(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
Submission to Authorities
- Let every soul be submitted to the authorities surpassing him or her, for there’s no authority except under God and the ones existing have been appointed by God.
- Therefore, the man setting himself against the authority has resisted the mandate of God; and the men who have resisted shall incur judgement on themselves.
- For the rulers aren’t a terror to a good deed, but to evil. And do you want to not fear the authority? Do good and you will have praise from the authority.
- For he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do evil, be frightened for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain. For he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to the man practicing evil.
- Therefore, it’s necessary to be submitted; not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience.
- For because of this, you also pay taxes; for they are servants of God, continually attending on this same thing.
- Repay to all what’s owed; tax to whom tax is due; the toll to whom the toll is due, fear to whom fear is due, honor to whom honor is due.
- Owe nothing to anyone, except to ^love one another; for the man ^loving another has fulfilled the law.
- For “You shall not have sex with another man’s wife.”1quotation/allusion to Exodus 20:14 and Deuteronomy 5:18. “have sex with another man’s wife” is one word in the Greek, typically translated “commit adultery”. However, the Greek word (and Hebrew too) is more limited in scope than our English word adultery. In English, “adultery” means illicit sex between a married person – man or woman – and someone who isn’t their spouse. In Greek (and Hebrew also), it meant “a man having sex with another man’s wife”. A married man having sex with an unmarried woman was called fornication. “You shall not murder“2quotation/allusion to Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17 “You shall not steal“3quotation/allusion to Exodus 20:15 and Deuteronomy 5:19 [“You shall not testify falsely“4quotation/allusion to Exodus 20:16 and Deuteronomy 5:20] “You shall not covet“,5quotation/allusion to Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 5:21 and if there’s any other commandment, it is summarized in this statement: “You shall ^love your neighbor as yourself.”6Quotation/allusion to Leviticus 19:18
- ^Love doesn’t do evil to its neighbor. Therefore, ^love is the fulfillment of the law.
Clothe yourselves in the Anointed
- And do this *knowing the season; that it’s already the hour for you to awaken from sleep. For now, our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
- The night progressed and the day has drawn near. Therefore, we should cast off the works of darkness and clothe ourselves with the war equipment7“war equipment” is one word in Greek. It refers to the various tools, implements, and weapons used to wage war. The Greek word is “ὅπλον” (hoplon), which was one name for the large wooden shield from which the “Hoplites” in the ancient Grecian military got their name. of light.
- We should walk properly as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in immoral sex and wanton debaucheries, not in strife and jealousy.
- But clothe yourselves with the Anointed Lord Jesus, and don’t make provision for the cravings of the flesh.
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