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13  Can nicˈatzin cˈa chi konojel riyoj yekanimaj ri aj kˈatbel tak tzij. Ruma quinojel ri ye aj kˈatbel tak tzij ya ri Dios ye yayon, y ya Riyaˈ ri niyaˈo ri kˈatbel tzij pa quikˈaˈ. Ruma wi nikapabaˈ kiˈ chuwech ri kˈatbel tzij, yojtajin nikapabaˈ kiˈ chuwech ri rukˈatbel tzij ri Dios, ruma ri aj kˈatbel tak tzij ya ri Dios ye yayon. Rumariˈ wi queriˈ nikaben, kayon nikayaˈ kiˈ pa rucˈayewal. Jun aj kˈatbel tzij ma nuyaˈ ta rucˈayewal pa quiwiˈ ri yebano ri utz, xaxu (xaxe wi) pa quiwiˈ ri yebano ri etzelal. Wi nawajoˈ chi ma naxibij ta awiˈ chiquiwech ri aj kˈatbel tak tzij, tabanaˈ cˈa ri utz. Y wi queriˈ naben, utz yatzˈetetej cuma. Ruma ri aj kˈatbel tak tzij ye rusamajel ri Dios. Ri Dios ye ruyaˈon riche (rixin) chi yojquichajij. Pero wi nikaben ri ma utz ta, tikaxibij cˈa kiˈ chiquiwech, ruma ye riyeˈ ri xqueyaˈo rucˈayewal pa kawiˈ. Ruma ma chak ta queriˈ yecˈo. Can ye yaˈon wi ruma ri Dios riche (rixin) chi niquicˈajsaj quiwech ri yebano etzelal. Rumariˈ rajawaxic chi quekanimaj ri aj kˈatbel tak tzij, pero ma xu (xe) ta wi riche (rixin) chi majun rucˈayewal nika pa kawiˈ. Ma que ta riˈ. Ruma chi ri kánima can nubij chake chi utz yekanimaj. Ruma chukaˈ riˈ tek yekatoj ri alcawal; ruma ri aj kˈatbel tak tzij, ya ri Dios yayon ri samaj chique riche (rixin) chi niquichajij ri tinamit y yariˈ yetajin chubanic ronojel kˈij.

Can tikatojoˈ cˈa ri rucˈamon chi nikatoj chique. Tikatojoˈ ri alcawal tek cˈo chi nitoj ri alcawal. Tikatojoˈ ri impuestos tek cˈo chi nitoj ri impuestos. Ri winek ri cˈo quikˈij, can tikayaˈ cˈa quikˈij. Ri ye nimaˈk tak winek, can tikabanaˈ cˈa chique chi ye nimaˈk tak winek.

Ma utz ta chi nicˈojeˈ kacˈas riqˈui jun chic, pero ri ajowanriˈil achiˈel jun cˈas ri majun bey xtitojtej ta ruma chi can rajawaxic chi nikajoˈ kiˈ. Ruma wi can yekajoˈ ri kucˈ kachˈalal, can nikaben cˈa ronojel ri nubij chupan ri ruley ri Dios. Ri ley riˈ nubij: Riyit achi ri cˈo awixjayil, man cˈa tacanoj ta jun chic ixok. Y chukaˈ riyit ixok ri cˈo awachijil, man cˈa tacˈom ta ruwech jun chic achi. Man cˈa quixcamisan ta. Ma quixelekˈ ta. Ma titzˈuc ta tzij chrij jun chic winek. Ma tirayij ta ri cˈo riqˈui jun chic. Y cˈo nicˈaj chic chukaˈ ri nubij ri ley. Pero cˈo jun chic tzij ri numej ronojel reˈ. Y ri tzij riˈ nubij: Achiˈel nawajoˈ ka awiˈ riyit, queriˈ chukaˈ queˈawajoˈ ri awucˈ awachˈalal. 10 Wi yekajoˈ ri kucˈ kachˈalal, majun cˈa itzel nikaben chique. Y rumariˈ, wi yekajoˈ quinojel, can nikaben cˈa ronojel ri nubij chupan ri ley.

11 Y ronojel re yitajin chubixic, can riche (rixin) chi kojcˈastej cˈa riyoj ri can achiˈel yoj warnek, ruma ketaman chi xtapon na ri kˈij tek xkojcolotej el. Cˈo yan cˈa kˈij kaniman pe, y rumariˈ yojcowin nikabij chi wacami xa nakaj chic yojcˈo wi chare ri kˈij riˈ. 12 Ri akˈaˈ ya xa nikˈax yan, y ri kˈij ya xa ntel yan pe. Rumariˈ, tikayaˈ ca rubanic ri itzel tak banobel riche (rixin) ri kˈekuˈm. Nicˈatzin chi tikacˈuaj jun cˈaslen riche (rixin) ri sakil riche (rixin) chi nikatoˈ kiˈ chuwech ri itzel. 13 Riyoj yojcˈo chic chupan ri sakil y rumariˈ utz chi nikacˈuaj jun cˈaslen choj. Ma utz ta chi yojkˈaber, ni ma utz ta chi xaxu (xaxe wi) chrij ri waˈin nibe wi ri kánima. Ma utz ta chi ri achiˈaˈ y ri ixokiˈ niquicanolaˈ quiˈ riche (rixin) chi yemacun; majun cˈa ruwech etzelal ri quereˈ utz ta chi nikaben. Ma utz ta chi cˈo oyowal chkacojol y ma utz ta chi itzel nikatzˈet chare jun chic ruma utz cˈo. 14 Rajawaxic cˈa chi can tikacusaj ri Ajaf Jesucristo achiˈel nikacusaj jun katziak, y ma tikachˈob ta chi nikayaˈ kˈij chique ri itzel tak cosas ri nurayij ri chˈaculaj.

Submission to Governing Authorities

13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities,(A) for there is no authority except that which God has established.(B) The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted,(C) and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.(D) For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.(E) Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.(F)

This is also why you pay taxes,(G) for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes;(H) if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Love Fulfills the Law

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.(I) The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a](J) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up(K) in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b](L) 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.(M)

The Day Is Near

11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come(N) for you to wake up from your slumber,(O) because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.(P) So let us put aside the deeds of darkness(Q) and put on the armor(R) of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness,(S) not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.(T) 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,(U) and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.[c](V)

Footnotes

  1. Romans 13:9 Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deut. 5:17-19,21
  2. Romans 13:9 Lev. 19:18
  3. Romans 13:14 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.