Submission to governing authorities
1Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give to everyone what you owe them: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honour, then honour.
Love fulfils the law
8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not covet,’13:9 Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deut. 5:17-19,21 and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’13:9 Lev. 19:18 10Love does no harm to a neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.
The day is near
11And do this, understanding the present time: the hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light. 13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.13:14 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
Ṣíṣe ìgbọ́ràn sí àwọn aláṣẹ
113.1: Tt 3.1; 1Pt 2.13-14; Òw 8.15; Jh 19.11.Kí olúkúlùkù ọkàn kí ó foríbalẹ̀ fún àwọn aláṣẹ tí ó wà ní ipò gíga. Nítorí kò sí àṣẹ kan, bí kò ṣe láti ọ̀dọ̀ Ọlọ́run wá; àwọn aláṣẹ tí ó sì wà, láti ọ̀dọ̀ Ọlọ́run ni a ti lànà rẹ̀ wá. 2Nítorí ẹni tí ó bá tàpá sí àṣẹ, ó tàpá sí ìlànà Ọlọ́run; àwọn ẹni tí ó ba sì ń tàpá, yóò gba ẹ̀bi fún ara wọn. 313.3: 1Pt 2.14.Nítorí àwọn ìjòyè kò wá láti dẹ́rùbà àwọn tí ń ṣe rere, bí kò ṣe àwọn tó ń ṣe búburú. Ǹjẹ́ ìwọ ha fẹ́ di òmìnira kúrò nínú ẹ̀rù ẹni tó wà ní ipò àṣẹ. Nítorí náà ṣe èyí tó ó dára, ìwọ yóò sì gba ìyìn láti ọ̀dọ̀ rẹ̀. 413.4: 1Tẹ 4.6.Nítorí ìránṣẹ́ Ọlọ́run ni i ṣe fún ọ́ sí rere. Ṣùgbọ́n bí ìwọ bá ń ṣé búburú, máa bẹ̀rù, nítorí kò gbé idà náà lásán. Nítorí ìránṣẹ́ Ọlọ́run ní í ṣe, olùgbẹ̀san láti ṣiṣẹ́ ìbínú lára ẹni tí ń ṣe búburú. 5Nítorí náà, ẹ̀yin kò gbọdọ̀ má tẹríba fún àwọn aláṣẹ, kì í ṣe nítorí ti ìbínú nìkan, ṣùgbọ́n nítorí ẹ̀rí ọkàn pẹ̀lú.
6Nítorí ìdí èyí, ẹ san owó òde pẹ̀lú, nítorí ìránṣẹ́ Ọlọ́run ni wọ́n, èyí náà ni wọ́n ń bojútó nígbà gbogbo. 713.7: Mt 22.21; Mk 12.17; Lk 20.25.Ẹ san ohun tí ó tọ́ fún ẹni gbogbo: owó òde fún ẹni tí owó òde í ṣe tirẹ̀: owó bodè fún ẹni tí owó bodè í ṣe tirẹ̀: ẹ̀rù fún ẹni tí ẹ̀rù í ṣe tirẹ̀; ọlá fún ẹni tí ọlá í ṣe tirẹ̀.
Ẹ jẹ gbèsè ìfẹ́
813.8: Mt 22.39-40; Ro 13.10; Ga 5.14; Kl 3.14; Jk 2.8.Ẹ má ṣe jẹ ẹnikẹ́ni nígbésè ohun kan, bí kò ṣe pé kí a fẹ́ ọmọ ẹnìkejì ẹni, nítorí ẹni tí ó bá fẹ́ ọmọnìkejì rẹ̀, ó kó òfin já. 913.9: Ek 20.13-14; De 5.17-18; Le 19.18; Mt 19.19.Àwọn òfin, “Ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ ṣe panṣágà,” “Ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ pànìyàn,” “Ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ jalè,” “Ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ jẹ́rìí èké,” “Ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ ṣe ojúkòkòrò,” bí òfin mìíràn bá sì wà, ni a papọ̀ ṣọ̀kan nínú òfin kan yìí: “Fẹ́ ẹnìkéjì rẹ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ara rẹ̀.” 1013.10: Mt 22.39-40; Ro 13.8; Ga 5.14; Jk 2.8.Ìfẹ́ kì í ṣe ohun búburú sí ọmọnìkejì rẹ̀: nítorí náà ìfẹ́ ni àkójá òfin.
Ọjọ́ Olúwa fẹ́rẹ dé
1113.11: Ef 5.14; 1Tẹ 5.6.Àti èyí, bí ẹ̀yin ti mọ àkókò pé, ó ti tó wákàtí nísinsin yìí fún yín láti jí lójú orun: nítorí nísinsin yìí ni ìgbàlà wa súnmọ́ etílé ju ìgbà tí àwa ti gbàgbọ́ lọ. 1213.12: 1Jh 2.8; Ef 5.11; 1Tẹ 5.8.Òru bù kọjá tan, ilẹ̀ sì fẹ́rẹ mọ́: nítorí náà ẹ jẹ́ kí a bọ́ ara iṣẹ́ òkùnkùn sílẹ̀, kí a sì gbé ìhámọ́ra ìmọ́lẹ̀ wọ̀. 1313.13: 1Tẹ 4.12; Ga 5.19-21.Jẹ́ kí a má rin ìrìn títọ́, bí ní ọ̀sán; kì í ṣe ní ìréde òru àti ní ìmutípara, kì í ṣe ni ìwà èérí àti wọ̀bìà, kì í ṣe ní ìjà àti ìlara. 1413.14: Ga 3.27; 5.16.Ṣùgbọ́n ẹ gbé Jesu Kristi Olúwa wọ̀, kí ẹ má sì pèsè fún ara, láti máa mú ìfẹ́kúfẹ̀ẹ́ rẹ̀ ṣẹ.
