4. for it is God’s servant to you for what is good. But if you do what is bad, be afraid, because it does not bear the sword to no purpose. For it is God’s servant, the one who avenges for punishment on the one who does what is bad.
5. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience.
6. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are servants of God, busily engaged in this very thing.
7. Pay to everyone what is owed: pay taxes to whom taxes are due; pay customs duties to whom customs duties are due; pay respect to whom respect is due; pay honor to whom honor is due.
8. Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another, for the one who loves someone else has fulfilled the law.
9. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are summed up in this statement: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
10. Love does not commit evil against a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11. And do this because you know the time, that it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we believed.
12. The night is far gone, and the day has drawn near. Therefore let us throw off the deeds of darkness and put on the weapons of light.
13. Let us live decently, as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy.