Romans 13:2

Easy-to-Read Version

So anyone who is against the government is really against something God has commanded. Those who are against the government bring punishment on themselves.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves.

King James Version (1611)
Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist, shall receiue to themselues damnation.

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

English Standard Version
Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

New Century Version
So those who are against the government are really against what God has commanded. And they will bring punishment on themselves.

Amplified Bible
Therefore whoever resists [governmental] authority resists the ordinance of God. And those who have resisted it will bring judgment (civil penalty) on themselves.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore whoever resists that authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

Berean Standard Bible
Consequently, the one who resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

Contemporary English Version
People who oppose the authorities are opposing what God has done, and they will be punished.

Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore, whoever resists the authorities is resisting what God has instituted; and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

Darby Translation
So that he that sets himself in opposition to the authority resists the ordinance of God; and they who [thus] resist shall bring sentence of guilt on themselves.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist, shall receiue to themselues condemnation.

George Lamsa Translation
Whoever therefore resists the civil authority, resists the command of God: and they that resist, shall receive judgment to themselves.

Good News Translation
Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God has ordered; and anyone who does so will bring judgment on himself.

Lexham English Bible
So then, the one who resists authority resists the ordinance which is from God, and those who resist will receive condemnation on themselves.

Literal Translation
So that the one resisting authority has opposed the ordinance of God, and the ones opposing will receive judgment to themselves.

American Standard Version
Therefore he that resisteth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: and they that withstand shall receive to themselves judgment.

Bible in Basic English
For which reason everyone who puts himself against the authority puts himself against the order of God: and those who are against it will get punishment for themselves.

Hebrew Names Version
Therefore he who resists the authority, withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.

International Standard Version
so that whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has established, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.Titus 3:1;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Whoever then riseth up against the power, against the institution of Aloha he riseth; and they who arise against them will receive judgment.

Murdock Translation
He therefore who opposeth the authority, opposeth the establishment of God; and they who oppose them, shall receive judgment.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Whosoeuer therfore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinaunce of God: And they that resist, shall receaue to the selues dampnation.

English Revised Version
Therefore he that resisteth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: and they that withstand shall receive to themselves judgment.

World English Bible
Therefore he who resists the authority, withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the appointment of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves condemnation.

Weymouth's New Testament
Therefore the man who rebels against his ruler is resisting God's will; and those who thus resist will bring punishment upon themselves.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor he that ayenstondith power, ayenstondith the ordynaunce of God; and thei that ayenstonden, geten to hem silf dampnacioun.

Update Bible Version
Therefore he that resists the power, withstands the ordinance of God: and those that withstand shall receive to themselves judgment.

Webster's Bible Translation
Whoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

New English Translation
So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment

New King James Version
Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

New Living Translation
So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.

New Life Bible
The person who does not obey the leaders of the land is working against what God has done. Anyone who does that will be punished.

New Revised Standard
Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So that, he who rangeth himself against the authority, against the arrangement of God opposeth himself, and, they who oppose, shall unto themselves a sentence of judgment receive.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore, he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God. And they that resist purchase to themselves damnation.

Revised Standard Version
Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The powers that be are ordeyned of God. Whosoever therfore resysteth power resisteth the ordinaunce of God. And they that resist shall receave to the selfe damnacio.

Young's Literal Translation
so that he who is setting himself against the authority, against God's ordinance hath resisted; and those resisting, to themselves shall receive judgment.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The powers that be, are ordeyned of God: so that who so euer resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinaunce of God. And they that resiste, shal receaue to them selues danacion.

Mace New Testament (1729)
so that he who opposes the ruler, disobeys the orders of God: and will be punished too for resisting, by those very powers.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Be a good hand whether or not you have a good boss. Otherwise, you are going against God himself. Don't take a chapping from God because of your pride.

Contextual Overview

¹ All of you must obey the government rulers. Everyone who rules was given the power to rule by God. And all those who rule now were given that power by God. ² So anyone who is against the government is really against something God has commanded. Those who are against the government bring punishment on themselves. ³ People who do right don't have to fear the rulers. But those who do wrong must fear them. Do you want to be free from fearing them? Then do only what is right, and they will praise you. ⁴ Rulers are God's servants to help you. But if you do wrong, you have reason to be afraid. They have the power to punish, and they will use it. They are God's servants to punish those who do wrong. ⁵ So you must obey the government, not just because you might be punished, but because you know it is the right thing to do. ⁶ And this is why you pay taxes too. Those rulers are working for God, and they give all their time to the work of ruling.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

power: Jeremiah 23:8-17, Jeremiah 44:14-17, Titus 3:1

ordinance: Isaiah 58:2, 1 Peter 2:13

receive: Romans 13:5, Matthew 23:14, Mark 12:40, Luke 20:47, James 3:1

Reciprocal: Exodus 16:8 - but against Exodus 22:28 - nor curse Numbers 16:11 - against 1 Samuel 24:6 - the Lord forbid Romans 14:23 - damned 1 Corinthians 11:29 - damnation

Cross-References

Genesis 13:1
So Abram left Egypt. He traveled through the Negev with his wife and everything he owned. Lot was also with them.

Genesis 13:3
Abram continued traveling around. He left the Negev and went back to Bethel. He went to the place between the city of Bethel and Ai, where he and his family had camped before.

Genesis 13:9
We should separate. You can choose any place you want. If you go to the left, I will go to the right. If you go to the right, I will go to the left."

Genesis 13:10
Lot looked and saw the whole Jordan Valley. He saw that there was much water there. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. At that time the Jordan Valley all the way to Zoar was like the Lord 's Garden. This was good land, like the land of Egypt.)

Genesis 13:12
Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived among the cities in the valley. Lot moved as far as Sodom and made his camp there.

Genesis 13:13
The Lord knew that the people of Sodom were very evil sinners.

Genesis 24:35
The Lord has greatly blessed my master in everything. My master has become a great man. The Lord has given him many flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. He has much silver and gold and many servants. He has many camels and donkeys.

Deuteronomy 8:18
Remember the Lord your God is the one who gives you power to do these things. He does this because he wants to keep the agreement that he made with your ancestors, as he is doing today!

1 Samuel 2:7
The Lord makes some poor, and he makes others rich. He humbles some people, and he honors others.

Job 1:3
He owned 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 1000 oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He had many servants. He was the richest man in the east.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Whosoever therefore resisteth the power,.... The office of magistracy, and such as are lawfully placed in it, and rightly exercise it; who denies that there is, or ought to be any such order among men, despises it, and opposes it, and withdraws himself from it, and will not be subject to it in any form:

resisteth the ordinance of God, the will and appointment of God, whose pleasure it is that there should be such an office, and that men should be subject to it. This is not to be understood, as if magistrates were above the laws, and had a lawless power to do as they will without opposition; for they are under the law, and liable to the penalty of it, in case of disobedience, as others; and when they make their own will a law, or exercise a lawless tyrannical power, in defiance of the laws of God, and of the land, to the endangering of the lives, liberties, and properties of subjects, they may be resisted, as Saul was by the people of Israel, when he would have took away the life of Jonathan for the breach of an arbitrary law of his own, and that too without the knowledge of it,

1 Samuel 14:45; but the apostle is speaking of resisting magistrates in the right discharge of their office, and in the exercise of legal power and authority:

and they that resist them, in this sense,

shall receive to themselves damnation; that is, punishment; either temporal, and that either by the hand of the magistrate himself, who has it in his power to punish mutiny, sedition, and insurrection, and any opposition to him in the just discharge of his duty; or at the hand of God, in righteous judgment, for their disobedience to an ordinance of his; as in the case of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who opposed themselves both to the civil and sacred government of the people of Israel, Numbers 26:9; and were swallowed up alive in the earth, Numbers 26:10: or eternal punishment, unless the grace of God prevents; for "the blackness of darkness is reserved for ever", Judges 1:13, for such persons, who, among other of their characters, are said to "despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities", Judges 1:8. This is another argument persuading to subjection to magistrates.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Whosoever therefore resisteth ... - That is, they who rise up against “government itself;” who seek anarchy and confusion; and who oppose the regular execution of the laws. It is implied, however, that those laws shall not be such as to violate the rights of conscience, or oppose the laws of God.

Resisteth the ordinance of God - What God has ordained, or appointed. This means clearly that we are to regard “government” as instituted by God, and as agreeable to his will. “When” established, we are not to be agitated about the “titles” of the rulers; not to enter into angry contentions, or to refuse to submit to them, because we are apprehensive of a defect in their “title,” or because they may have obtained it by oppression. If the government is established, and if its decisions are not a manifest violation of the laws of God, we are to submit to them.

Shall receive to themselves damnation - The word “damnation” we apply now exclusively to the punishment of hell; to future torments. But this is not necessarily the meaning of the word which is used here κρίμα krima. It often simply denotes “punishment;” Romans 3:8; 1 Corinthians 11:29; Galatians 5:10. In this place the word implies “guilt” or “criminality” in resisting the ordinance of God, and affirms that the man that does it shall be punished. Whether the apostle means that he shall be punished by “God,” or by the “magistrate,” is not quite clear. Probably the “latter,” however, is intended; compare Romans 13:4. It is also true that such resistance shall be attended with the displeasure of God, and be punished by him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 13:2. Whosoever resisteth the power — ο αντιτασσομενος, He who sets himself in order against this order of God; τη του θεου διαταγη, and they who resist, οι ανθεστηκοτες, they who obstinately, and for no right reason, oppose the ruler, and strive to unsettle the constitution, and to bring about illegal changes,

Shall receive to themselves damnation. — κριμα, condemnation; shall be condemned both by the spirit and letter of that constitution, which, under pretence of defending or improving, they are indirectly labouring to subvert.