Focused Passage

Romans 13:8-14

Submission to Governing Authorities, Love as the Fulfillment of the Law, and Life in the Light of the Coming Day

Paul moves from submission to governing authorities, to paying what is owed, to the continuing debt of love, to love as the fulfillment of the law, and finally to eschatological wakefulness, casting off darkness, putting on the armor of light, and clothing oneself with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

8 Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

9 The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

10 Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11 And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

12 The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

14 Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

Be indebted ὀφείλετε G3784 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural to no one Μηδενὶ G3367 Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular . . . μηδὲν G3367 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular except εἰ G1487 Conjunction . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular to one another ἀλλήλους G240 Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural [in] love ἀγαπᾶν G25 Verb - Present Infinitive Active For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction he who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular loves ἀγαπῶν G25 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular [his] τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular neighbor ἕτερον G2087 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular has fulfilled πεπλήρωκεν G4137 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [the] law νόμον G3551 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 9

Original words

- γάρ G1063 Conjunction The [commandments] τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular vvv Οὐ G3756 Adverb Do not commit adultery μοιχεύσεις G3431 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular vvv Οὐ G3756 Adverb Do not murder φονεύσεις G5407 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular vvv Οὐ G3756 Adverb Do not steal κλέψεις G2813 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular vvv Οὐκ G3756 Adverb Do not covet ἐπιθυμήσεις G1937 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - εἴ G1487 Conjunction any τις G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular other ἑτέρα G2087 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular commandments ἐντολή G1785 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular are summed up ἀνακεφαλαιοῦται G346 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition this τούτῳ G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular [one] τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular decree λόγῳ G3056 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular - ἐν G1722 Preposition - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular Love Ἀγαπήσεις G25 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular neighbor πλησίον G4139 Adverb as ὡς G5613 Adverb yourself σεαυτόν G4572 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 2nd Person Singular

BSB notes

  • Exodus 20:13–17; Deuteronomy 5:17–21
  • Leviticus 19:18
Verse 10

Original words

- G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular Love ἀγάπη G26 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb vvv ἐργάζεται G2038 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular does no wrong κακὸν G2556 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular to [its] τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular neighbor πλησίον G4139 Adverb Therefore οὖν G3767 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular love [is] ἀγάπη G26 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular [the] fulfillment πλήρωμα G4138 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular of [the] law νόμου G3551 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 11

Original words

And [do] Καὶ G2532 Conjunction this τοῦτο G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular understanding εἰδότες G1492 Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular occasion καιρόν G2540 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular [The] hour ὥρα G5610 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction has come ἤδη G2235 Adverb for you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural to wake up ἐγερθῆναι G1453 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive from ἐξ G1537 Preposition [your] slumber ὕπνου G5258 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular for γὰρ G1063 Conjunction our ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular salvation σωτηρία G4991 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular [is] nearer ἐγγύτερον G1452 Adverb now νῦν G3568 Adverb than G2228 Conjunction when ὅτε G3753 Adverb we {first} believed ἐπιστεύσαμεν G4100 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Verse 12

Original words

The G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular night νὺξ G3571 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular is nearly over προέκοψεν G4298 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular day ἡμέρα G2250 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular has drawn near ἤγγικεν G1448 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular So οὖν G3767 Conjunction let us lay aside ἀποθώμεθα G659 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 1st Person Plural the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural deeds ἔργα G2041 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular of darkness σκότους G4655 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular and δὲ G1161 Conjunction put on ἐνδυσώμεθα G1746 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 1st Person Plural the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural armor ὅπλα G3696 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular of light φωτός G5457 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Verse 13

Original words

Let us behave περιπατήσωμεν G4043 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural decently εὐσχημόνως G2156 Adverb as ὡς G5613 Adverb in ἐν G1722 Preposition [the] daytime ἡμέρᾳ G2250 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular not μὴ G3361 Adverb in carousing κώμοις G2970 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction drunkenness μέθαις G3178 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural not μὴ G3361 Adverb in sexual immorality κοίταις G2845 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction debauchery ἀσελγείαις G766 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural not μὴ G3361 Adverb in dissension ἔριδι G2054 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction jealousy ζήλῳ G2205 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Verse 14

Original words

Instead ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction clothe yourselves with ἐνδύσασθε G1746 Verb - Aorist Imperative Middle - 2nd Person Plural the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Lord Κύριον G2962 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦν G2424 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Christ Χριστόν G5547 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction make ποιεῖσθε G4160 Verb - Present Imperative Middle - 2nd Person Plural no μὴ G3361 Adverb provision πρόνοιαν G4307 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular for εἰς G1519 Preposition [the] desires ἐπιθυμίας G1939 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular flesh σαρκὸς G4561 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • Or put on; see verse 12.

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.