Study Desk

Everyone must submit to the governing authorities,^(a) for there is no authority except from God,^(b) and those that exist are instituted by God.

So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God's command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves.

For rulers are not a terror^(c) to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval.

For government is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God's servant, an avenger^(d) that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.

Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience.^(e)

And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God's public servants, continually attending to these tasks.^[a]

Pay your obligations^(f) to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes,^(g) tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect,^(h) and honor to those you owe honor.

Do not owe anyone anything,^[b] except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.⁽ⁱ⁾

The commandments: Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; ^[c] do not covet; ^(j)[d] and whatever other commandment—all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself. ^(k)[e]

Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour^(l) for you^[f] to wake up from sleep,^(m) for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.⁽ⁿ⁾

The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near,^(o) so let us discard the deeds of darkness^(p) and put on the armor of light.^(q)

Let us walk with decency,^(r) as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness;^(s) not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,^(t) and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.^(u)

Accept^(a) anyone who is weak in faith,^[a](b) but don't argue about doubtful issues.

One person believes he may eat anything,^(c) but one who is weak eats only vegetables.

One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat,^(d) and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does,^(e) because God has accepted him.^(f)

Who are you to criticize^(g) another's household slave? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand. For the Lord is able^[b] to make him stand.

One person considers one day to be above another day.^(h) Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind.⁽ⁱ⁾

Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord.^[c] Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God;^(j) and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, yet he thanks God.

For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.^(k)

If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.^(l)

Christ died and came to life^(m) for this: that He might rule over both the dead and the living.⁽ⁿ⁾

But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal of God.^[d](o)

For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to Me, ^(p) and every tongue will give praise to God. ^(q)[e]

So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.^(r)

Therefore, let us no longer criticize one another.^(s) Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in your brother's way.^(t)

(I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself.^(u) Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean.^(v))

For if your brother is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love.^(w) Do not destroy that one Christ died for by what you eat.^(x)

Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,^(y)

for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking,^(z) but righteousness, peace, and joy^(aa) in the Holy Spirit.

Whoever serves Christ^(ab) in this way is acceptable to God and approved by men.^(ac)

So then, we must pursue what promotes peace^(ad) and what builds up one another.^(ae)

Do not tear down God's work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats.^(af)

It is a noble thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother stumble.^[f]

Do you have a conviction?^[g] Keep it to yourself before God. The man who does not condemn himself by what he approves is blessed.^(ag)

But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats,^(ah) because his eating is not from a conviction,^[h] and everything that is not from a conviction^[i] is sin.