Romans
Chapter 13
1 1 Let every person be subordinate to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been established by God.
每人要服从上级有权柄的人,因为没有权柄不是从天主来的,所有的权柄都是由天主规定的。
2 Therefore, whoever resists authority opposes what God has appointed, and those who oppose it will bring judgment upon themselves.
所以谁反抗权柄,就是反抗天主的规定,而反抗的人就是自取处罚。
3 For rulers are not a cause of fear to good conduct, but to evil. Do you wish to have no fear of authority? Then do what is good and you will receive approval from it,
因为长官为行善的人,不是可怕的;为行恶的人,才是可怕的。你愿意不怕掌权的吗?你行善罢!那就可由他得到称赞,
4 for it is a servant of God for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword without purpose; it is the servant of God to inflict wrath on the evildoer.
因为他是天主的仆役,是为相帮你行善;你若作恶,你就该害怕,因为他不是无故带剑;他既是天主的仆役,就负责惩罚作恶的人;
5 Therefore, it is necessary to be subject not only because of the wrath but also because of conscience.
所以必须服从,不只是为怕惩罚,而也是为了良心。
6 This is why you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.
为此,你们也该完粮,因为他们是天主的差役,是专为尽这义务的。
7 Pay to all their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, toll to whom toll is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
凡人应得的,你们要付清;该给谁完粮,就完粮;该给谁纳税,就纳税;该敬畏的,就敬畏;该尊敬的,就尊敬。
8 2 Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
除了彼此相爱外,你们不可再欠人什么,因为谁爱别人,就满全了法律。
9 The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, (namely) "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
其实‘不可奸淫,不可杀人,不可偷盗,不可贪恋,’以及其他任何诫命,都包含在这句话里:就是‘爱你的近人如你自己。’
10 Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.
爱不加害于人,所以爱就是法律的满全。
11 3 And do this because you know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;
再者,你们该认清这个时期,现在已经是由睡梦中醒来的时辰了,因为我们的救恩,现今比我们当初信的时候更临近了。
12 the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness (and) put on the armor of light;
黑夜深了,白日已近,所以我们该脱去黑暗的行为,佩戴光明的武器;
13 let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, 4 not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy.
行动要端庄,好象在白天一样,不可狂宴豪饮,不可淫乱放荡,不可争斗嫉妒;
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
但该穿上主耶稣基督;不应只挂念肉性的事,以满足私欲。
Footnotes(注解)
1 [1-7] Paul must come to grips with the problem raised by a message that declares people free from the law. How are they to relate to Roman authority? The problem was exacerbated by the fact that imperial protocol was interwoven with devotion to various deities. Paul builds on the traditional instruction exhibited in Wisdom 6:1-3, according to which kings and magistrates rule by consent of God. From this perspective, then, believers who render obedience to the governing authorities are obeying the one who is highest in command. At the same time, it is recognized that Caesar has the responsibility to make just ordinances and to commend uprightness; cf Wisdom 6:4-21. That Caesar is not entitled to obedience when such obedience would nullify God's prior claim to the believers' moral decision becomes clear in the light of the following verses.
2 [8-10] When love directs the Christian's moral decisions, the interest of law in basic concerns, such as familial relationships, sanctity of life, and security of property, is safeguarded (Romans 13:9). Indeed, says Paul, the same applies to any other commandment (Romans 13:9), whether one in the Mosaic code or one drawn up by local magistrates under imperial authority. Love anticipates the purpose of public legislation, namely, to secure the best interests of the citizenry. Since Caesar's obligation is to punish the wrongdoer (Romans 13:4), the Christian who acts in love is free from all legitimate indictment.
3 [11-14] These verses provide the motivation for the love that is encouraged in Romans 13:8-10.
4 [13] Let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day: the behavior described in Romans 1:29-30 is now to be reversed. Secular moralists were fond of making references to people who could not wait for nightfall to do their carousing. Paul says that Christians claim to be people of the new day that will dawn with the return of Christ. Instead of planning for nighttime behavior they should be concentrating on conduct that is consonant with avowed interest in the Lord's return.