Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?


Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 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. read more.
For he is God's servant to you for good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is God's servant, an avenger to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's ministers, attending to this very thing.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men. You show that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of carnal hearts. read more.
Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves; but our competence is from God, who has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.