1 Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are ordained by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will receive condemnation on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to have no fear of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from it;
4 for it is God's minister to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
5 Therefore it is necessary to be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.
6 For this reason you also pay tribute; for they are public servants of God, devoting themselves continually to this very thing.
7 Render, then, to all what is due them: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
9 For this, "You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not lust," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
10 Love works no evil to the neighbor; love, then, is the fullness of the law.
11 And do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, and the day is at hand. Let us, then, cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk decently, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and wantonness, not in strife and envy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.