The one in authority serves God for your good. But if you do wrong, watch out! Rulers don’t carry a sword for no reason at all. They serve God. And God is carrying out his anger through them. The ruler punishes anyone who does wrong.

因为他是神的用人，是与你有益的。你若作恶，却当惧怕，因为他不是空空地佩剑；他是神的用人，是伸冤的，刑罚那作恶的。

因为他是上帝的用人，是与你有益的。你若作恶，就该惧怕，因为他不是徒然佩剑；他是上帝的用人，为上帝的愤怒，报应作恶的。

因为他是神的用人，是与你有益的。你若作恶，就该惧怕，因为他不是徒然佩剑；他是神的用人，为神的愤怒，报应作恶的。

要知道掌权者是上帝差遣的，对行得正的人有益处。然而，你若作恶，就该惧怕，因为他必将你绳之以法。他是上帝的仆人，代表上帝秉公行义，惩奸罚恶。

因为他是神的仆役，是对你有益的。但如果你作恶，就应当惧怕；因为他佩剑，不是没有作用的。他是神的仆役，是向作恶的人施行刑罚的。

要知道，他是神的仆役，对你是有益处的。但你如果作恶，就该惧怕，因为他不是毫无理由的佩带刀剑。他是神的仆役，是报应者，使震怒临到作恶的人。

因為他是神的用人，是與你有益的。你若作惡，卻當懼怕，因為他不是空空地佩劍；他是神的用人，是伸冤的，刑罰那作惡的。

因為他是上帝的用人，是與你有益的。你若作惡，就該懼怕，因為他不是徒然佩劍；他是上帝的用人，為上帝的憤怒，報應作惡的。

因為他是神的用人，是與你有益的。你若作惡，就該懼怕，因為他不是徒然佩劍；他是神的用人，為神的憤怒，報應作惡的。

要知道掌權者是上帝差遣的，對行得正的人有益處。然而，你若作惡，就該懼怕，因為他必將你繩之以法。他是上帝的僕人，代表上帝秉公行義，懲奸罰惡。

因為他是神的僕役，是對你有益的。但如果你作惡，就應當懼怕；因為他佩劍，不是沒有作用的。他是神的僕役，是向作惡的人施行刑罰的。

因為它是為你的好處而做上帝僕役的。但你若行惡，就該懼怕；因為它並不是徒然佩帶刀劍權力；它是上帝的僕役，是刑罰者，使上帝之義怒臨到作惡之人的。

要知道，他是神的僕役，對你是有益處的。但你如果作惡，就該懼怕，因為他不是毫無理由的佩帶刀劍。他是神的僕役，是報應者，使震怒臨到作惡的人。

蓋彼為上帝之役、以益爾、爾若行惡則畏之、以其非徒佩劍、乃為上帝役、以怒加諸行惡者、

居位者、上帝僕也、原以益爾、行惡宜畏之、以其為上帝僕、柄不徒操、刑加作惡之人、

秉權者、天主之僕也、原以益爾、爾若行惡、則誠可畏、蓋彼不徒操生殺之權、操生殺之權原文作文作操刀乃為天主之僕、嚴加刑於作惡之人、

總之、彼乃天主之臣僕、助爾為善者也。爾若為非作惡、斯誠可畏；蓋彼之佩劍、非徒然也。彼乃天主之有司、所以加威於作惡者之身、而持天下之平。

For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

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.

For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.

for it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a servant of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.

For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

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.

For government is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.

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.

for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be in fear, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God’s servant to administer retribution on the wrongdoer.

for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.

My dear friends, don’t try to get even. Leave room for God to show his anger. It is written,“ I am the God who judges people. I will pay them back,”( Deuteronomy 32:35) says the Lord.

He told the judges,“ Think carefully about what you do. After all, you aren’t judging for human beings. You are judging for the Lord. He’s with you every time you make a decision.

That’s also why you pay taxes. The authorities serve God. Ruling takes up all their time.

Here are more sayings of wise people. Taking sides in court is not good.A curse will fall on those who say the guilty are not guilty. Nations will ask for bad things to happen to them. People will speak against them.

I will use my people Israel to pay Edom back. They will punish Edom because my anger against it is great. They will know how I pay back my enemies,” announces the Lord and King.

The dead person’s nearest male relative must kill the murderer. When he meets up with him, he must kill the murderer.What if a person makes evil plans against someone else? And what if that person pushes them so that they die? Or what if that person throws something at them so that they die?Or what if that person hits another person with a fist so that the other dies? Then the person who does any of those things must be put to death. That person is a murderer. The dead person’s nearest male relative must kill the murderer. When he meets up with him, he must kill the murderer.“‘ But what if a person suddenly pushes someone else without being angry? Or what if that person throws something at someone else without meaning to?Or what if that person does not see the other person and drops a stone on them that kills them? He was not the dead person’s enemy. He did not mean to harm them.Then the court must decide between the person who did the act and the nearest male relative of the one who was killed. Here are the rules the court must follow.The court must provide a safe place for the person accused of murder. It must keep the one accused of murder safe from those who want to kill them. The court must send the accused person back to the city they ran to for safety. The accused person must stay there until the high priest dies. That priest has been anointed with holy oil.“‘ But suppose the accused person goes outside that city.And suppose the dead person’s nearest male relative finds them outside the city. Then the relative can kill the accused person. The relative will not be guilty of murder.

Learn to do what is right! Treat people fairly. Help those who are treated badly. Stand up in court for children whose fathers have died. And do the same thing for widows.

May the Lord your God be praised. He takes great delight in you. He placed you on the throne of Israel. The Lord will love Israel for all time to come. That’s why he has made you king. He knows that you will do what is fair and right.”

Suppose you kill someone by accident. Or another Israelite does it. Or an outsider who lives among you does it. Then any of you can run for safety to one of these cities that have been chosen. There you won’t be killed by the nearest male relative of the person killed by accident. First your case must be brought to the community court.

Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves. Speak up for the rights of all those who are poor.Speak up and judge fairly. Speak up for the rights of those who are poor and needy.

An angry king can order your death. But a wise person will try to calm him down.

A wise king gets rid of evil people. He runs the threshing wheel over them.

None of you should sin against your brother or sister by doing that. You should not take advantage of your brother or sister. The Lord will punish everyone who commits these kinds of sins. We have already told you and warned you about this.

A king’s anger brings terror like a lion’s roar. Anyone who makes him angry may lose their life.

Then I said,“ Listen, you leaders of Jacob’s people! Pay attention, you rulers of Israel! You should want to judge others fairly.But you hate what is good. And you love what is evil. You are like someone who tears the skin off my people. You pull the meat off their bones.You eat my people’s bodies. You strip off their skin. You break their bones in pieces. You chop them up like meat. You put them in a cooking pot.”The time will come when Israel will cry out to the Lord. But he won’t answer them. In fact, he’ll turn his face away from them. They have done what is evil.

He says,“ How long will you stand up for those who aren’t fair to others? How long will you show mercy to sinful people?Stand up for the weak and for children whose fathers have died. Protect the rights of people who are poor or treated badly.Save those who are weak and needy. Save them from the power of sinful people.

Listen to me, you leaders of Jacob’s people! Pay attention, you rulers of Israel! You hate to do what is fair. You twist everything that is right.

The officials in the land are like wolves that tear their food apart. They spill blood and kill people to get rich.

A king sits on his throne to judge. He gets rid of all evil when he sees it.

They have grown fat and heavy. There is no limit to the evil things they do. In court they do not seek justice. They don’t protect the rights of children whose fathers have died. They do not stand up for poor people.

I’m telling you to obey the king’s command. You promised to serve him. You made a promise to God.Don’t be in a hurry to quit your job in the palace. Don’t stand up for something the king doesn’t like. He’ll do anything he wants to.The king has the final word. So who can ask him,“ What are you doing?”No one who obeys his command will be harmed. Those who are wise will know the proper time and way to approach him.

Suppose the nearest male relative of the person killed chases the one charged with murder. Then the elders must not hand them over to that relative. That’s because that person didn’t mean to kill their neighbor. They didn’t make evil plans to do it.