Time after Pentecost · Proper 18 · Year A
Romans 13:1-10
Governing Authorities and the Debt of Love
September 6, 2026
Overview & Insights
“Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans 13:10)
Paul teaches that believers should be subject to governing authorities, who are established by God, and should pay what they owe to everyone. He then declares that the one debt that remains is love, since love does no wrong to a neighbor and so fulfills the whole law.
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Commentary
Commentary on Romans 13:8-14 Working Preacher
The Lutheran home commentary on the debt-of-love verses that close this reading.
Romans 13:8-14 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching
A Reformed preaching commentary on love as the fulfilling of the law.
Romans 13 - Submission and Love Enduring Word · David Guzik
A verse-by-verse evangelical study of submission to authority and the debt of love.
Romans 13:1 Commentaries BibleHub
Classic commentaries gathered verse by verse on the governing authorities.
Romans 13:1 Verse-by-Verse Commentary StudyLight
A large library of expositors stacked verse by verse for a further voice on the passage.
Background & Word Study
Romans 13:1 Interlinear BibleHub
The Greek of the passage word by word with parsing and Strong's numbers, including authority and love.
Enter the Bible: Romans Enter the Bible
Luther Seminary's book introduction to Romans for the letter's ethics of order and love.
Overview: Romans 5-16 BibleProject
An animated overview of Romans that frames love as the sum of the law.
The Church Fathers
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