Romans 13:2

So whoever resists the officials is resisting what God has established. Furthermore, those who resist officials will bring on themselves from the officials the punishment that God considers fitting.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

In Context

1Every believer must be subject to the authorities. Remember that God is the only one who gives officials their authority. Furthermore, those officials that exist are ones who have been appointed by God {God has appointed}.

3What rulers do is not to cause people who do good deeds to be afraid. Instead, what they do is to cause people who do evil to be afraid. So, if any of you [RHQ] wants to be unafraid of officials, do what is good! If you(sg) do good, they will commend you instead of punishing you!

Read all of Romans 13

Cross References

Jeremiah 23:8Instead, they will say, “ I will do it as surely as Yahweh lives, who brought us Israeli people back to our own land, from the land to the northeast and from all the other countries to which he had exiled us.” And they will live in their own land again.

Matthew 23:13Then Jesus said to the religious leaders, “You men who teach the Jewish laws and you Pharisees are hypocrites! There will be terrible punishment for you, because by teaching what is false, you prevent people [MTY/HYP] who are thinking about letting God rule their lives from doing that [MET]. What you are doing is like closing a gate [MET] so that people who are wanting to enter a city cannot go in. As for you, you do not let God rule your lives. Neither do you allow other people to let God rule their lives. What you do is like not going into a house yourselves, and not allowing others to enter it either [MET].”

Luke 20:47They swindle [MET] the houses and property of widows. Then they pretend they are good, as they pray long prayers publicly. God will certainly punish them very severely.”

Titus 3:1Remind the believers that they should submit to all those who rule them or have authority over them, and that they should obey them. They should be ready to do anything that is helpful.

1 Peter 2:13For the sake of the Lord Jesus, submit yourselves to every human authority. That includes submitting yourselves to the king, who is the most important authority,

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 13:2