Romans · New Testament · Romans 13:1–7
Respect for Authority
The Story
Paul opens with a command that leaves no exceptions on the surface: "Everyone must submit to governing authorities." The reason he immediately supplies is theological, not political — all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. The consequence follows directly: anyone who rebels against governing authority is rebelling against what God Himself has established, and will face punishment. Paul then frames governing authority in terms of its God-given function — authorities do not strike fear in those who are doing right, only in those who are doing wrong, and the one who does right can expect to be honored rather than feared. He describes the governing authority plainly as God's servant, sent for the good of the people, bearing the power to punish those who do evil — carrying the sword not without purpose but as an agent of God's wrath against wrongdoers. Paul then names two reasons why submission is the right response: to avoid punishment, and as a matter of conscience before God — not merely because one might get caught. He applies this principle concretely to taxes, noting that governing authorities are God's servants who give themselves full time to the work of governing and are therefore owed what is due them. The passage closes with a straightforward summary: "Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority."
The Message
Paul's instruction to submit to governing authority is grounded entirely in the character and sovereignty of God — civil government is not a human invention that believers may disregard, but an institution God has established for the ordering of human life and the restraint of evil. The believer's obedience to governing authority is therefore not merely a social obligation but an act of conscience before God. The passage defines what is owed clearly: taxes to those who collect them, fees to those entitled to them, and respect and honor to those who hold authority.