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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 12:19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
- 2 Chr 19:6And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment.
- Prov 24:23–24These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
- Prov 20:2The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
- Prov 16:14The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.
- Isa 1:17Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
- Ps 82:2–4How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
- 1 Th 4:6That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
- Rom 13:6For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
- Jer 5:28They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
- Ezek 25:14And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD.
- Mic 3:1–4And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
- Mic 3:9Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
- Ezek 22:27Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
- Prov 20:8A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
- Eccl 8:2–5I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.
- Num 35:19–27The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.
- Prov 31:8–9Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
- Josh 20:9These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.
- 1 Kgs 10:9Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
- Prov 20:26A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
- Josh 20:5And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
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Original language
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