Romans 13:4

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

For the ruler is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God's servant, an avenger who carries out wrath on the wrongdoer.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Θεοῦ γὰρ διάκονός ἐστίν σοι εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν. Ἐὰν δὲ τὸ κακὸν ποιῇς, φοβοῦ· οὐ γὰρ εἰκῆ τὴν μάχαιραν φορεῖ: Θεοῦ γὰρ διάκονός ἐστιν, ἔκδικος εἰς ὀργὴν τῷ τὸ κακὸν πράσσοντι.

Transliteration

Of Theou gar diakonos estin to you for the agathon. Ean de the kakon poiēs, phobou; not gar eikē the machairan phorei: of Theou gar diakonos estin, ekdikos for orgēn to the one the kakon prassonti.

Grammar Details

• *Theou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of God
• *gar*: postpositive conjunction - for/because
• *diakonos*: nominative, masculine/feminine, singular - servant/minister
• *estin*: present indicative, 3rd singular - is
• *agathon*: accusative, neuter, singular - good
• *Ean*: conditional conjunction - if
• *de*: postpositive conjunction - but/and/now
• *kakon*: accusative, neuter, singular - evil/bad
• *poiēs*: present active subjunctive, 2nd singular - you do/practice
• *phobou*: present middle/passive imperative, 2nd singular - fear/be afraid
• *eikē*: adverb - in vain/without purpose
• *machairan*: accusative, feminine, singular - sword
• *phorei*: present active indicative, 3rd singular - bears/wears/carries
• *ekdikos*: nominative, masculine, singular - avenger/punisher
• *orgēn*: accusative, feminine, singular - wrath/anger
• *prassonti*: present active participle, dative, masculine, singular - practicing/doing

Word Meanings

• *diakonos*: servant/minister/deacon/agent
• *agathon*: good/beneficial/noble
• *kakon*: evil/bad/wrong/harmful
• *phobou*: fear/be afraid/dread
• *eikē*: in vain/without purpose/without reason
• *machairan*: sword/knife
• *phorei*: bears/carries/wears
• *ekdikos*: avenger/punisher/executor of justice
• *orgēn*: wrath/anger/indignation
• *prassonti*: practicing/doing/performing

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who does evil.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  for he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him that doeth evil.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  For he is the minister of God for thy welth. But and yf thou do evyll then feare: for he beareth not a swearde for nought: but is the minister of God to take vengeaunce on them that do evyll.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  for he is the minister off God for thy wealth. But yff thou do euell, then feare, for he beareth not the swerde for naughte. For he is the mynister of God, a taker of vengeaunce, to punyshe him that doth euell.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  For he is ye minister of God for thy wealth, but if thou do euill, feare: for he beareth not the sworde for nought: for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doeth euill.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  For he is the minister of God for thy wealth. But yf thou do euyll, feare: For he beareth not the sworde in vayne, for he is the minister of God, reuenger of wrath on hym that doth euyll.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to [execute] wrath upon him that doeth evil.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn't bear the sword in vain; for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  for of God it is a ministrant to thee for good; and if that which is evil thou mayest do, be fearing, for not in vain doth it bear the sword; for of God it is a ministrant, an avenger for wrath to him who is doing that which is evil.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  for he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him that doeth evil.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  for he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him that doeth evil.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  For he is the servant of God to you for good. But if you do evil, have fear; for the sword is not in his hand for nothing: he is God's servant, making God's punishment come on the evil-doer.

• World English Bible (2000)

  for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn't bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  because it is God’s servant for your well-being. But be afraid if you do wrong because government does not bear the sword for nothing. It is God’s servant to administer punishment on the person who does wrong.

Referenced Verses

• 2 Chr 19:6 : 6 He said to the judges, 'Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals, but for the LORD, who is with you whenever you give a judgment.'
• Rom 12:19 : 19 Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord.
• 1 Thess 4:6 : 6 And that no one transgresses or defrauds their brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger of all these things, as we have forewarned and solemnly testified to you.
• Prov 24:23-24 : 23 These also belong to the wise: showing partiality in judgment is not good. 24 Whoever says to the wicked, 'You are righteous,' the peoples will curse him, and the nations will denounce him.
• Prov 31:8-9 : 8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. 9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
• Eccl 8:2-5 : 2 I advise you to obey the king's command and stay true to your oath made before God. 3 Do not be quick to leave the king’s presence, and do not insist on an evil matter, for the king will do whatever he pleases. 4 Since the king’s word has authority, who can question him, saying, 'What are you doing?' 5 Whoever obeys a command will avoid harm, and the heart of the wise person knows the right time and the right way.
• Isa 1:17 : 17 Learn to do what is good; seek justice, correct the oppressor. Defend the cause of the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.
• Jer 5:28 : 28 They have grown fat and sleek. They excel in evil deeds; they do not defend the rights of the fatherless so they might prosper, nor do they uphold the cause of the needy.
• Ezek 22:27 : 27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and destroy lives to make unjust gain.
• Ezek 25:14 : 14 I will take my vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to my anger and my wrath. Then they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign LORD.
• Mic 3:1-4 : 1 Then I said: "Hear now, leaders of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not your responsibility to know justice? 2 You who hate good and love evil; you tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones. 3 You eat the flesh of my people, strip off their skin, break their bones, and chop them up like meat for the pot, like flesh in a cauldron. 4 Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. He will hide His face from them at that time because of the evil they have done.
• Mic 3:9 : 9 Hear this, leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, you who despise justice and twist all that is right:
• Ps 82:2-4 : 2 How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah. 3 Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. 4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
• Prov 16:14 : 14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but the wise will appease it.
• Prov 20:2 : 2 The roar of a king is like the growl of a young lion; whoever provokes him to anger risks his life.
• Prov 20:8 : 8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment disperses all evil with his eyes.
• Prov 20:26 : 26 A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them.
• Num 35:19-27 : 19 The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when they encounter the murderer, the avenger is to put them to death. 20 If someone pushes another out of hatred or throws something at them with intent and the person dies, 21 or if in hostility someone strikes another with their hand and the person dies, the one who struck them must be put to death. They are a murderer. The avenger of blood is to execute the sentence when they meet the murderer. 22 But if suddenly, without hostility, someone pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally, 23 or if, without seeing them, they drop a stone on someone that could cause death, and the person dies, but there was no enmity or intentional harm between them, 24 then the assembly must judge between the one who caused the death and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances. 25 The assembly shall protect the one who caused the death from the avenger of blood and send them back to the city of refuge they fled to. They must remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the one who caused the death goes outside the boundaries of the city of refuge to which they fled, 27 and the avenger of blood finds the offender outside the city and kills them, the avenger shall not be guilty of bloodshed.
• Josh 20:9 : 9 These were the appointed cities for all the Israelites and for the foreigners living among them, so that anyone who unintentionally killed another person could flee there and not die at the hand of the avenger of blood until they stood trial before the assembly.
• 1 Kgs 10:9 : 9 Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to uphold justice and righteousness.
• Rom 13:6 : 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are servants of God, continually attending to this very thing.
• Josh 20:5 : 5 If the avenger of blood pursues them, the city must not hand over the one who committed the killing, because they killed their neighbor unintentionally and without prior hostility.