Romans 13:2

New Living Translation

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

Parallel Translations

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.

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.

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]

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Contextual Overview

¹ Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. ² So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. ³ For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. ⁴ The authorities are God's servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God's servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. ⁵ So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. ⁶ Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do.

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 and traveled north into the Negev, along with his wife and Lot and all that they owned.

Genesis 13:3
From the Negev, they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, and they pitched their tents between Bethel and Ai, where they had camped before.

Genesis 13:9
The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I'll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I'll go to the left."

Genesis 13:10
Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

Genesis 13:12
So Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain.

Genesis 13:13
But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord .

Genesis 24:35
"And the Lord has greatly blessed my master; he has become a wealthy man. The Lord has given him flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, a fortune in silver and gold, and many male and female servants and camels and donkeys.

Deuteronomy 8:18
Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.

1 Samuel 2:7
The Lord makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up.

Job 1:3
He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.

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.