Submission to Authorities (1 Peter 2:13–20)
1 UST Every one of you must submit yourselves to those whom God has authorized to govern you.{ This is} because no one{ can govern} unless God authorizes them{ to do so}. God has instituted the existing governments. BSB BSB: Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.
2 UST So people who resist those whom God has authorized{ to govern} are opposing what God has commanded. God will punish those people who oppose{ those whom he has authorized to govern}. BSB BSB: Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
3 UST Indeed, the people who rule are{ not supposed} to terrify{ those people who do} what is good. Rather,{ they are supposed to terrify}{ those people who do} what is evil. If you do not want to fear those whom God authorizes to rule,{ then} do what is good and those who rule will commend you for doing so. BSB BSB: For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.
5 UST Consequently, you must submit yourselves{ to those people whom God authorizes to rule}.{ You must do this} not only because they can punish you, but also because you know{ that to disobey them is to disobey God}! BSB BSB: Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.
6 UST Indeed, you also pay taxes because of these things.{ You also pay taxes} because those people{ whom God authorizes to rule} serve God. They devote themselves to serving{ by governing}. BSB BSB: This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.
7 UST Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay taxes to whom you owe taxes. Pay fees to whom you owe fees. Fear those people whom you should fear. Honor those people whom you should honor. BSB BSB: Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
Love Fulfills the Law (Leviticus 19:9–18)
8 UST Do not owe anything to anyone. Rather, continue to love other{ people who believe in the Messiah}{ as if you owe it to them}.{ Do this} because someone who loves another person accomplishes{ what God required in} the laws{ he gave the Jews}. BSB BSB: Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
9 UST { This is true} because{ God commanded} these things{ in his laws when he said},“Do not have sexual relations with someone whom you did not marry. Do not murder. Do not rob people. Do not lust for what belongs to other people.” You could summarize anything else that God commands{ in the laws he gave the Jews} with this{ other} thing{ God commanded}:“Love other people in the same way you love yourself.” BSB BSB: The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
10 UST { When you} love other people,{ you} do not do evil things{ to them}. This is why loving{ other people} accomplishes{ what God required in} the laws{ he gave the Jews}. BSB BSB: Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
The Day Is Near 11 UST { Do} these things because you know what time it is. It is already the time for you to be spiritually alert because{ the time when Jesus will return} to{ finally} save us is now closer than when we began trusting{ in him}. BSB BSB: And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
12 UST { In the same way that} the night ends just before the day begins{, the time of this sinful world is almost over, and Jesus will return soon}. So, we must stop doing{ what is evil, which is like} what people do when it is dark. Instead, we must{ oppose what is evil by doing what is good, which is like} a soldier puts on his armor{ to fight the enemy} during the day. BSB BSB: The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 UST We must behave appropriately, as if it were daytime{ and people could see what we do}. We must not celebrate drunkenly or get drunk{ at all}. We must not do any unrestrained sexually immoral acts{ at all}. We must not quarrel{ with others} or be jealous{ of others}. BSB BSB: Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
14 UST Rather{ than doing those things}, act like the Lord Jesus the Messiah would act. Do not concern yourselves with{ anything that is related to} what your{ sinful} self wants to do. BSB BSB: Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.