Romans 13:6

Webster's Bible (1833)

For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are ministers of God's service, attending continually on this very thing.

📖 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 When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins{A didrachma is a Greek silver coin worth 2 drachmas, about as much as 2 Roman denarii, or about 2 days wages. It was commonly used to pay the half-shekel temple tax, because 2 drachmas were worth one half shekel of silver.} came to Peter, and said, "Doesn't your teacher pay the didrachma?" 25 He said, "Yes." When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?" 26 Peter said to him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Therefore the children are exempt. 27 But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin.{A stater is a silver coin equivalent to four Attic or two Alexandrian drachmas, or a Jewish shekel: just exactly enough to cover the half-shekel Temple Tax for two people.} Take that, and give it to them for me and you."
• Matt 22:17-21 : 17 Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test me, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the tax money." They brought to him a denarius. 20 He asked them, "Whose is this image and inscription?" 21 They said to him, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
• Mark 12:14-17 : 14 When they had come, they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don't defer to anyone; for you aren't partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we give, or shall we not give?" But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it." 16 They brought it. He said to them, "Whose is this image and inscription?" They said to him, "Caesar's." 17 Jesus answered them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." They marveled greatly at him.
• Luke 20:21-26 : 21 They asked him, "Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren't partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, "Why do you test me? 24 Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?" They answered, "Caesar's." 25 He said to them, "Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." 26 They weren't able to trap him in his words before the people. They marveled at his answer, and were silent.
• Luke 23:2 : 2 They began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting the nation, forbidding paying taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king."
• Rom 12:8 : 8 or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
• Exod 18:13-27 : 13 It happened on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening. 14 When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, "What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?" 15 Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws." 17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you do is not good. 18 You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone. 19 Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God. 20 You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21 Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22 Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you. 23 If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all of these people also will go to their place in peace." 24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. 25 Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard causes to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. 27 Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.
• Deut 1:9-9 : 9 I spoke to you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone: 10 Yahweh your God has multiplied you, and, behold, you are this day as the stars of the sky for multitude. 11 Yahweh, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are, and bless you, as he has promised you! 12 How can I myself alone bear your encumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? 13 Take wise men of understanding and well known according to your tribes, and I will make them heads over you. 14 You answered me, and said, The thing which you have spoken is good [for us] to do. 15 So I took the heads of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens, and officers, according to your tribes. 16 I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear [the causes] between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the foreigner who is living with him. 17 You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike; you shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.
• 1 Sam 7:16-17 : 16 He went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places. 17 His return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar to Yahweh.
• 2 Sam 8:5 : 5 When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
• 1 Chr 18:14 : 14 David reigned over all Israel; and he executed justice and righteousness to all his people.
• Ezra 4:13 : 13 Be it known now to the king that if this city is built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.
• Ezra 4:20 : 20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all [the country] beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them.
• Ezra 6:8 : 8 Moreover I make a decree what you shall do to these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the River, expenses be given with all diligence to these men, that they be not hindered.
• Neh 5:4 : 4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute [on] our fields and our vineyards.
• Job 29:7-9 : 7 When I went forth to the city gate, When I prepared my seat in the street, 8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, The aged rose up and stood; 9 The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth; 10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. 11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it commended me: 12 Because I delivered the poor who cried, And the fatherless also, who had none to help him. 13 The blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem. 15 I was eyes to the blind, And feet to the lame. 16 I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I didn't know, I searched out. 17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth.