Romans 13:5 kjv
Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
Romans 13:5 nkjv
Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.
Romans 13:5 niv
Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
Romans 13:5 esv
Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
Romans 13:5 nlt
So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.
Romans 13 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 13:1-2 | Let every person be subject to the governing authorities... Whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed. | Context for submission to delegated authority. |
| Tit 3:1 | Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient... | General call for submission to human governments. |
| 1 Pet 2:13-14 | Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution... for punishing those who do evil and commending those who do good. | Submission as a witness, and for its justice function. |
| Eccl 8:2-5 | Keep the king’s command... Do not be quick to depart from him... He who keeps a command will know no evil thing. | Old Testament wisdom on obeying earthly rulers. |
| Prov 8:15-16 | By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just... | God's divine hand in establishing authorities. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings... | God's sovereignty over earthly governments. |
| Jn 19:10-11 | Pilate said, “Do you not know that I have authority... Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.” | Jesus acknowledges God's ultimate authority behind earthly power. |
| Rom 2:14-15 | For when Gentiles... do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness. | Conscience as an internal moral guide, even without explicit law. |
| 1 Cor 8:7-12 | But not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. | Conscience and its role in ethical decision-making among believers. |
| Rom 14:23 | For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. | Connects to conscience: acting against conviction is sin. |
| Heb 9:14 | How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. | The role of Christ in purifying the believer's conscience. |
| 1 Pet 2:12 | Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. | Good conduct (including civic obedience) for witness. |
| Matt 5:16 | In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. | Christian behavior should lead others to glorify God. |
| Matt 22:21 | They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” | Jesus’ teaching on civil and divine obligations. |
| 1 Tim 2:1-2 | First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. | Praying for authorities for societal peace. |
| Jer 29:7 | But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD for it, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. | Old Testament principle of seeking the good of the ruling society. |
| Acts 4:19-20 | But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” | Limitation of submission: obedience to God comes first. |
| Acts 5:29 | But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” | Direct statement of ultimate allegiance to God. |
| Dan 3:16-18 | Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king... “We will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” | Example of righteous civil disobedience when God's law is violated. |
| Dan 6:10 | When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house... and he knelt down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. | Daniel's example of choosing God over human law. |
Romans 13 verses
Romans 13 5 Meaning
Romans 13:5 conveys that believers are obligated to submit to governing authorities not merely to avoid punitive consequences (wrath) but fundamentally from a place of inner moral conviction and obedience to God (conscience). This verse provides a dual motivation for civic submission, establishing it as both a pragmatic choice to escape punishment and a principled act rooted in Christian understanding of righteousness and order.
Romans 13 5 Context
Romans 13:5 is a pivotal verse within Paul's extended instruction on the Christian's relationship to governing authorities, which spans Romans 13:1-7. Preceding this section, Paul has laid out a comprehensive framework for Christian living, emphasizing love (Rom 12:9-10), humble service (Rom 12:3-8), and living peaceably with all (Rom 12:18-21). The instruction to submit to authorities immediately follows this ethical exhortation, grounding civic obedience within the broader call to live out Christ's love in the world. The historical context involves believers living under the Roman Empire, where the expectation for a kingdom of God might tempt some Jewish or even Gentile converts towards revolutionary zeal or dismissive attitudes towards earthly rulers. Paul explicitly clarifies that governmental authority is instituted by God (Rom 13:1), serving to punish evil and commend good (Rom 13:3-4). Verse 5, therefore, explains why such submission is necessary, moving beyond mere pragmatism to an intrinsic moral responsibility. It stands as a polemic against any notion that Christian freedom exempts believers from civic duties or justifies rebellion against established order, aligning with Jesus' teaching to render to Caesar what is Caesar's (Matt 22:21).
Romans 13 5 Word analysis
- Therefore (ὥστε - hoste): This conjunction indicates a logical conclusion or result drawn from the preceding statements. It links Rom 13:5 directly to the assertion in Rom 13:1-4 that governing authorities are God's ministers, appointed to execute justice and wrath upon evildoers. The obligation described in verse 5 is a consequence of these truths.
- you must be subject (ὑποτάσσεσθαι - hypotassesthai): This is a present infinitive, carrying the force of a command for ongoing, habitual submission. Hypotassesthai literally means "to place oneself under," "to arrange under," or "to subordinate." It implies not just passive obedience out of fear, but an active, voluntary submission or alignment of oneself under the legitimate authority, recognizing its divine appointment. This word is also used in the New Testament for submission in various relationships (e.g., wives to husbands, children to parents, church members to leaders).
- not only because of wrath (οὐ μόνον διὰ τὴν ὀργήν - ou monon dia tēn orgēn):
- not only (οὐ μόνον - ou monon): Implies that wrath is one reason, but not the only or ultimate reason.
- wrath (ὀργήν - orgēn): In this specific context, refers primarily to the penal power or punitive action exercised by the governing authorities, which acts as "God's servant for your good" (Rom 13:4). It is the consequence of defying the law and facing human judicial judgment, which itself reflects a delegated aspect of divine judgment against wrongdoing.
- but also for conscience' sake (ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ συνείδησιν - alla kai dia syneidēsin):
- but also (ἀλλὰ καὶ - alla kai): Emphasizes an additional, deeper, and perhaps more fundamental motivation.
- for conscience' sake (διὰ συνείδησιν - dia syneidēsin): "Conscience" (syneidēsis) refers to the inner moral awareness or ethical sensibility of a person, that which testifies to right or wrong within an individual. For the believer, this conscience is ideally informed and purified by the Holy Spirit and God's Word. To obey authorities "for conscience' sake" means one's submission is not merely pragmatic (to avoid punishment) but springs from an internal conviction that it is morally right, good, and commanded by God, thus aligning with one's personal ethics and spiritual walk.
- not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake: This phrase group presents the dual motivation for Christian submission to authorities. The first, "because of wrath," appeals to self-preservation and the tangible consequences of lawbreaking. The second, "for conscience' sake," elevates the motivation to a higher moral plane, indicating that obedience is also a matter of ethical duty before God and oneself, recognizing the divine order in the appointment of authorities. This prevents submission from being purely superficial or conditional upon external enforcement, rooting it instead in an intrinsic moral and spiritual understanding.
Romans 13 5 Bonus section
The concept of "conscience" (συνείδησιν - syneidēsin) in Pauline thought is not simply an innate, universal moral sense, but one that is shaped and educated, particularly by one's knowledge of God's revealed truth. For a believer, the conscience should increasingly align with God's will. Therefore, submission for conscience' sake implies that a Christian understands, through faith and scripture, that God Himself has established governing authorities (Rom 13:1) and expects their general obedience to them. This makes the act of civic obedience a matter of Christian worship and testimony. However, this verse, like others concerning submission, is generally understood to have boundaries. The phrase "obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29) defines a critical limitation: if an authority commands something that directly contradicts God's clear commands or compels one to sin, the conscience, aligned with God's law, would then necessitate disobedience to human law in favor of divine law. This forms a significant tension point and often leads to deeper ethical discussions on the nature and limits of submission in extreme circumstances.
Romans 13 5 Commentary
Romans 13:5 underscores that Christian submission to governing authorities is not merely a pragmatic strategy to avoid punishment, but a profound moral obligation stemming from an informed conscience. While avoiding the "wrath" (punishment) of the state is a valid reason, the deeper, distinctly Christian motivation is acting out of a conviction that such submission honors God's established order. This dual impetus means obedience is not fear-driven only but principle-driven, fostering an integrity that remains constant even when no one is watching. It transforms a grudging compliance into a spiritual discipline, encouraging believers to be exemplary citizens who, in upholding earthly law, reflect their commitment to God's divine principles of order and righteousness in society.