Romans 13:1
LET every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
¶ Let euery soule bee subiect vnto the higher powers: For there is no power but of God. The powers that be, are ‖ordeined of God.
Original 1611 marginTranslation notes and cross-references are kept distinct.
- ‖Alternative wordingOr, ordered.
Narration uses the Pure Cambridge Edition.
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From verse 1
- 1 Peter 2:13–17Rank 2 from verse 1
13Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
13Submit your selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lordes sake, whether it be to the King, as supreme,
14Or vnto gouernours, as vnto them that are sent by him, for the punishment of euil doers, and for the praise of them that doe well.
15For so is the will of God, that with well doing yee may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
16As free, and not †vsing your libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse, but as the seruants of God.
17‖Honour all men. Loue the brotherhood. Feare God. Honour the King.
- Daniel 2:21Rank 3 from verse 1
21And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
21And he changeth the times and the seasons: he remoueth Kings, and setteth vp Kings: he giueth wisedome vnto the wise, and knowledge to them that know vnderstanding.
- John 19:11Rank 4 from verse 1
11Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
11Iesus answered, Thou couldest haue no power at all against me, except it were giuen thee from aboue: therfore he that deliuered me vnto thee, hath the greater sinne.
- Proverbs 8:15–16Rank 5 from verse 1
- Jeremiah 27:5–8Rank 6 from verse 1
5I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.
6And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.
7And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.
8And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the Lord, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.
5*I haue made the earth, the man and the beast that are vpon the ground, by my great power, and by my outstretched arme, and haue giuen it vnto whom it seemed meet vnto me.
6*And now haue I giuen all these landes into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon my seruant, and the beasts of the field haue I giuen him also to serue him.
7And all nations shall serue him and his sonne, and his sonnes sonne, vntill the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serue themselues of him.
8And it shall come to passe, that the nation and kingdome which will not serue the same Nebuchad-nezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their necke vnder the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, sayth the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, vntill I haue consumed them by his hand.
- Daniel 5:18–23Rank 8 from verse 1
18O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
19And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.
20But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
21And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
22And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
23But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:
18O thou king, the most high God gaue Nebuchad-nezzar thy father a kingdome, and maiestie, and glory, and honour.
19And for the maiestie that hee gaue him, all people, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would, he slew, & whom he would, he kept aliue, and whom he would hee set vp, and whom he would hee put downe.
20‖†But when his heart was lifted vp, and his minde hardened in pride: hee was deposed from his kingly throne, and they tooke his glory from him.
21*‖And hee was driuen from the sonnes of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wilde asses: they fed him with grasse like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heauen, till hee knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdome of men, and that hee appointeth ouer it whomsoeuer he will.
22And thou his sonne, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this:
23But hast lifted vp thy selfe against the LORD of heauen, and they haue brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou and thy lords, thy wiues and thy concubines haue drunke wine in them, and thou hast praised the gods of siluer, and golde, of brasse, yron, wood and stone, which see not, nor heare, nor knowe: and the God in whose hande thy breath is, and whose are all thy wayes, hast thou not glorified.
- Psalms 62:11Rank 9 from verse 1
- Ephesians 5:21Rank 10 from verse 1
- 1 Chronicles 28:4–5Rank 11 from verse 1
4Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:
5And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.
4Howbeit, the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father, to be king ouer Israel for euer: for he hath chosen *Iudah to be the ruler; & of the house of Iudah, the house of my father; and among the sonnes of my father, he liked me to make me king ouer all Israel:
5*And of all my sonnes (for the LORD hath giuen me many sonnes) hee hath chosen Solomon my sonne, to sit vpon the throne of the kingdome of the LORD ouer Israel.
- 1 Samuel 2:8Rank 12 from verse 1
8He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them.
8*He raiseth vp the poore out of the dust, and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORDs, and hee hath set the world vpon them.
- Revelation 1:5Rank 13 from verse 1
5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
5And from Iesus Christ, who is the faithful witnesse, and the *first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth: vnto him that loued vs, and *washed vs from our sinnes in his owne blood,
- Revelation 19:16Rank 14 from verse 1
- 2 Peter 2:10–11Rank 15 from verse 1
10But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
10But chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lust of vncleannesse, and despise ‖gouernment. Presumptuous are they; selfe willed: they are not afraid to *speake euill of dignities:
11Whereas Angels which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation †against them before the Lord.
- Daniel 4:32Rank 16 from verse 1
32And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
32And they shall driue thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; they shall make thee to eate grasse as oxen, and seuen times shall passe ouer thee, vntill thou know that the most high ruleth in the kingdome of men, and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will.
- Deuteronomy 17:12Rank 17 from verse 1
12And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.
12And the man that will doe presumptuously, †and will not hearken vnto the Priest (that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God) or vnto the Iudge, euen that man shall die, and thou shalt put away the euill from Israel.
- Matthew 6:13Rank 18 from verse 1
- Revelation 17:14Rank 19 from verse 1
14These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
14These shal make warre with the Lambe, and the Lambe shal ouercome them: *For he is Lord of Lords, and King of kings, and they that are with him, are called, & chosen, and faithfull.
WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE
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DEFINED WORDS
Romans 13:1
Sense 1: To allow or permit; in older KJV use, also to hinder or restrain. Sense 2: To lower or send down.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Each individual or member of the class, group, place, time, side, or kind named; all distributively.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
Sense 1: A living person or creature; a life or self. Sense 2: The inward self distinguished from the body. Sense 3: The seat of desire or appetite.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sense 1: Under the authority, power, control, or obedience of another. Sense 2: Exposed, liable, or bound to the condition named.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
Comparative form of high: more elevated or greater in height, rank, degree, or importance.. Sense 1: Raised or far above; great in height, rank, degree, or importance. Sense 2: As an adverb, greatly or aloft.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sense 1: Ability, strength, force, or effective capacity to act, prevail, or produce an effect. Sense 2: Authority, right, permission, rule, dominion, or control. Sense 3: A person, authority, host, spiritual being, or other agent possessing or manifesting power.
Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828
The one true God.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sense 1: Appointed or set apart to an office, work, purpose, or end. Sense 2: Established, decreed, ordered, prescribed, prepared, arranged, or settled.
Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
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Surrounding Verses
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1LET every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
1¶ Let euery soule bee subiect vnto the higher powers: For there is no power but of God. The powers that be, are ‖ordeined of God.
Selected passage2Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
2Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist, shall receiue to themselues damnation.