romans-13:1,-romans-13:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 13:1-8

From admonitions to keep peace, if possible, with all men, whether or not within the Christian circle, and to act honourably and benevolently towards all, the apostle now passes to the duty of Christians towards the civil government and the laws of the country in which they lived. It is well known that the Jews were impatient of the Roman dominion, and that some held it to be unlawful, on religious grounds, to pay tribute to Caesar ( Matthew 22:17 ). Insurrections against the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Romans 13:1

Let every soul - Every person. In the seven first verses of this chapter, the apostle discusses the subject of the duty which Christians owe to civil government; a subject which is extremely important, and at the same time exceedingly difficult. There is no doubt that he had express reference to the special situation of the Christians at Rome; but the subject was of so much importance that he gives it a “general” bearing, and states the great principles on which all Christians are to act. The... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Romans 13:1

Romans 13:1. From exhorting the believers at Rome to a life of entire devotedness to God, and the various duties of brotherly kindness, the apostle now proceeds to inculcate upon them that subjection and obedience which they owed to their civil rulers, and those duties of justice and benevolence which were due from them to all men. And as Rome was the seat of the empire, it was highly proper for the credit of Christianity, for which indeed it was, in effect, a public apology for him to do... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Romans 13:1-14

Duties to rulers and to others (13:1-14)Since God is the source of all authority, governments exercise power by his permission. Christians should therefore obey the ruling authorities (13:1-2). If they keep the laws of the country, Christians have nothing to fear. They should have no difficulty in cooperating with the government, because the basic functions of government are the promotion of the well-being of society and the restraint of wrongdoing, and these functions are in keeping with... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Romans 13:1

soul. App-110 . be subject . See Romans 8:7 . unto = to. higher = supreme. Greek. huperecho. Here, Philippians 1:2 , Philippians 1:3 ; Philippians 3:8 ; Php 4:7 . 1 Peter 2:13 . powers . App-172 . but = if ( App-118 ) not ( App-105 ). of . App-104 . but the texts read "under", App-104 . God . App-98 . ordained . See Acts 13:48 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Romans 13:1

The great need of Paul's revelation of the proper Christian attitude toward the secular state derived from a number of very important considerations. The whole Jewish nation groaned under the yoke of Roman tyranny, longed to escape it, and had participated in a number of bloody insurrections against Roman authority. Barabbas, who had come into conspicuous view at the time of Jesus' crucifixion, was a revolutionary, many others having preceded him. Further, at the very moment Paul was writing... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Romans 13:1

Romans 13:1. This epistle was written about the fourth year of the emperor Nero, about six years after Claudius had expelled the Jews from Rome. It is not improbable, that, as Suetonius relates in the Life of Claudius, this was occasioned by the tumultuous disposition of the Jews, in one shape or other; whether upon a civil or religious account, is not easy to determine. However, we know that they had notions relating to government favourable to none but their own; and it was with great... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Romans 13:1

1, 2. Let every soul—every man of you be subject unto the higher powers—or, "submit himself to the authorities that are above him." For there is no power—"no authority" but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God—"have been ordained of God." read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 13:1

When Paul said "every person" (Gr. psyche) he probably had every Christian person in mind since he was writing to Christians. Nevertheless what he said about his readers’ conduct toward their civil government also applies to the unsaved. He was not legislating Christian behavior for unbelievers, but when unbelievers behave this way the best conditions prevail.Subjection or submission involves placing oneself under the authority of another and doing or not doing what the authority requires. Paul... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 13:1-7

1. Conduct towards the government 13:1-7Paul passed from a loosely connected series of exhortations in Romans 12:9-21 to a well-organized argument about a single subject in Romans 13:1-7 (cf. Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26; 1 Peter 2:13-14)."Forbidding the Christian from taking vengeance and allowing God to exercise this right in the last judgment [cf. Romans 12:19-21] might lead one to think that God was letting evildoers have their way in this world. Not so, says Paul in... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 13:1-8

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Romans 13:1

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Romans 13:1

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Romans 13:1-14

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Romans 13:1

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Romans 13:1

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Romans 13:1

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Romans 13:1

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 13:1

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 13:1-7

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