Obey Your
Government
Every person
must be subject to the governing authorities, for no authority exists except
by God’s permission. The existing authorities have been established by
God, so that whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has
established, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
For the
authorities are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you
like to live without being afraid of the authorities? Then do what is
right, and you will receive their approval. For they are God’s
servants working for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you
should be afraid, for it is not without reason that they bear the sword.
Indeed, they are God’s servants to execute wrath on anyone who does wrong.
Therefore, it is necessary for you to be subject, not only because of
God’s wrath but also because of your own conscience.
This is also
why you pay taxes. For rulers are God’s servants faithfully devoting
themselves to their work. Pay everyone whatever you owe them—taxes
to whom taxes are due, tolls to whom tolls are due, fear to whom
fear is due, honor to whom honor is due.
International
Standard Version New Testament: (Romans 13:1-7).
Now I said all that, not to get you to
pay more in taxes, but for you to pay only the lowest correct tax and no
more.