Romans 13:1

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Submission to Civil Government Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Titus 3:1 : 1 Conduct Toward Those Outside the Church Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.
  • 1 Pet 2:13-17 : 13 Submission to Authorities Be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme 14 or to governors as those he commissions to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do good. 15 For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 16 Live as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves. 17 Honor all people, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king.
  • John 19:11 : 11 Jesus replied,“You would have no authority over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”
  • Eph 5:21 : 21 and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
  • Matt 6:13 : 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
  • 2 Pet 2:10-11 : 10 especially those who indulge their fleshly desires and who despise authority. Brazen and insolent, they are not afraid to insult the glorious ones, 11 yet even angels, who are much more powerful, do not bring a slanderous judgment against them before the Lord.
  • Jude 1:8 : 8 Yet these men, as a result of their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and insult the glorious ones.
  • Prov 8:15-16 : 15 By me kings reign, and by me potentates decree righteousness; 16 by me princes rule, as well as nobles and all righteous judges.
  • Dan 2:21 : 21 He changes times and seasons, deposing some kings and establishing others. He gives wisdom to the wise; he imparts knowledge to those with understanding;
  • Dan 4:32 : 32 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”
  • Dan 5:18-23 : 18 As for you, O king, the most high God bestowed on your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty. 19 Due to the greatness that he bestowed on him, all peoples, nations, and language groups were trembling with fear before him. He killed whom he wished, he spared whom he wished, he exalted whom he wished, and he brought low whom he wished. 20 And when his mind became arrogant and his spirit filled with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and his honor was removed from him. 21 He was driven from human society, his mind was changed to that of an animal, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until he came to understand that the most high God rules over human kingdoms, and he appoints over them whomever he wishes. 22 “But you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, although you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. You brought before you the vessels from his temple, and you and your nobles, together with your wives and concubines, drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone– gods that cannot see or hear or comprehend! But you have not glorified the God who has in his control your very breath and all your ways!
  • Jer 27:5-8 : 5 “I made the earth and the people and animals on it by my mighty power and great strength, and I give it to whomever I see fit. 6 I have at this time placed all these nations of yours under the power of my servant, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have even made all the wild animals subject to him. 7 All nations must serve him and his son and grandson until the time comes for his own nation to fall. Then many nations and great kings will in turn subjugate Babylon. 8 But suppose a nation or a kingdom will not be subject to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Suppose it will not submit to the yoke of servitude to him. I, the LORD, affirm that I will punish that nation. I will use the king of Babylon to punish it with war, starvation, and disease until I have destroyed it.
  • 1 Chr 28:4-5 : 4 The LORD God of Israel chose me out of my father’s entire family to become king over Israel and have a permanent dynasty. Indeed, he chose Judah as leader, and my father’s family within Judah, and then he picked me out from among my father’s sons and made me king over all Israel. 5 From all the many sons the LORD has given me, he chose Solomon my son to rule on his behalf over Israel.
  • Ps 62:11 : 11 God has declared one principle; two principles I have heard: God is strong,
  • Rev 1:5 : 5 and from Jesus Christ– the faithful witness, the firstborn from among the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has set us free from our sins at the cost of his own blood
  • Rev 17:14 : 14 They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those accompanying the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful.”
  • Rev 19:16 : 16 He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh:“King of kings and Lord of lords.”
  • Deut 17:12 : 12 The person who pays no attention to the priest currently serving the LORD your God there, or to the judge– that person must die, so that you may purge evil from Israel.
  • 1 Sam 2:8 : 8 He lifts the weak from the dust; he raises the poor from the ash heap to seat them with princes– he bestows on them an honored position. The foundations of the earth belong to the LORD– he placed the world on them.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Rom 13:2-7
    6 verses
    89%

    2So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment

    3(for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation

    4because 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.

    5Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities but also because of your conscience.

    6For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants devoted to governing.

    7Pay everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

  • 1 Pet 2:13-15
    3 verses
    82%

    13Submission to Authorities Be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme

    14or to governors as those he commissions to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do good.

    15For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.

  • Titus 3:1
    78%

    1Conduct Toward Those Outside the Church Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.

  • 1 Tim 2:1-3
    3 verses
    76%

    1Prayer for All People First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people,

    2even for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

    3Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior,

  • 1 Pet 2:17-18
    2 verses
    72%

    17Honor all people, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king.

    18Slaves, be subject to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are perverse.

  • 1 Pet 3:22
    70%

    22who went into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels and authorities and powers subject to him.

  • Heb 13:17
    70%

    17Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls and will give an account for their work. Let them do this with joy and not with complaints, for this would be no advantage for you.

  • Eccl 8:4
    69%

    4Surely the king’s authority is absolute; no one can say to him,“What are you doing?”

  • Jas 4:7
    68%

    7So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you.

  • Acts 5:39
    68%

    39but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them, or you may even be found fighting against God.” He convinced them,

  • 1 Cor 15:27-28
    2 verses
    67%

    27For he has put everything in subjection under his feet. But when it says“everything” has been put in subjection, it is clear that this does not include the one who put everything in subjection to him.

    28And when all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.

  • Eph 5:24
    67%

    24But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

  • 1 Cor 11:3
    67%

    3But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

  • 1 Cor 14:32
    67%

    32Indeed, the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets,

  • 1 Pet 5:5-6
    2 verses
    66%

    5In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

    6And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand

  • Eph 6:9-10
    2 verses
    66%

    9Masters, treat your slaves the same way, giving up the use of threats, because you know that both you and they have the same master in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

    10Exhortations for Spiritual Warfare Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power.

  • Col 4:1
    66%

    1Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven.

  • 1 Tim 6:15
    66%

    15– whose appearing the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, will reveal at the right time.

  • 1 Cor 4:20
    66%

    20For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power.

  • Luke 22:25
    66%

    25So Jesus said to them,“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them are called‘benefactors.’

  • Eph 6:5
    66%

    5Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ,

  • Eph 5:21-22
    2 verses
    66%

    21and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

    22Exhortations to Households Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord,

  • Rom 2:11
    66%

    11For there is no partiality with God.

  • Eph 1:21-22
    2 verses
    66%

    21far above every rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

    22And God put all things under Christ’s feet, and gave him to the church as head over all things.

  • Ps 22:28
    66%

    28For the LORD is king and rules over the nations.

  • Ps 148:11
    66%

    11you kings of the earth and all you nations, you princes and all you leaders on the earth,

  • 1 Tim 6:1
    66%

    1Those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will prevent the name of God and Christian teaching from being discredited.

  • 1 Cor 15:24
    65%

    24Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he has brought to an end all rule and all authority and power.

  • 2 Pet 2:10
    65%

    10especially those who indulge their fleshly desires and who despise authority. Brazen and insolent, they are not afraid to insult the glorious ones,

  • Rom 14:11
    65%

    11For it is written,“As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.”

  • Col 3:22
    65%

    22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in every respect, not only when they are watching– like those who are strictly people-pleasers– but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.

  • Phil 2:11
    65%

    11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

  • Ps 75:7
    65%

    7For God is the judge! He brings one down and exalts another.

  • 1 Cor 16:16
    65%

    16also to submit to people like this, and to everyone who cooperates in the work and labors hard.

  • Eph 6:12
    65%

    12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.