Romans 13:1-6

Submission to the Authorities

1Let every person abe subject to the governing authorities. For bthere is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you cwill receive his approval, 4for dhe is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, ean avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also ffor the sake of conscience. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.
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