Romans 13:7-9
Amplified Bible
7 Pay to all what is due: tax to whom tax is due, customs to whom customs, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor.
8 [a]Owe nothing to anyone except to [b]love and seek the best for one another; for he who [unselfishly] loves his neighbor has fulfilled the [essence of the] law [relating to one’s fellowman].(A) 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and any other commandment are summed up in this statement: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”(B)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Romans 13:8 Debt is generally to be avoided, but Paul probably is addressing debt to individuals with whom one has a personal relationship.
- Romans 13:8 The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for other believers.
Romans 13:7-9
New International Version
7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes;(A) if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Love Fulfills the Law
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.(B) 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a](C) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up(D) in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b](E)
Footnotes
- Romans 13:9 Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deut. 5:17-19,21
- Romans 13:9 Lev. 19:18
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