Romans 13 6

Romans 13:6 kjv

For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

Romans 13:6 nkjv

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

Romans 13:6 niv

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.

Romans 13:6 esv

For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.

Romans 13:6 nlt

Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do.

Romans 13 verses

Romans 13 6 Meaning

Romans 13:6 explains that the payment of taxes and tribute to governing authorities is a necessary duty for believers. It asserts that these authorities function as "God's ministers" (leitourgoi Theou), not in a religious sense, but in their capacity as public servants. They are dedicated to the essential task of maintaining civil order, administering justice, and ensuring the common good, thereby executing a divinely appointed role in the world, for which their sustenance and operations through taxation are justified.

Romans 13 6 Context

Romans chapter 13 focuses on the believer's civic duties and relationship to governing authorities. Verses 1-5 establish that all authority originates from God, that rulers serve His purpose in maintaining order and punishing evil, and therefore, submission to them is a divine imperative, not just a matter of avoiding wrath but of conscience. Verse 6 directly builds upon this foundation, offering a pragmatic justification for why taxes are to be paid. This instruction was critical for Christians in the Roman Empire, where accusations of disloyalty and sedition could lead to persecution. Paul addresses potential anti-establishment sentiments or a mistaken understanding of Christian liberty that might lead some to resist imperial taxation. Historically, Rome's tax system was complex and often oppressive, yet Paul insists on submission, linking civil service to a divinely ordained function.

Romans 13 6 Word analysis

• For this cause: Refers back to the preceding verses (Rom 13:1-5), linking the act of paying tribute directly to the fact that governing authorities are divinely instituted and carry out God's will for societal order.
• pay ye tribute also: The Greek word is phoros (φόρους), which refers specifically to a direct tax, such as a land tax or poll tax. This distinguishes it from customs duties or tolls (telos), which are mentioned in Rom 13:7. It implies a mandatory, regular payment levied on persons or property for public revenue. "Also" (kai) emphasizes that paying taxes is a natural consequence and further duty flowing from the previous injunctions to submit.
• for they are: Links the command to pay tribute with the reason for it. The action is predicated on the identity and function of the recipients.
• God's ministers: The Greek term used here is leitourgoi Theou (λειτουργοὶ Θεοῦ). This is significant. While diakonos (used in Rom 13:4 for "minister of God for good") implies a servant, leitourgos historically refers to a public servant who performs a public duty, often at their own expense in a secular context, but here in service to God for the public good. It emphasizes the governmental function as a sacred trust or service on behalf of God, albeit for secular administration. This doesn't mean rulers are personally pious, but that their office serves God's wider purpose for humanity.
• attending continually: The Greek proskarterountes (προσκαρτεροῦντες) implies perseverance, devotedness, and steadfast commitment. It describes a continuous, assiduous, and unremitting application to a task. It conveys the idea that governance is an ongoing, demanding, and full-time responsibility.
• upon this very thing: eis auto touto (εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο) points specifically to their role as "God's ministers" and the duties entailed therein: maintaining law and order, punishing evil, protecting good (as detailed in Rom 13:3-4). The resources from taxation are precisely for funding this demanding and vital function.

Words-group analysis

• "For this cause pay ye tribute also": This phrase directly translates the theological basis of government into a practical command for believers. It's not optional but a logical extension of submission to God's ordained order. The phrase highlights a Christian's civic duty.
• "for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing": This explains why the tribute is due. The authorities are actively engaged in the work of God by maintaining order. The emphasis on "attending continually" justifies the need for sustained resources (taxes) for the constant and demanding work of governance. It transforms an oppressive human levy into a divine allowance for a God-appointed function.

Romans 13 6 Bonus section

The Greek word leitourgos (minister/servant) used for governing authorities in Romans 13:6, is distinct from diakonos used in Romans 13:4. While both refer to service, leitourgos specifically implies public, official, or cultic service (often associated with priestly service in the Septuagint and some New Testament contexts, e.g., Heb 8:2, Phil 2:25). Here, its application to pagan rulers performing secular functions emphasizes the high view Paul takes of the office of governing authority as a sacred trust from God for the good of society. It implies that their administrative role, however earthly, participates in God's ongoing activity in creation for the establishment of order.

Romans 13 6 Commentary

Romans 13:6 functions as the practical application stemming from Paul's theological assertion regarding governing authorities in the preceding verses. The command to "pay tribute" is a direct consequence of understanding that these authorities, irrespective of their personal godliness, serve as God's ministers (leitourgoi Theou) in maintaining public order. The Greek term leitourgos denotes a public official carrying out essential governmental functions, implicitly funded by the citizenry. This divinely-appointed task demands "continual attending," meaning persistent dedication and effort, for which the government requires resources. Therefore, paying taxes is not merely legal compliance but an act of obedience to God, who established such offices to suppress chaos and promote civil welfare. This passage undercuts any potential Christian antinomianism or anarchism, rooting civic responsibility deeply in theological conviction.

For example, when Christians pay property taxes, income taxes, or sales taxes, they are, according to Paul, participating in the divine provision for maintaining roads, schools, justice systems, and public safety.