4 For G1063 he is G2076 the minister G1249 of God G2316 to thee G4671 for G1519 good. G18 But G1161 if G1437 thou do G4160 that which is evil, G2556 be afraid; G5399 for G1063 he beareth G5409 not G3756 the sword G3162 in vain: G1500 for G1063 he is G2076 the minister G1249 of God, G2316 a revenger G1558 to execute wrath G3709 upon G1519 him that doeth G4238 evil. G2556
Dearly beloved, G27 avenge G1556 not G3361 yourselves, G1438 but G235 rather give G1325 place G5117 unto wrath: G3709 for G1063 it is written, G1125 Vengeance G1557 is mine; G1698 I G1473 will repay, G467 saith G3004 the Lord. G2962
And said H559 to the judges, H8199 Take heed H7200 what ye do: H6213 for ye judge H8199 not for man, H120 but for the LORD, H3068 who is with you in the judgment. H1697 H4941
That no G3361 man go beyond G5233 and G2532 defraud G4122 his G846 brother G80 in G1722 any matter: G4229 because G1360 that the Lord G2962 is the avenger G1558 of G4012 all G3956 such, G5130 as G2531 we G4277 also G2532 have forewarned G4277 you G5213 and G2532 testified. G1263
These things also belong to the wise. H2450 It is not good H2896 to have respect H5234 of persons H6440 in judgment. H4941 He that saith H559 unto the wicked, H7563 Thou art righteous; H6662 him shall the people H5971 curse, H5344 nations H3816 shall abhor H2194 him:
Hear H8085 this, I pray you, ye heads H7218 of the house H1004 of Jacob, H3290 and princes H7101 of the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 that abhor H8581 judgment, H4941 and pervert H6140 all equity. H3477
And I said, H559 Hear, H8085 I pray you, O heads H7218 of Jacob, H3290 and ye princes H7101 of the house H1004 of Israel; H3478 Is it not for you to know H3045 judgment? H4941 Who hate H8130 the good, H2896 and love H157 the evil; H7451 who pluck off H1497 their skin H5785 from off them, and their flesh H7607 from off their bones; H6106 Who also eat H398 the flesh H7607 of my people, H5971 and flay H6584 their skin H5785 from off them; and they break H6476 their bones, H6106 and chop them in pieces, H6566 as for the pot, H5518 and as flesh H1320 within H8432 the caldron. H7037 Then shall they cry H2199 unto the LORD, H3068 but he will not hear H6030 them: he will even hide H5641 his face H6440 from them at that time, H6256 as they have behaved themselves ill H7489 in their doings. H4611
And I will lay H5414 my vengeance H5360 upon Edom H123 by the hand H3027 of my people H5971 Israel: H3478 and they shall do H6213 in Edom H123 according to mine anger H639 and according to my fury; H2534 and they shall know H3045 my vengeance, H5360 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
Her princes H8269 in the midst H7130 thereof are like wolves H2061 ravening H2963 the prey, H2964 to shed H8210 blood, H1818 and to destroy H6 souls, H5315 to get H1214 dishonest gain. H1215
They are waxen fat, H8080 they shine: H6245 yea, they overpass H5674 the deeds H1697 of the wicked: H7451 they judge H1777 not the cause, H1779 the cause of the fatherless, H3490 yet they prosper; H6743 and the right H4941 of the needy H34 do they not judge. H8199
I counsel thee to keep H8104 the king's H4428 commandment, H6310 and that in regard H1700 of the oath H7621 of God. H430 Be not hasty H926 to go out H3212 of his sight: H6440 stand H5975 not in an evil H7451 thing; H1697 for he doeth H6213 whatsoever pleaseth H2654 him. Where the word H1697 of a king H4428 is, there is power: H7983 and who may say H559 unto him, What doest H6213 thou? Whoso keepeth H8104 the commandment H4687 shall feel H3045 no evil H7451 thing: H1697 and a wise man's H2450 heart H3820 discerneth H3045 both time H6256 and judgment. H4941
Open H6605 thy mouth H6310 for the dumb H483 in the cause H1779 of all such as are appointed H1121 to destruction. H2475 Open H6605 thy mouth, H6310 judge H8199 righteously, H6664 and plead H1777 the cause of the poor H6041 and needy. H34
The fear H367 of a king H4428 is as the roaring H5099 of a lion: H3715 whoso provoketh him to anger H5674 sinneth H2398 against his own soul. H5315
The wrath H2534 of a king H4428 is as messengers H4397 of death: H4194 but a wise H2450 man H376 will pacify H3722 it.
How long will ye judge H8199 unjustly, H5766 and accept H5375 the persons H6440 of the wicked? H7563 Selah. H5542 Defend H8199 the poor H1800 and fatherless: H3490 do justice H6663 to the afflicted H6041 and needy. H7326 Deliver H6403 the poor H1800 and needy: H34 rid H5337 them out of the hand H3027 of the wicked. H7563
Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 which delighted H2654 in thee, to set H5414 thee on the throne H3678 of Israel: H3478 because the LORD H3068 loved H160 Israel H3478 for ever, H5769 therefore made H7760 he thee king, H4428 to do H6213 judgment H4941 and justice. H6666
These were the cities H5892 appointed H4152 for all the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and for the stranger H1616 that sojourneth H1481 among H8432 them, that whosoever killeth H5221 any person H5315 at unawares H7684 might flee H5127 thither, and not die H4191 by the hand H3027 of the avenger H1350 of blood, H1818 until he stood H5975 before H6440 the congregation. H5712
The revenger H1350 of blood H1818 himself shall slay H4191 the murderer: H7523 when he meeteth H6293 him, he H1931 shall slay H4191 him. But if he thrust H1920 him of hatred, H8135 or hurl H7993 at him by laying of wait, H6660 that he die; H4191 Or in enmity H342 smite H5221 him with his hand, H3027 that he die: H4191 he that smote H5221 him shall surely H4191 be put to death; H4191 for he is a murderer: H7523 the revenger H1350 of blood H1818 shall slay H4191 the murderer, H7523 when he meeteth H6293 him. But if he thrust H1920 him suddenly H6621 without H3808 enmity, H342 or have cast H7993 upon him any thing H3627 without laying of wait, H6660 Or with any stone, H68 wherewith a man may die, H4191 seeing H7200 him not, H3808 and cast H5307 it upon him, that he die, H4191 and was not his enemy, H341 neither sought H1245 his harm: H7451 Then the congregation H5712 shall judge H8199 between the slayer H5221 and the revenger H1350 of blood H1818 according to these judgments: H4941 And the congregation H5712 shall deliver H5337 the slayer H7523 out of the hand H3027 of the revenger H1350 of blood, H1818 and the congregation H5712 shall restore H7725 him to the city H5892 of his refuge, H4733 whither he was fled: H5127 and he shall abide H3427 in it unto the death H4194 of the high H1419 priest, H3548 which was anointed H4886 with the holy H6944 oil. H8081 But if the slayer H7523 shall at any time H3318 come H3318 without the border H1366 of the city H5892 of his refuge, H4733 whither he was fled; H5127 And the revenger H1350 of blood H1818 find H4672 him without H2351 the borders H1366 of the city H5892 of his refuge, H4733 and the revenger H1350 of blood H1818 kill H7523 the slayer; H7523 he shall not be guilty of blood: H1818
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Romans 13
Commentary on Romans 13 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 13
There are three good lessons taught us in this chapter, where the apostle enlarges more upon his precepts than he had done in the foregoing chapter, finding them more needful to be fully pressed.
Rom 13:1-6
We are here taught how to conduct ourselves towards magistrates, and those that are in authority over us, called here the higher powers, intimating their authority (they are powers), and their dignity (they are higher powers), including not only the king as supreme, but all inferior magistrates under him: and yet it is expressed, not by the persons that are in that power, but the place of power itself, in which they are. However the persons themselves may be wicked, and of those vile persons whom the citizen of Zion contemneth (Ps. 15:4), yet the just power which they have must be submitted to and obeyed. The apostle had taught us, in the foregoing chapter, not to avenge ourselves, nor to recompense evil for evil; but, lest it should seem as if this did cancel the ordinance of a civil magistracy among Christians, he takes occasion to assert the necessity of it, and of the due infliction of punishment upon evil doers, however it may look like recompensing evil for evil. Observe,
Rom 13:7-10
We are here taught a lesson of justice and charity.
Rom 13:11-14
We are here taught a lesson of sobriety and godliness in ourselves. Our main care must be to look to ourselves. Four things we are here taught, as a Christian's directory for his day's work: when to awake, how to dress ourselves, how to walk, and what provision to make.