My child, fear the Lord and the king. Don’t associate with rebels,

我儿，你要敬畏耶和华与君王，不要与反复无常的人结交，

我儿啊，你要敬畏耶和华与君王，不可结交反覆无常的人，

我儿啊，你要敬畏耶和华与君王，不可结交反覆无常的人，

孩子啊，要敬畏耶和华和君王，不要跟反复无常之徒为伍。

我儿，你要敬畏耶和华，也要尊敬君王；不要与叛逆的人结交。

我儿啊，你当敬畏耶和华和君王，不要与逆反的人结交！

我兒，你要敬畏耶和華與君王，不要與反覆無常的人結交，

我兒啊，你要敬畏耶和華與君王，不可結交反覆無常的人，

我兒啊，你要敬畏耶和華與君王，不可結交反覆無常的人，

孩子啊，要敬畏耶和華和君王，不要跟反復無常之徒為伍。

我兒，你要敬畏耶和華，也要尊敬君王；不要與叛逆的人結交。

弟子啊，你要敬畏永恆主，敬畏君王；不可激怒此二者；

我兒啊，你當敬畏耶和華和君王，不要與逆反的人結交！

我子、宜敬畏耶和華與王、好更張者、勿與之交、

爾小子、宜畏耶和華而尊王、勿交厭故喜新之人。

我子、當畏主而尊王、勿與叛逆之人交、

Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials,

My son, have respect for the Lord and the king. Don’t join with officials who disobey them.

My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise,

My son, fear the LORD, as well as the king, and don’t associate with rebels,

My son, fear the Lord and the king; Do not get involved with those of high rank,

My son, fear the Lord and the king; Do not associate with those given to change;

My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; And company not with them that are given to change:

My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king, and don’t associate with rebels,

My son, fear thou the LORD and the king:[ and] meddle not with them that are given to change:

Fear the LORD, my child, as well as the king, and do not associate with rebels,

My son, fear Yahweh and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious;

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you.The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do.Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.

For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority— whether the king as head of state,or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.

One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben.They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly.They united against Moses and Aaron and said,“ You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the Lord’s people?”

“ But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon, you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you, even though the Lord your God was already your king.All right, here is the king you have chosen. You asked for him, and the Lord has granted your request.“ Now if you fear and worship the Lord and listen to his voice, and if you do not rebel against the Lord’s commands, then both you and your king will show that you recognize the Lord as your God.But if you rebel against the Lord’s commands and refuse to listen to him, then his hand will be as heavy upon you as it was upon your ancestors.“ Now stand here and see the great thing the Lord is about to do.You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest. I will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the Lord for a king!”So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were terrified of the Lord and of Samuel.“ Pray to the Lord your God for us, or we will die!” they all said to Samuel.“ For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king.”

A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David,“ All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”“ Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men.“ Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”“ We are with you,” his advisers replied.“ Do what you think is best.”So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace.The king and all his people set out on foot, pausing at the last houseto let all the king’s men move past to lead the way. There were 600 men from Gath who had come with David, along with the king’s bodyguard.Then the king turned and said to Ittai, a leader of the men from Gath,“ Why are you coming with us? Go on back to King Absalom, for you are a guest in Israel, a foreigner in exile.You arrived only recently, and should I force you today to wander with us? I don’t even know where we will go. Go on back and take your kinsmen with you, and may the Lord show you his unfailing love and faithfulness.”But Ittai said to the king,“ I vow by the Lord and by your own life that I will go wherever my lord the king goes, no matter what happens— whether it means life or death.”David replied,“ All right, come with us.” So Ittai and all his men and their families went along.Everyone cried loudly as the king and his followers passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley and then went out toward the wilderness.Zadok and all the Levites also came along, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had passed out of the city.Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city.“ If the Lord sees fit,” David said,“ he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again.But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him.”The king also told Zadok the priest,“ Look, here is my plan. You and Abiathar should return quietly to the city with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan.I will stop at the shallows of the Jordan River and wait there for a report from you.”So Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to the city and stayed there.David walked up the road to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered and his feet were bare as a sign of mourning. And the people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the hill.When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now backing Absalom, David prayed,“ O Lord, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!”When David reached the summit of the Mount of Olives where people worshiped God, Hushai the Arkite was waiting there for him. Hushai had torn his clothing and put dirt on his head as a sign of mourning.But David told him,“ If you go with me, you will only be a burden.Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom,‘ I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice.Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there. Tell them about the plans being made in the king’s palace,and they will send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what is going on.”So David’s friend Hushai returned to Jerusalem, getting there just as Absalom arrived.

He said to his men,“ The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.”

Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would.Don’t try to avoid doing your duty, and don’t stand with those who plot evil, for the king can do whatever he wants.His command is backed by great power. No one can resist or question it.Those who obey him will not be punished. Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right,

When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses.

“ Look,” they told him,“ you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance.“ Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied,“ for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.

When all Israel realized that the king had refused to listen to them, they responded,“ Down with the dynasty of David! We have no interest in the son of Jesse. Back to your homes, O Israel! Look out for your own house, O David!” So the people of Israel returned home.

“ Caesar’s,” they replied.“ Well, then,” he said,“ give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”