2 Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval. 4 For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.
Romans 13:2–4
Semantically similar passages
1 Peter 2:13–15
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you shoul…
Job 19:28–29
28 If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,’ 29 then you should fear the sword yourselves, because wrath brings punishment by the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”
1 Peter 3:16–18
16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for…
Titus 3:1–2
1 Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work, 2 to malign no one, and to be peaceable and gentle, showing full consideration to everyone.
Romans 6:15–17
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law, but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading…
Colossians 3:24–25
24 because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Whoever does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
1 Peter 2:18–20
18 Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable. 19 For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended. 20 How is i…
Romans 14:3–5
3 The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he wil…
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