Romans 13:7

So you have to give everybody whatever you owe to them. You have to pay taxes and pay the bills the government bosses send you. And you still have to respect those bosses.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

In Context

6You have to pay tax money to the government too, for the same reason. Those government bosses work for God, and they need that money to do their job.

8If ever you borrow anything from anybody, you have to give it back, so that you don’t owe anything to anybody. But you always owe each other this one thing, you have to love each other. If you love other people, you keep God’s law.

Read all of Romans 13

Cross References

Ephesians 5:33So I say this to you married people. Every one of you husbands has to love your own wife as much as you love yourself. And every wife has to respect her husband.

Matthew Henry on Romans 13:2-7

Obedience to Magistrates Enforced. ( a. d. 58.) 1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Romans 13:7