Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

Be Subject to Government

13 Every ^[a](A)person is to be in ^(B)subjection to the governing authorities. For ^(C)there is no authority except ^[b]from God, and those which exist have been appointed by God. ² Therefore ^[c]whoever resists that authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. ³ For ^(D)rulers are not a cause of fear for ^[d]good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of that authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; ⁴ for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain, for it is a minister of God, an ^(E)avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. ⁵ Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of that wrath, but also because of ^(F)conscience. ⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. ^7 (G)Render to all what is due them: ^(H)tax to whom tax is due; ^(I)custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

⁸ Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for ^(J)he who loves ^[e]his neighbor has fulfilled the law. ⁹ For this, “^(K)You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, “^(L)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰ Love does not work evil against a neighbor; therefore ^(M)love is the fulfillment of the Law.

¹¹ And do this, knowing the time, that it is ^(N)already the hour for you to ^(O)awaken from sleep; for now ^[f]salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. ^12 (P)The night is almost gone, and ^(Q)the day is at hand. Therefore let us lay aside ^(R)the deeds of darkness and put on ^(S)the armor of light. ¹³ Let us ^(T)walk properly as in the day, ^(U)not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. ¹⁴ But ^(V)put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh ^(W)in regard to its lusts.

Do Not Pass Judgment on One Another

14 Now ^(X)accept the one who is ^(Y)weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on opinions. ^2 (Z)One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is ^(AA)weak eats vegetables only. ³ The one who eats must not ^(AB)view the one who does not eat with contempt, and the one who does not eat must not ^(AC)judge the one who eats, for God ^(AD)accepted him. ^4 (AE)Who are you to judge the ^[g]servant of another? To his own ^[h]master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

^5 (AF)One person judges one day above another, another judges every day alike. Each person must be ^(AG)fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ He who regards the day, regards it for the Lord, and he who eats, eats for the Lord, for he ^(AH)gives thanks to God; and he who does not eat, for the Lord he does not eat and gives thanks to God. ⁷ For not one of us ^(AI)lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; ⁸ for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore ^(AJ)whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹ For to this end ^(AK)Christ died and lived again, that He might be ^(AL)Lord both of the dead and of the living.

¹⁰ But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you ^(AM)view your brother with contempt? For ^(AN)we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. ¹¹ For it is written,

¹² So then ^(AQ)each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

¹³ Therefore let us not ^(AR)judge one another anymore, but rather judge this—^(AS)not to put a stumbling block or offense before a brother. ¹⁴ I know and am convinced ^[j]in the Lord Jesus that ^(AT)nothing is defiled in itself; but to him who ^(AU)considers anything to be defiled, to him it is defiled. ¹⁵ For if because of food your brother is grieved, you are no longer ^(AV)walking according to love. ^(AW)Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Therefore ^(AX)do not let what is for you a good thing be ^[k]slandered; ¹⁷ for the kingdom of God ^(AY)is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and ^(AZ)peace and ^(BA)joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ For he who in this way ^(BB)serves Christ is ^(BC)pleasing to God and approved by men. ¹⁹ So then ^[l]let us ^(BD)pursue the things which make for peace and the ^(BE)building up of one another. ^20 (BF)Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. ^(BG)All things indeed are clean, but ^(BH)they are evil for the man who eats ^[m]and gives offense. ^21 (BI)It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. ²² The faith which you have, have ^[n]as your own conviction before God. Blessed is he who ^(BJ)does not judge himself in what he approves. ²³ But ^(BK)he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.