What duties, love and readiness does Paul exhort?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Higher-power subjection includes conscience and dues; neighbor-love fulfills law; nearer salvation prompts darkness works cast off and Christ put on.

Chapter breakdown

Paul tells every soul to be subject to the higher powers: there is no power but from God, and the existing powers are ordained by him. Resisting the power resists God’s ordinance, and those resisting purchase damnation to themselves. Princes are a terror to evil rather than good work. Doing good brings praise from the power, which is God’s minister for good. It does not bear the sword in vain, but avenges by executing wrath on one who does evil. Subjection is therefore necessary for conscience as well as wrath. They pay tribute because these ministers serve that purpose, and should render tribute, custom, fear and honour to those to whom each is due.

They should owe no one anything except mutual love. Loving one’s neighbour fulfils the law: the prohibitions of adultery, killing, stealing, false witness and coveting, and any other commandment, are contained in loving one’s neighbour as oneself. Love does no evil to a neighbour and fulfils the law.

Knowing the season, they should rise from sleep now, because salvation is nearer than when they first believed. Night is passed and day at hand: they should cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light. They should walk honestly as in the day, avoiding rioting and drunkenness, chambering and impurities, contention and envy. They should put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in its concupiscences.

The story inside

Preserve higher powers and damnation wording without added constitutional legitimacy test; light/night images are not dated predictions.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Subjection is for conscience as well as wrath.
2
Dues separately include tribute, custom, fear and honor.
3
Night/day language supplies no date.

Test your recall

Which dues and vice pairs are named?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 128764–128779
13:1. Let every soul be subject to higher powers. For there is no power but from God: and those that are, are ordained of God. 13:2. Therefore, he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God. And they that resist purchase to themselves damnation. 13:3. For princes are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good: and thou shalt have praise from the same. 13:4. For he is God’s minister to thee, for good. But if thou do that which is evil, fear: for he beareth not the sword in vain. For he is God’s minister: an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. 13:5. Wherefore be subject of necessity: not only for wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
Lines 128788–128797
13:8. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another. For he that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law. 13:9. For: Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Thou shalt not covet. And if there be any other commandment, it is comprised in this word: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 13:10. The love of our neighbour worketh no evil. Love therefore is the fulfilling of the law.
Lines 128799–128810
13:11. And that, knowing the season, that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep. For now our salvation is nearer than when we believed. 13:12. The night is passed And the day is at hand. Let us, therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light. 13:13. Let us walk honestly, as in the day: not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and impurities, not in contention and envy. 13:14. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ: and make not provision for the flesh in its concupiscences.