Duties toward State Authorities
1 Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God. 2 Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God has ordered; and anyone who does so will bring judgment on himself. 3 For rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of those in authority? Then do what is good, and they will praise you, 4 because they are God's servants working for your own good. But if you do evil, then be afraid of them, because their power to punish is real. They are God's servants and carry out God's punishment on those who do evil. 5 For this reason you must obey the authorities—not just because of God's punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.
6 That is also why you pay taxes, because the authorities are working for God when they fulfill their duties. 7 Pay, then, what you owe them; pay them your personal and property taxes, and show respect and honor for them all.
Duties toward One Another
8 Be under obligation to no one—the only obligation you have is to love one another. Whoever does this has obeyed the Law. 9 The commandments, “Do not commit adultery; do not commit murder; do not steal; do not desire what belongs to someone else”—all these, and any others besides, are summed up in the one command, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 10 If you love others, you will never do them wrong; to love, then, is to obey the whole Law.
11 You must do this, because you know that the time has come for you to wake up from your sleep. For the moment when we will be saved is closer now than it was when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over, day is almost here. Let us stop doing the things that belong to the dark, and let us take up weapons for fighting in the light. 13 Let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the light of day—no orgies or drunkenness, no immorality or indecency, no fighting or jealousy. 14 But take up the weapons of the Lord Jesus Christ, and stop paying attention to your sinful nature and satisfying its desires.
Paklausība valdībām
1 Ikviens lai ir paklausīgs augstākām varām, jo nav citādas varas kā vien no Dieva; un tās, kas ir, ir Dieva ieceltas. 2 Tas, kas pretojas varai, saceļas pret Dieva iedibināto kārtību, bet tie, kas saceļas, paši sev izpelnās sodu. 3 Jo no valdītājiem nav jābīstas, kad dara labu, bet vienīgi, ja dara ļaunu. Tu negribi baidīties no virsvaras? – Dari, kas labs, un tu saņemsi no tās uzslavu! 4 Valdītājs ir Dieva kalps tev pašam par labu. Bet, ja dari ļaunu, bīsties! Jo ne velti viņš nes zobenu, viņš ir Dieva kalps, kas bardzībā atmaksā tam, kas dara ļaunu. 5 Tādēļ pakļauties pienākas ne vien bardzības, bet arī sirdsapziņas dēļ. 6 Tādēļ jūs maksājat nodokļus, bet valdītāji ir Dieva kalpotāji, kas to uzrauga. 7 Dodiet ikvienam, kas tam pienākas: kam pienākas nodokļi – nodokļus, kam muita – muitu, kam bijība – tam izrādiet bijību, kam pienākas cieņa – tam cieņu.
Tuvākmīlestība
(Mk 12:31Jk 2:8)8 Nepalieciet nevienam parādā neko citu kā vien savstarpēju mīlestību, jo, kas otru mīl, ir piepildījis bauslību. 9 Jo baušļi: nepārkāp laulību, nenogalini, nezodz, neiekāro un ja vēl ir kāds cits bauslis – tie visi kopā izsakāmi šajā vārdā: mīli savu tuvāko kā sevi pašu. 10 Mīlestība tuvākajam ļaunu nedara, tātad bauslības piepildījums ir mīlestība.
Pestīšanas diena ir tuvu
11 Turklāt jūs esat apjautuši šo brīdi, ka ir pienācis laiks mosties no miega, jo pestīšana mums tagad ir tuvāk nekā toreiz, kad sākām ticēt. 12 Nakts iet uz beigām, jau tuvojas diena, tādēļ noliksim tumsības darbus un apjozīsim gaismas ieročus. 13 Dzīvosim tā, kā tas dienā piederas, nevis dzīrošanā un skurbumā, baudkārē un izlaidībā, ķildās un skaudībā, 14 bet tērpieties Kungā Jēzū Kristū, un rūpēs par miesīgo neizdabājiet iekārēm.
