For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.
Parallel translations
- WEB for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.
- KJV For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
- NKJV For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
- NASB for it is a servant 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 servant of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.
- NLT The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The ruler is God's servant for your good, but bears the sword to execute wrath on wrongdoers.
Overview
Paul calls civil authority God's 'servant,' commissioned both to promote good and to punish evil. The 'sword' signifies the legitimate, God-given power of the state to enforce justice, which Paul does not regard as borne 'in vain.' Government thus functions as God's instrument of temporal justice, distinct from his ultimate judgment and from the individual's call to non-retaliation in chapter 12.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 22
- Rom 12:19Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
- 2 Chr 19:6Then he said to the judges, “Consider carefully what you do, for you are not judging for man, but for the LORD, who is with you when you render judgment.
- Prov 24:23–24These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
- Prov 20:2The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.
- Prov 16:14The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
- Isa 1:17Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”
- Ps 82:2–4“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
- 1 Th 4:6and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.
- Rom 13:6This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.
- Jer 5:28They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy.
- Ezek 25:14I will take My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to My anger and wrath. Then they will know My vengeance, declares the Lord GOD.’
- Mic 3:1–4Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice?
- Mic 3:9Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right,
- Ezek 22:27Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
- Prov 20:8A king who sits on a throne to judge sifts out all evil with his eyes.
- Eccl 8:2–5Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God.
- Num 35:19–27The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when he finds him, he is to kill him.
- Prov 31:8–9Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.
- Josh 20:9These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and foreigners among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.
- 1 Kgs 10:9Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”
- Prov 20:26A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.
- Josh 20:5Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the manslayer into his hand, because that man killed his neighbor accidentally without prior malice.
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Original language
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