Parallel Verses

New American Standard Bible

For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;

King James Version

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

Holman Bible

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval.

International Standard Version

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.

A Conservative Version

For rulers are not a source of fear to the good works, but to the evil. And do thou desire not to fear the office of authority? Do what is good, and thou will have praise from it.

American Standard Version

For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. And wouldest thou have no fear of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same:

Amplified

For [civil] authorities are not a source of fear for [people of] good behavior, but for [those who do] evil. Do you want to be unafraid of authority? Do what is good and you will receive approval and commendation.

An Understandable Version

For [our] rulers are not a threat to [the person doing] a good deed, but to [the person doing] an evil one. So, do you want to avoid having to be afraid of the authorities? Then do what is good and you will be commended by them [generally].

Anderson New Testament

For rulers are not a terror to works that are good, but to those which are evil. Will you, then, not be afraid of the authority? Do that which is good, and you shall receive praise from the same.

Bible in Basic English

For rulers are not a cause of fear to the good work but to the evil. If you would have no fear of the authority, do good and you will have praise;

Common New Testament

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will have praise from him.

Daniel Mace New Testament

rulers are not a terror to virtue, but to vice. would you then live without any dread of the civil power? do what is right, and you shall have his commendation.

Darby Translation

For rulers are not a terror to a good work, but to an evil one. Dost thou desire then not to be afraid of the authority? practise what is good, and thou shalt have praise from it;

Godbey New Testament

For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Whether do you not wish to fear the authority? do the good, and you shall have praise from it:

Goodspeed New Testament

The man who does right has nothing to fear from the magistrates, as the wrongdoer has. If you want to have no fear of the authorities, do right, and they will commend you for it,

John Wesley New Testament

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Wouldest thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from it; for he is the servant of God to thee for good.

Julia Smith Translation

For rulers are not the terror of good works, but of evil. And wilt thou not fear the power do good, and thou shalt have approbation of it:

King James 2000

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Will you then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and you shall have praise of the same:

Lexham Expanded Bible

For rulers are not a [cause of] terror for a good deed, but for bad [conduct]. So do you want not to be afraid of authority? Do what [is] good, and you will have praise from it,

Modern King James verseion

For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the bad. And do you desire to be not afraid of the authority? Do the good, and you shall have praise from it.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

For rulers are not to be feared for good works but for evil. Wilt thou be without fear of the power? Do well then: and so shalt thou be praised of the same.

Moffatt New Testament

Magistrates are no terror to an honest man, though they are to a bad man. If you want to avoid being alarmed at the government-authorities, lead an honest life and you will be commended for it;

Montgomery New Testament

For rulers are no terror to good deeds, but to evil. Would you be fearless of the ruler's authority? Do what is good, and you will have his praise.

NET Bible

(for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation,

New Heart English Bible

For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same,

Noyes New Testament

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wouldst thou then not be afraid of the government? Do that which is good, and thou wilt have praise from it;

Sawyer New Testament

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Will you not fear the power? Do good, and you shall have praise from it;

The Emphasized Bible

For, they who bear rule, are not a terror unto the good work but unto the evil. Wouldst thou not be afraid of the authority? That which is good, be thou doing, and thou shall have praise of the same;

Thomas Haweis New Testament

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from it:

Twentieth Century New Testament

A good action has nothing to fear from Rulers; a bad action has. Do you want to have no reason to fear the Authorities? Then do what is good, and you will win their praise.

Webster

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power; do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same:

Weymouth New Testament

For judges and magistrates are to be feared not by right-doers but by wrong-doers. You desire--do you not? --to have no reason to fear your ruler. Well, do the thing that is right, and then he will commend you.

Williams New Testament

For civil authorities are not a terror to the man who does right, but they are to the man who does wrong. Do you want to have no dread of the civil authorities? Then practice doing right and you will be commended for it.

World English Bible

For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same,

Worrell New Testament

for rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. And do you wish not to fear the authority? Do that which is good, and you shall have praise from the same;

Worsley New Testament

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wouldest thou then not be afraid of the civil power? do what is good, and thou shalt have praise from it:

Youngs Literal Translation

For those ruling are not a terror to the good works, but to the evil; and dost thou wish not to be afraid of the authority? that which is good be doing, and thou shalt have praise from it,

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
For
γάρ 
Gar 
for, , not tr
Usage: 825

ἄρχων 
Archon 
Usage: 32

are
εἰσί 
Eisi 
are, be, were, have, not tr,
Usage: 97

not
οὐ 
Ou 
μή 
me 
not, no, cannot ,
not, no, that not, God forbid 9, lest, neither, no man , but, none, not translated,
Usage: 1032
Usage: 493

a terror
φόβος 
Phobos 
Usage: 46

to
ἔργον 
Ergon 
Usage: 130

G18
ἀγαθός 
Agathos 
Usage: 70

ἔργον 
Ergon 
Usage: 130

but
ἀλλά 
Alla 
but, yea, yet, nevertheless, howbeit, nay, therefore, save, not tr,
Usage: 461

to the evil
κακός 
Kakos 
Usage: 46

Wilt thou
θέλω ἐθέλω 
thelo 
will/would, will/would have, desire, desirous, list, to will,
Usage: 136

δέ 
De 
but, and, now, then, also, yet, yea, so, moreover, nevertheless, for, even, , not tr
Usage: 2184

be afraid of
φοβέω 
Phobeo 
fear, be afraid, be afraid of, reverence,
Usage: 68

the power
ἐξουσία 
Exousia 
Usage: 79

do
ποιέω 
Poieo 
do, make, bring forth, commit, cause, work, show, bear, keep, fulfil, deal, perform, not tr, , vr do
Usage: 372

G18
ἀγαθός 
Agathos 
Usage: 70

and

and, also, even, both, then, so, likewise, not tr., , vr and
Usage: 0

thou shalt have
ἔχω 
Echo 
have, be, need , , vr have
Usage: 479

ἔπαινος 
Epainos 
Usage: 11

of
ἐκ ἐξ 
Ek 
of, from, out of, by, on, with,
Usage: 709

References

Hastings

Morish

Context Readings

Obedience To The Governing Authorities

2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.


Cross References

Deuteronomy 25:1

If there is a dispute between men and they go to court, and the judges decide their case, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked,

Proverbs 14:35

The king’s favor is toward a servant who acts wisely,
But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.

Proverbs 20:2

The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.

Ecclesiastes 10:4-6

If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses.

Jeremiah 22:15-18

“Do you become a king because you are competing in cedar?
Did not your father eat and drink
And do justice and righteousness?
Then it was well with him.

Romans 13:4

for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.

1 Peter 2:13-14

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,

1 Peter 3:13-14

Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain