Romans 13:4

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.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • 2 Chr 19:6 : 6 He told the judges,“Be careful what you do, for you are not judging for men, but for the LORD, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions.
  • Rom 12:19 : 19 Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written,“Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
  • 1 Thess 4:6 : 6 In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly.
  • Prov 24:23-24 : 23 Further Sayings of the Wise These sayings also are from the wise: To show partiality in judgment is terrible: 24 The one who says to the guilty,“You are innocent,” peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him.
  • Prov 31:8-9 : 8 Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying. 9 Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
  • Eccl 8:2-5 : 2 Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him. 3 Do not rush out of the king’s presence in haste– do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he can do whatever he pleases. 4 Surely the king’s authority is absolute; no one can say to him,“What are you doing?” 5 Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure.
  • Isa 1:17 : 17 Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!
  • Jer 5:28 : 28 That is how they have grown fat and sleek. There is no limit to the evil things they do. They do not plead the cause of the fatherless in such a way as to win it. They do not defend the rights of the poor.
  • Ezek 22:27 : 27 Her officials are like wolves in her midst rending their prey– shedding blood and destroying lives– so they can get dishonest profit.
  • Ezek 25:14 : 14 I will exact my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel. They will carry out in Edom my anger and rage; they will experience my vengeance, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”
  • Mic 3:1-4 : 1 God Will Judge Judah’s Sinful Leaders I said,“Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You ought to know what is just, 2 yet you hate what is good, and love what is evil. You flay my people’s skin and rip the flesh from their bones. 3 You devour my people’s flesh, strip off their skin, and crush their bones. You chop them up like flesh in a pot– like meat in a kettle. 4 Someday these sinful leaders will cry to the LORD for help, but he will not answer them. He will hide his face from them at that time, because they have done such wicked deeds.”
  • Mic 3:9 : 9 Listen to this, you leaders of the family of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You hate justice and pervert all that is right.
  • Ps 82:2-4 : 2 He says,“How long will you make unjust legal decisions and show favoritism to the wicked?(Selah) 3 Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! Vindicate the oppressed and suffering! 4 Rescue the poor and needy! Deliver them from the power of the wicked!
  • Prov 16:14 : 14 A king’s wrath is like a messenger of death, but a wise person appeases it.
  • Prov 20:2 : 2 The king’s terrifying anger is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him sins against himself.
  • Prov 20:8 : 8 A king sitting on the throne to judge separates out all evil with his eyes.
  • Prov 20:26 : 26 A wise king separates out the wicked; he turns the threshing wheel over them.
  • Num 35:19-27 : 19 The avenger of blood himself must kill the murderer; when he meets him, he must kill him. 20 “But if he strikes him out of hatred or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies, 21 or with enmity he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death, for he is a murderer. The avenger of blood must kill the murderer when he meets him. 22 “But if he strikes him suddenly, without enmity, or throws anything at him unintentionally, 23 or with any stone large enough that a man could die, without seeing him, and throws it at him, and he dies, even though he was not his enemy nor sought his harm, 24 then the community must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these decisions. 25 The community must deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the community must restore him to the town of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the consecrated oil. 26 But if the slayer at any time goes outside the boundary of the town to which he had fled, 27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the borders of the town of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the slayer, he will not be guilty of blood,
  • Josh 20:9 : 9 These were the cities of refuge appointed for all the Israelites and for resident foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed someone could escape there and not be executed by the avenger of blood, at least until his case was reviewed by the assembly.
  • 1 Kgs 10:9 : 9 May the LORD your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on the throne of Israel! Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he made you king so you could make just and right decisions.”
  • Rom 13:6 : 6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants devoted to governing.
  • Josh 20:5 : 5 When the avenger of blood comes after him, they must not hand over to him the one who committed manslaughter, for he accidentally killed his fellow man without premeditation.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Rom 13:1-3
    3 verses
    88%

    1Submission 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.

    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

  • 1 Pet 2:13-18
    6 verses
    80%

    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.

    16Live as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves.

    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.

  • Rom 13:5-7
    3 verses
    80%

    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.

  • Job 19:29
    71%

    29Fear the sword yourselves, for wrath brings the punishment by the sword, so that you may know that there is judgment.”

  • Titus 3:1
    71%

    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 Pet 3:12-14
    3 verses
    69%

    12For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil.

    13For who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good?

    14But in fact, if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them or be shaken.

  • Rev 13:10
    69%

    10If anyone is meant for captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed by the sword, then by the sword he must be killed.This requires steadfast endurance and faith from the saints.

  • 1 Tim 2:2-3
    2 verses
    68%

    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,

  • Rom 12:19
    67%

    19Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written,“Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

  • Ps 149:7
    67%

    7in order to take revenge on the nations, and punish foreigners.

  • Heb 13:17
    66%

    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.

  • 1 Tim 1:8-9
    2 verses
    66%

    8But we know that the law is good if someone uses it legitimately,

    9realizing that law is not intended for a righteous person, but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,

  • Col 3:25
    66%

    25For the one who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there are no exceptions.

  • Job 13:11
    66%

    11Would not his splendor terrify you and the fear he inspires fall on you?

  • Luke 12:4-5
    2 verses
    66%

    4“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.

    5But I will warn you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

  • Eph 6:5
    66%

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

  • 1 Pet 3:17
    65%

    17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil.

  • Col 4:1
    65%

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

  • Prov 16:14
    65%

    14A king’s wrath is like a messenger of death, but a wise person appeases it.

  • Eccl 8:4
    65%

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

  • Lev 25:43
    65%

    43You must not rule over him harshly, but you must fear your God.

  • Eph 6:9
    65%

    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.

  • Ps 125:4
    65%

    4Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, to the morally upright!

  • Ps 37:32
    65%

    32Evil men set an ambush for the godly and try to kill them.

  • 2 Cor 13:10
    65%

    10Because of this I am writing these things while absent, so that when I arrive I may not have to deal harshly with you by using my authority– the Lord gave it to me for building up, not for tearing down!

  • Prov 20:2
    65%

    2The king’s terrifying anger is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him sins against himself.

  • Rom 2:6
    65%

    6He will reward each one according to his works:

  • 1 Pet 4:15
    65%

    15But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker.

  • Ps 110:5
    65%

    5O Lord, at your right hand he strikes down kings in the day he unleashes his anger.

  • 1 Thess 5:15
    65%

    15See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.

  • Rom 2:13
    65%

    13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous.

  • 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.

  • 1 Thess 4:6
    65%

    6In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly.

  • Prov 14:35
    65%

    35The king shows favor to a wise servant, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

  • Rom 2:3
    65%

    3And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment?

  • Eccl 8:13
    65%

    13But it will not go well with the wicked, nor will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.