Romans 13:6

Romans 13:6

4 For 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.

5 Therefore ^ayou must be subject, not only because of wrath ^bbut also for conscience’ sake.

6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.

7 ^aRender therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

Love Your Neighbor

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for ^ahe who loves another has fulfilled the law.

9 For the commandments, ^a“You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,”¹ “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, ^b“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore ^alove is the fulfillment of the law.

Put on Christ

11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time ^ato awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

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Ye pay (teleite). Present active indicative (not imperative) of telew, to fulfil.

Tribute (forouv). Old word from ferw, to bring, especially the annual tax on lands, etc. (Luke 20:22; Luke 23:1). Paying taxes recognizes authority over us.

Ministers of God's service (leitourgoi qeou). Late word for public servant (unused leitov from Attic lewv, people, and ergw, to work). Often used of military servants, servants of the king, and temple servants (Hebrews 8:2). Paul uses it also of himself as Christ's leitourgov (Romans 15:16) and of Epaphroditus as a minister to him (Philippians 2:25). See qeou diakonov in verse Romans 13:4.

Attending continually (proskarterountev). Present active participle of the late verb proskarterew (prov and karterew from kartov or kratov, strength) to persevere. See on Acts 2:42; Acts 8:13.

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Romans 13:6:**

Romans 15:16
Philippians 2:25
Hebrews 8:2
1 Peter 2:13

<< Romans 13:5

Romans 13:7 >>

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