Romans 13:6

In context

4it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid: the sword it carries is not for show. It is God’s servant, an agent of wrath against the wrongdoer. 5That is why you must submit—not only because of the wrath, but because of your conscience. 6It is also why you pay taxes: the authorities are God’s ministers, giving their full attention to this very work. 7Pay everyone what you owe: tax to whom tax is due, duty to whom duty is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. 8Owe no one anything, except to love one another. Whoever loves the other has fulfilled the law.