Romans 13:1-7 LET every person be obedient to the superior authorities. For there is no authority except from God and the actual authorities have been appointed by God.

Riverside⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ LET every person be obedient to the superior authorities. For there is no authority except from God and the actual authorities have been appointed by God. ² So he who resists the authority opposes the arrangement of God. Those who resist will bring on themselves condemnation. ³ For rulers are not a terror to good deeds, but to bad. Do you wish not to fear the authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from it. ⁴ For he is a servant of God to promote your good. But if you are doing evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword to no purpose. For he is God's servant to inflict his wrath on him who practices evil. ⁵ Therefore we must be obedient, not only because of the punishment but as a matter of conscience. ⁶ For this reason also you pay tribute. For they are God's officers attending to this very thing. ⁷ Pay to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.