong="G3588" other|strong="G2087" commands|strong="G1785" are|strong="G3778" really only|strong="G1487" one|strong="G5100" rule: “Love|strong="G0025" your|strong="G0025" neighbor|strong="G4139" the|strong="G3588" same|strong="G3778" as|strong="G5613" you|strong="G4771" love|strong="G0025" yourself|strong="G4572".”
10 Love|strong="G0026" doesn’t|strong="G3756" hurt others|strong="G3588". So|strong="G3767" loving is|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" same as|strong="G4139" obeying all|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" law|strong="G3551".
11 I|strong="G1473" say|strong="G1473" this|strong="G3778" because|strong="G3754" you|strong="G5210" know|strong="G1492" that|strong="G3754" we|strong="G2249" live in|strong="G2532" an|strong="G2228" important time|strong="G2540". Yes|strong="G1063", it|strong="G3778" is|strong="G3778" now|strong="G3568" time|strong="G2540" for|strong="G1063" you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G2532" wake up|strong="G1453" from|strong="G1537" your|strong="G2532" sleep|strong="G5258". Our|strong="G2532" salvation|strong="G4991" is|strong="G3778" nearer|strong="G1452" now|strong="G3568" than|strong="G2228" when|strong="G3753" we|strong="G2249" first believed|strong="G4100".
12 The|strong="G3588" night|strong="G3571" is|strong="G3588" almost|strong="G4298" finished. The|strong="G3588" day|strong="G2250" is|strong="G3588" almost|strong="G4298" here. So|strong="G3767" we|strong="G1161" should stop doing|strong="G2041" whatever belongs to|strong="G3571" darkness|strong="G4655". We|strong="G1161" should prepare ourselves to|strong="G3571" fight evil with|strong="G2250" the|strong="G3588" weapons|strong="G3696" that|strong="G2250" belong to|strong="G3571" the|strong="G3588" light|strong="G5457".
13 We|strong="G2532" should|strong="G2532" live|strong="G4043" in|strong="G1722" a|strong="G5613" right way|strong="G1722", like|strong="G5613" people|strong="G3361" who|strong="G2532" belong to|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" day|strong="G2250". We|strong="G2532" should|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3361" have|strong="G2532" wild parties or|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" drunk. We|strong="G2532" should|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G2532" involved in|strong="G1722" sexual|strong="G2845" sin or|strong="G2532" any kind of|strong="G2250" immoral behavior. We|strong="G2532" should|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3361" cause arguments and|strong="G2532" trouble or|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" jealous.
14 But|strong="G0235" be|strong="G2532" like the|strong="G3588" Lord|strong="G2962" Jesus|strong="G2424" Christ|strong="G5547", so|strong="G2532" that|strong="G2424" when|strong="G2532" people|strong="G4561" see what|strong="G3588" you|strong="G4160" do|strong="G4160", they|strong="G2532" will|strong="G2962" see Christ|strong="G5547". Don’t|strong="G3361" think about|strong="G1519" how to|strong="G1519" satisfy the|strong="G3588" desires|strong="G1939" of|strong="G2962" your|strong="G2962" sinful self.