Romans 13

Romans treats the doctrine of the gospel through chapter 11 and, beginning in chapter 12, exhorts believers concerning the Christian life. Chapter 13 continues the exhortations of Romans 12, addressing in turn the authority of the state, love of neighbor, and life in view of the end.

Outline

• Verses 1–7 urge submission to the higher powers. All authority is ordained by God, and the ruler is called "the minister of God," who promotes good and executes wrath upon those who do evil. Believers are to be subject not only for wrath's sake but also for conscience' sake, paying tribute and custom and rendering fear and honor to those to whom they are due.
• Verses 8–10 command believers to owe no one anything except love. The commandments against adultery, murder, theft, and covetousness are all summed up in the saying "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," and love is the fulfilling of the law.
• Verses 11–14 declare that salvation is nearer than when believers first believed, so it is high time to awake out of sleep. Believers are to cast off the works of darkness, put on the armor of light, walk honestly, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Key Verses

• Romans 13:1 "The powers that be are ordained of God": the verse most frequently cited in discussions of the Christian view of the state.
• Romans 13:10 "Love is the fulfilling of the law": the conclusion of verses 8–10, summarizing in a single sentence the relationship between law and love.
• Romans 13:14 "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ": in his Confessions, Augustine wrote that he was converted upon reading verses 13–14.

People and Places

• Paul: the apostle who wrote this letter.
• Rome: the capital of the Roman Empire, where the believers who received this letter lived.
• Jesus Christ: mentioned in verse 14 as the one whom believers are to "put on."

Points for Reflection

• Traditions differ on whether verses 1–7 require obedience even to unjust authority. Many interpreters read the passage alongside Acts 5:29 and Revelation 13:1–10, which portrays state power as a beast, and conclude that submission has limits. Some within the Reformed tradition discussed grounds for resisting tyranny. The Anabaptists acknowledged the sword of the state as ordained by God but were reluctant to have believers hold public offices that wield that sword.
• Similar exhortations concerning the state appear in 1 Peter 2:13–17 and Titus 3:1. The question of taxes connects with Mark 12:13–17.
• Verse 9 quotes Leviticus 19:18. The same teaching appears in Galatians 5:14 and Mark 12:28–34.
• The imagery of night and day, wakefulness, and armor also appears in 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.

In the Korean Church

• Verses 1–7 are reported to have been cited by those holding differing positions on how the church should relate to the regime during the Japanese colonial period and the era of military rule. This is discussed in detail in the article Church and Politics.
• The "debt of love" in verse 8 is frequently used as a sermon title or church motto.