131 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities . For there is no authority except from God , and those which exist are established by God . 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God ; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves . 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior , but for evil . Do you want to have no fear of authority ? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same ; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good . But if you do what is evil , be afraid ; for it does not bear the sword for nothing ; for it is a minister of God , an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil . 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection , not only because of wrath , but also for conscience' sake . 6 For because of this you also pay taxes , for rulers are servants of God , devoting themselves to this very thing .
7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom ; fear to whom fear ; honor to whom honor . 8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another ; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law . 9 For this , " YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY , YOU SHALL NOT MURDER , YOU SHALL NOT STEAL , YOU SHALL NOT COVET ," and if there is any other commandment , it is summed up in this saying , " YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF ." 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor ; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law .
11 Do this , knowing the time , that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep ; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed . 12 The night is almost gone , and the day is near . Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light . 13 Let us behave properly as in the day , not in carousing and drunkenness , not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality , not in strife and jealousy . 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ , and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts .
31 Then what advantage has the Jew ? Or what is the benefit of circumcision ? 2 Great in every respect . First of all , that they were entrusted with the oracles of God . 3 What then ? If some did not believe , their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God , will it? 4 May it never be! Rather , let God be found true , though every man be found a liar , as it is written , " THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS , AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED ." 5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God , what shall we say ? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous , is He? ( I am speaking in human terms .) 6 May it never be! For otherwise , how will God judge the world ? 7 But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory , why am I also still being judged as a sinner ? 8 And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say ), " Let us do evil that good may come "? Their condemnation is just .
9 What then ? Are we better than they? Not at all ; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin ; 10 as it is written , " THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS , NOT EVEN ONE ; 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS , THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD ; 12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE , TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS ; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD , THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE ." 13 " THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE , WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING ," " THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS "; 14 " WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS "; 15 " THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD , 16 DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS , 17 AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN ." 18 " THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES ."
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says , it speaks to those who are under the Law , so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God ; 20 because by the works of the Law no e flesh will be justified in His sight ; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin .
21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested , being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets , 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe ; for there is no distinction ; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God , 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus ; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith . This was to demonstrate His righteousness , because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed ; 26 for the demonstration , I say, of His righteousness at the present time , so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus . 27 Where then is boasting ? It is excluded . By what kind of law ? Of works ? No , but by a law of faith . 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law . 29 Or is God the God of Jews only ? Is He not the God of Gentiles also ? Yes , of Gentiles also , 30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one . 31 Do we then nullify the Law through faith ? May it never be! On the contrary , we establish the Law .
