Romans 13:4 BSB — MannaFest

Romans 13:4

For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

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.

KJV

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.

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Commentary

4 voices

Irenaeus

Against Heresies Book V (202)

For since man, by departing from God, reached such a pitch of fury as even to look upon his brother as his enemy, and engaged without fear in every kind of restless conduct, and murder, and avarice; God imposed upon mankind the fear of man, as they did not acknowledge the fear of God, in order that, being subjected to the authority of men, and kept under restraint by their laws, they might attain to some degree of justice, and exercise mutual forbearance through dread of the sword suspended full in their view, as the apostle says: "For he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, the avenger for wrath upon him who does evil."

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

First, As a holy God, that hates sin, against which, as it appears and puts up its head, a public testimony is thus borne. Secondly, As King of nations, and the God of peace and order, which are hereby preserved. Thirdly, As the protector of the good, whose persons, families, estates, and names, are by this means hedged about.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Hence it appears that laws with penalties for the lawless and disobedient ( 1 Tim. i. 9 ) must be constituted in Christian nations, and are agreeable with, and not contradictory to, the gospel. When men are become such beasts, such ravenous beasts, one to another, they must be dealt with accordingly, taken and destroyed in terrorem--to deter others.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

31 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
θεοῦ	theou	Of God	G2316 →
γὰρ	gar	for	G1063 →
διάκονός	diakonos	servant	G1249 →
ἐστιν	estin	he is	G1510 →
σοὶ	soi	to you	G4771 →
εἰς	eis	for	G1519 →
τὸ	to	<the>	G3588 →
ἀγαθόν.	agathon	good.	G18 →
ἐὰν	ean	If	G1437 →
δὲ	de	however	G1161 →
τὸ	to	<the>	G3588 →
κακὸν	kakon	evil	G2556 →
ποιῇς,	poiēas	you shall do,	G4160 →
φοβοῦ·	phobou	do be afraid;	G5399 →
οὐ	ou	not	G3756 →
γὰρ	gar	for	G1063 →
εἰκῇ	eikēa	in vain	G1500 →
τὴν	tēn	the	G3588 →
μάχαιραν	machairan	sword	G3162 →
φορεῖ.	phorei	he bears.	G5409 →
θεοῦ	theou	of God	G2316 →
γὰρ	gar	for	G1063 →
διάκονός	diakonos	a servant	G1249 →
ἐστιν	estin	He is	G1510 →
ἔκδικος	ekdikos	an avenger	G1558 →
εἰς	eis	for	G1519 →
ὀργὴν	orgēn	wrath	G3709 →
τῷ	tō	to the [one]	G3588 →
τὸ	to	<the>	G3588 →
κακὸν	kakon	evil	G2556 →
πράσσοντι.	prassonti	doing.	G4238 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:35
  Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.”
- Hebrews 10:30
  For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
- Proverbs 24:29
  Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
- Proverbs 20:22
  Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.
- Romans 12:17
  Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
Through
Proverbs 20:2
The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.
leads to
- Proverbs 19:12
  A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Ecclesiastes 10:4
  If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
Through
Proverbs 16:14
The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
leads to
- Proverbs 20:2
  The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.