• Romans 13:4
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 4 θεοῦ of God γὰρ for διάκονός servant ἐστιν she is σοὶ to you εἰς into τὸ the ἀγαθόν. good. ἐὰν If ever δὲ but τὸ the (thing) κακὸν bad ποιῇς, you may be doing, φοβοῦ· be fearing; οὐ not γὰρ for εἰκῇ purposelessly τὴν the μάχαιραν sword φορεῖ· she is bearing; θεοῦ of God γὰρ for διάκονός servant ἐστιν, she is, ἔκδικος avenger εἰς into ὀργὴν wrath τῷ to the (one) τὸ the (thing) κακὸν bad πράσσοντι. performing.

  • Romans 13:4
    The Bible in Living English

    • 4 for it is to you an agent of God’s for the good. But if you do the bad, do be afraid, for it is not for nothing he wears his sword; for he is an avenging agent of God’s for anger to him who commits the bad deed;

  • Romans 13:4
    American Standard Version

    • 4 for he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him that doeth evil.

  • Romans 13:4
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 4 For God’s minister is he unto thee for that which is good. But if that which is evil thou be doing be afraid! For not in vain the sword he beareth; For God’s minister he is,—an avenger unto anger to him who practiseth what is evil.

  • Romans 13:4
    King James Version

    • 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

  • Romans Study Notes—Chapter 13
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 13:4

      it is God’s minister: This refers to “the authority” mentioned at Ro 13:1-3. This human authority is God’s “minister,” or servant (Greek, di·aʹko·nos), in a particular sense. The Bible sometimes uses this Greek word to refer to “servants; those serving” others. (Mt 22:13; Joh 2:5, 9) The related verb di·a·ko·neʹo (to serve; to attend to; to minister) is also used to describe people performing various personal services for others. (See study note on Lu 8:3.) It is in this sense that the secular authorities can be called a “minister,” or servant. They are God’s minister because he allows them to continue for a time. They render certain services for the good of the people, providing a measure of order and protection against lawlessness. Additionally, the Bible shows that secular authorities have sometimes served as God’s minister in other ways. For example: King Cyrus of Persia called on the Jews to go out of Babylon and rebuild God’s house in Jerusalem. (Ezr 1:1-4; Isa 44:28) Persian King Artaxerxes sent Ezra with a contribution for the rebuilding of that house and later commissioned Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. (Ezr 7:11-26; 8:25-30; Ne 2:1-8) The Roman authority delivered Paul from the mob in Jerusalem, protected him after he was shipwrecked, and allowed him to stay in a rented house while a prisoner until his case could be heard by Caesar.​—Ac 21:31, 32; 28:7-10, 30, 31.

      the sword: Here referring to the right or power of secular authorities to inflict punishment on those practicing what is bad. When authorities use this power properly, it can be a strong deterrent to crime, contributing to order in society. However, they are responsible to God for how they use this authority. For example, King Herod Antipas had John the Baptist beheaded, abusing this symbolic sword. (Mt 14:1-12) Likewise, King Herod Agrippa I misused his authority by putting “James the brother of John to death by the sword.” (Ac 12:1, 2) If secular rulers try to make Christians act in violation of the Scriptures, they would not be acting as God’s minister.

      to express wrath: When a person violates a human law that does not contradict God’s laws, the punishment meted out by the “rulers” is an indirect expression of God’s wrath against the one practicing what is bad. (Ro 13:3) In this context, the Greek expression for “to express wrath” could also be rendered “to bring punishment.”