13:1

person: Or “living person.” Here the Greek word psy·kheʹ, rendered “soul” in some Bible translations, refers to a person.​—See Glossary, “Soul.”

the superior authorities: That is, the secular governing authorities. The term here rendered “authorities” is the plural form of the Greek word e·xou·siʹa. Readers of the Greek Septuagint may have been familiar with the way this word was applied to rulerships or dominion. (See Da 7:6, 14, 27; 11:5, where e·xou·siʹa is used to render Hebrew and Aramaic words meaning “authority to rule; rulership; ruling power.”) At Lu 12:11, it is used in the expression “government officials, and authorities.” The Greek term rendered “superior” is related to a word used at 1Ti 2:2 in the expression “kings and all those who are in high positions [or “in positions of authority,” ftn.].” In some contexts, it refers to being in a controlling position, having power or authority over others, but it does not imply being “supreme.” This is shown by the usage at Php 2:3, where Christians are urged to consider others “superior” to themselves, not supreme.

stand placed in their relative positions by God: Lit., “they have been set in order by God.” That is, by God’s permission. The Greek word tasʹso used here is defined in various lexicons as “to bring about an order of things by arranging; to put in place; to draw up in order; to set in a certain order; to appoint.” The term is rendered “arranged” in some contexts. (Mt 28:16; Ac 15:2; 28:23) At Lu 7:8, Luke uses the same Greek word when rendering an army officer’s words: “I too am a man placed [form of tasʹso] under authority [form of e·xou·siʹa, the same word rendered “authority; authorities” at Ro 13:1-3], having soldiers under me.” This army officer had someone placed over him, and he had “soldiers under” him; so his “authority” was relative in relation to others. This indicates that the Greek word tasʹso does not always simply mean “to put in place.” It can also refer to a certain order in which someone is placed in relation to others. Many translations of Ro 13:1 use such expressions as “ordained of God” or “instituted (established; appointed) by God,” which might give the impression that God is ultimately responsible for installing secular rulers. However, based on the meaning of the Greek word, the immediate context, and what the Bible teaches elsewhere (Pr 21:1; Ec 5:8; Da 4:32; Joh 19:11), the New World Translation uses the expression “stand placed in their relative positions by God.” God allows the secular governments to have “relative” positions of authority, greater or lesser in relation to one another, but always inferior to his own supreme authority as Sovereign of the universe.