1. Everyone must obey the 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 judgement 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 fulfil their duties.
7. Pay, then, what you owe them; pay them your personal and property taxes, and show respect and honour for them all.
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 neighbour as you love yourself.”