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Every one of you must submit yourselves to those who are authorized to govern you. This is because no one {can govern} unless God authorizes it. In addition, God has instituted the existing governments. 2 This is why people who continue to oppose authorized governments, are opposed what God institutes. And God will condemn those who remain opposed {to what he authorizes}. 3 In fact, if people do what is good they have no need to be afraid of those who rule. It is only those who do what is evil that should fear {being punished by} those who rule. If you do not want to fear those who God authorizes to rule, do what is good. Then those who rule will {not punish you,} but commend you. 4 This is because those God authorizes to rule {are intended to serve} for the good of the citizens. But if someone does what is evil, they should fear! Indeed, those who rule are not authorized to use force for no good reason. In fact, those who rule are serving God, by avenging and judging anyone who practices what is evil. 5 As a result, you are required to submit yourselves to those God authorizes to rule. This is not only true because they can punish you, but also because you are well aware {that to disobey them is to disobey God}! 6 In fact, this is also the reason why you pay taxes. Because those who God authorizes to rule {are also chosen} to serve the citizens. They constantly devote themselves to this task of serving {what benefits} the citizens. 7 Give what you owe to all those who God authorizes to rule. Pay taxes to those who you owe taxes. Pay revenues to those who you owe revenues. Give respect to those who have respected authoritative offices. Give honor to those who have honored authoritative offices. 8 Pay whatever you owe to whoever you owe it. The only debt you should continue to owe is to love one another. This is because whenever you love another person, you accomplish what God’s law requires. 9 Because God's law says these things, “You must not practice adultery, you must not murder, you must not rob, you must not lust for what belongs to others.” Anything else God commands in his law you could summarize in this way, “You must lovingly care for those you come in contact with, in the same way you would lovingly care for yourself.” 10 {This is because} when you lovingly care for those you come in contact with, you can do them no harm. This is why when you lovingly care for those you come in contact with, you accomplish what God’s law requires.
11 Besides these things, you know this is the appointed time, that this is already a significantly historic time. So, you must be spiritually alert. Because at this present time, Jesus’ return to finally save us is closer than when we first trusted in him. 12 {The end of the world} is fast approaching, {as if it was} late at night {just before the dawn}. The day {when Jesus returns} is close. So, we must reject doing what is evil, like what people do when it is dark. Instead, we must prepare ourselves by doing what is good, like when a soldier puts on his armor during the daylight hours. 13 We must behave appropriately, as if it was daytime {and people were watching what we do}. We must not engage in drunken reveling. We must not let lustful desires cause us to commit sexually immoral acts. We must not jealously quarrel. 14 Instead, you must prepare yourselves to meet the Lord Jesus Christ when he returns, {like a soldier putting on his best armor to greet a general}. You must not concern yourselves with {anything that is related to} what the body lusts after.