Section 13:1–7
Paul taught about government officials/leaders
In this section, Paul told believers that they must submit to government officials, because God gave the officials the authority to rule. Fighting the government is fighting the thing that God put in place. Only people who do evil need to fear the government. The believer must do good. The government will approve those deeds. But if the believer does what is wrong, he or she should fear the government. It makes happen God’s anger against those who do evil. Submitting to the government helps avoid God’s anger and keeps our conscience clear.
Believers also should pay government taxes and fees. They should respect and honor the leaders.
Here are other possible headings for this section:
Our attitude toward the government
-or-
Our relationship with the government
Paragraph 13:1–5
13:1a
Everyone must submit himself to: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as submit…to :
(1) It means to submit here.
(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New American Standard Bible, King James Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, English Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004), NET Bible, Revised English Bible, New Century Version)
(2) It means to obey here. For example:
Everyone must obey (Good News Translation)
(Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the scholars clearly indicate the Greek word means “to submit” here.
Everyone must submit himself: This is a third person (as in “he” or “she”) command to submit to governing authorities as their leaders. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
Every person must submit (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Everyone must be underneath
This last example is a figure of speech in some languages for being in submission to someone.
Everyone: Paul wrote to the believers in Rome. This phrase refers to them. If possible, avoid a phrase that purposely indicates all the people of a country, such as “all people.”
must submit: This refers to being under the authority of someone. He or she has the power to tell us what we should do. See the examples above.
the governing authorities: The Greek is more literally “superior/higher authorities.” It refers in general to people in the government who have the power to tell you what to do or what not to do. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
higher authorities (New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
those with authority in the government
13:1b
for: Here this word introduces a reason for submitting to governing authorities.
there is no authority except that which is from God: The words there is introduce something that exists. No authority exists except (authority that comes) from God. Some languages cannot introduce such things with there is. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
no authority exists without God giving it
-or-
all authority comes from God (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Only God can give authority to anyone (Contemporary English Version)
13:1c
The authorities that exist have been appointed by God: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:
God has instituted those that exist
The authorities that exist: The Greek is more literally “the existing ones.” It refers to the authorities that Paul mentioned in 13:1a. For example:
the existing authorities (Good News Translation)
This verse is true at any time, not just when Paul wrote it. Your translation should not limit it to only “at that time.”
appointed: This word refers to putting something in its place. In this case it refers to causing the authority to exist. Here are other ways to translate this word:
established (New International Version)
-or-
put there (Good News Translation)
-or-
instituted (English Standard Version)
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