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Romans 13

Paul places public duties and love of neighbor under God’s authority, then calls believers to live in Christ’s approaching daylight.

Paul tells Christians in Rome to submit to governing authorities and pay what they owe. He describes rulers as servants accountable to God for restraining wrongdoing, and connects submission with conscience. He then turns to the continuing debt of love, explaining how love fulfills the law’s commands concerning neighbors. The closing verses announce that the day is near and call believers to leave darkness behind and put on Christ.

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1Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.
2Therefore he who resists the authority withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.
3For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the authority,
4for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.
5Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
6For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, continually doing this very thing.
7Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
8Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
9For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
10Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.
11Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.
12The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light.
13Let’s walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy.
14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Romans 13:14The closing command gathers Paul’s call to holy conduct into belonging to Christ and refusing to feed sinful desires.
Romans 13:9Paul brings specific commandments together under love of neighbor, showing how love honors the law’s demands.
Romans 13:11The nearness of salvation adds urgency to Paul’s commands, calling believers to wake from spiritual sleep.
Where this chapter reaches

Exodus and Deuteronomy contain the commandments Paul cites, while Matthew and Galatians share the summary of the law through love of neighbor. The teaching on civil authority has a close parallel in 1 Peter, and Ephesians shares the imagery of light and armor.

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After reading the whole chapter

How does Paul’s description of love connect with the specific commands he names?

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What might putting on Christ involve in a part of your life that needs attention?

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Questions people ask about Romans 13

Does Romans 13 require obedience to every government command?

Paul commands submission to governing authorities because authority comes from God. He describes their task as serving the good and punishing wrongdoing. The chapter does not discuss every conflict between a ruler’s orders and God’s commands. Its account of authority under God supplies no warrant for abuse or obedience to commands to sin.

Does Romans 13:8 mean Christians cannot borrow money?

Verse 8 follows the command to pay what is owed, including taxes and honor. Paul then identifies love as a debt that continues: loving a neighbor fulfills the law. The passage requires honoring obligations, but it does not discuss loans, interest, or the terms of borrowing.

What does it mean to put on the Lord Jesus Christ?

Paul uses clothing imagery for conduct shaped by belonging to Christ. The phrase follows his command to put on the armor of light and reject deeds of darkness. Its immediate counterpart is refusing to make provision for sinful desires. The image concerns how believers live as the day draws near.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).