1. All of you must obey the government rulers. Everyone who rules was given the power to rule by God. And all those who rule now were given that power by God.
2. So anyone who is against the government is really against something God has commanded. Those who are against the government bring punishment on themselves.
3. People who do right don’t have to fear the rulers. But those who do wrong must fear them. Do you want to be free from fearing them? Then do only what is right, and they will praise you.
4. Rulers are God’s servants to help you. But if you do wrong, you have reason to be afraid. They have the power to punish, and they will use it. They are God’s servants to punish those who do wrong.
5. So you must obey the government, not just because you might be punished, but because you know it is the right thing to do.
6. And this is why you pay taxes too. Those rulers are working for God, and they give all their time to the work of ruling.