¹Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.

¹Kila mtu anapaswa kuwatii wenye mamlaka katika serikali; maana mamlaka yote hutoka kwa Mungu; nao wenye mamlaka wamewekwa na Mungu.

²Therefore he who resists the authority, withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.

²Anayepinga mamlaka ya viongozi anapinga agizo la Mungu; nao wafanyao hivyo wanajiletea hukumu wenyewe,

³For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same,

³Maana, watawala hawasababishi hofu kwa watu wema, ila kwa watu wabaya. Basi, wataka usimwogope mtu mwenye mamlaka? Fanya mema naye atakusifu;

⁴for 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.

⁴maana yeye ni mtumishi wa Mungu anayefanya kazi kwa faida yako. Lakini ukifanya mabaya, basi, huna budi kumwogopa, maana anao kweli uwezo wa kutoa adhabu. Yeye ni mtumishi wa Mungu na huitekeleza ghadhabu ya Mungu kwao watendao maovu.

⁵Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.

⁵Kwa hiyo ni lazima kuwatii wenye mamlaka, si tu kwa sababu ya kuogopa ghadhabu ya Mungu, bali pia kwa sababu dhamiri inadai hivyo.

⁶For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, attending continually on this very thing.

⁶Kwa sababu hiyohiyo ninyi hulipa kodi; maana viongozi hao humtumikia Mungu ikiwa wanatimiza wajibu wao.

⁷Give therefore to everyone what you owe: taxes to whom taxes are due; customs to whom customs; respect to whom respect; honor to whom honor.

⁷Mpeni kila mtu haki yake; mtu wa ushuru, ushuru; wa kodi, kodi; na astahiliye heshima, heshima.

⁸Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

⁸Msiwe na deni kwa mtu yeyote, isipokuwa tu deni la kupendana. Ampendaye jirani yake ameitekeleza Sheria.

⁹For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not give false testimony,” “You shall not covet,” TR adds “You shall not give false testimony,” Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deuteronomy 5:17-19,21 and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Leviticus 19:18

⁹Maana, amri hizi: "Usizini; Usiue; Usitamani;" na nyingine zote, zimo katika amri hii moja: "Mpende jirani yako kama unavyojipenda mwenyewe."

¹⁰Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

¹⁰Ampendaye jirani yake hamtendei vibaya. Basi, kwa mapendo Sheria yote hutimizwa.

¹¹Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.

¹¹Zaidi ya hayo, ninyi mnajua tumo katika wakati gani: sasa ndio wakati wa kuamka usingizini; naam, wokovu wetu u karibu zaidi sasa kuliko wakati ule tulipoanza kuamini.

¹²The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the works of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light.

¹²Usiku unakwisha na mchana unakaribia. Basi, tutupilie mbali mambo yote ya giza, tukajitwalie silaha za mwanga.

¹³Let us walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy.

¹³Mwenendo wetu uwe wa adabu kama inavyostahili wakati wa mchana; tusiwe na ulafi na ulevi, uchafu na uasherati, ugomvi na wivu.

¹⁴But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.

¹⁴Bwana Yesu Kristo awe vazi lenu; msishughulikie tena tamaa zenu za maumbile na kuziridhisha.