Romans 13:6

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

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

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ φόρους τελεῖτε: λειτουργοὶ γὰρ Θεοῦ εἰσιν, εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο προσκαρτεροῦντες.

Transliteration

Through this gar also phorous teleite: leitourgoi gar Theou eisin, to this very thing proskarterountes.

Grammar Details

• *gar*: postpositive conjunction - for/because
• *phorous*: accusative, masculine, plural - taxes/tributes
• *teleite*: present active indicative, 2nd plural - you pay
• *leitourgoi*: nominative, masculine, plural - servants/ministers
• *Theou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of God
• *eisin*: present indicative, 3rd plural - they are
• *proskarterountes*: present active participle, nominative, masculine, plural - attending continually/persevering

Word Meanings

• *phorous*: taxes/tributes/payments
• *teleite*: you pay/complete/fulfill
• *leitourgoi*: servants/ministers/public officials
• *proskarterountes*: attending continually/persevering/devoting themselves

Referenced Verses

• Matt 17:24-27 : 24 The Temple Tax After they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said,“Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn’t he?” 25 He said,“Yes.” When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first,“What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tolls or taxes– from their sons or from foreigners?” 26 After he said,“From foreigners,” Jesus said to him,“Then the sons are free. 27 But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin. Take that and give it to them for me and you.”
• Matt 22:17-21 : 17 Tell us then, what do you think? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus realized their evil intentions and said,“Hypocrites! Why are you testing me? 19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” So they brought him a denarius. 20 Jesus said to them,“Whose image is this, and whose inscription?” 21 They replied,“Caesar’s.” He said to them,“Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
• Mark 12:14-17 : 14 When they came they said to him,“Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” 15 But he saw through their hypocrisy and said to them,“Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 So they brought one, and he said to them,“Whose image is this, and whose inscription?” They replied,“Caesar’s.” 17 Then Jesus said to them,“Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him.
• Luke 20:21-26 : 21 Thus they asked him,“Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay the tribute tax to Caesar or not?” 23 But Jesus perceived their deceit and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They said,“Caesar’s.” 25 So he said to them,“Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26 Thus they were unable in the presence of the people to trap him with his own words. And stunned by his answer, they fell silent.
• Luke 23:2 : 2 They began to accuse him, saying,“We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding us to pay the tribute tax to Caesar and claiming that he himself is Christ, a king.”
• Rom 12:8 : 8 if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness.
• Exod 18:13-27 : 13 On the next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. 14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said,“What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” 15 Moses said to his father-in-law,“Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws.” 17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him,“What you are doing is not good! 18 You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself. 19 Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God; 20 warn them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. 21 But you choose from the people capable men, God-fearing, men of truth, those who hate bribes, and put them over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22 They will judge the people under normal circumstances, and every difficult case they will bring to you, but every small case they themselves will judge, so that you may make it easier for yourself, and they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will be able to go home satisfied.” 24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he had said. 25 Moses chose capable men from all Israel, and he made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves. 27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and so Jethro went to his own land.
• Deut 1:9-9 : 9 I also said to you at that time,“I am no longer able to sustain you by myself. 10 The LORD your God has increased your population to the point that you are now as numerous as the very stars of the sky. 11 Indeed, may the LORD, the God of your ancestors, make you a thousand times more numerous than you are now, blessing you just as he said he would! 12 But how can I alone bear up under the burden of your hardship and strife? 13 Select wise and practical men, those known among your tribes, whom I may appoint as your leaders.” 14 You replied to me that what I had said to you was good. 15 So I chose as your tribal leaders wise and well-known men, placing them over you as administrators of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and also as other tribal officials. 16 I furthermore admonished your judges at that time that they should pay attention to issues among your fellow citizens and judge fairly, whether between one person and a native Israelite or a resident foreigner. 17 They must not discriminate in judgment, but hear the lowly and the great alike. Nor should they be intimidated by human beings, for judgment belongs to God. If the matter being adjudicated is too difficult for them, they should bring it before me for a hearing.
• 1 Sam 7:16-17 : 16 Year after year he used to travel the circuit of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; he used to judge Israel in all of these places. 17 Then he would return to Ramah, because his home was there. He also judged Israel there and built an altar to the LORD there.
• 2 Sam 8:5 : 5 The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans.
• 1 Chr 18:14 : 14 David’s Officials David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people.
• Ezra 4:13 : 13 Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury will suffer loss.
• Ezra 4:20 : 20 Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates and who were the beneficiaries of tribute, custom, and toll.
• Ezra 6:8 : 8 “I also hereby issue orders as to what you are to do with those elders of the Jews in order to rebuild this temple of God. From the royal treasury, from the taxes of Trans-Euphrates the complete costs are to be given to these men, so that there may be no interruption of the work.
• Neh 5:4 : 4 Then there were those who said,“We have borrowed money to pay our taxes to the king on our fields and our vineyards.
• Job 29:7-9 : 7 When I went out to the city gate and secured my seat in the public square, 8 the young men would see me and step aside, and the old men would get up and remain standing; 9 the chief men refrained from talking and covered their mouths with their hands; 10 the voices of the nobles fell silent, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. 11 Job’s Benevolence“As soon as the ear heard these things, it blessed me, and when the eye saw them, it bore witness to me, 12 for I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan who had no one to assist him; 13 the blessing of the dying man descended on me, and I made the widow’s heart rejoice; 14 I put on righteousness and it clothed me, my just dealing was like a robe and a turban; 15 I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame; 16 I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the case of the person I did not know; 17 I broke the fangs of the wicked, and made him drop his prey from his teeth.