Římanům 13:4

Bible kralická

Boží zajisté služebník jest, tobě k dobrému. Pakli bys zle činil, boj se; neboť ne nadarmo nese meč. Boží zajisté služebník jest, mstitel zuřivý nad tím, kdož zle činí.

Parallel Translations

Český ekumenický překlad
Vždyť je Božím služebníkem k tvému dobru. Jednáš-li však špatně, máš proč se bát, neboť nenese meč nadarmo; je Božím služebníkem, vykonavatelem trestu nad tím, kdo činí zlo.

Nova Smlouva (NT only)
Vždyť je Božím služebníkem pro tvé dobro. Jednáš-li však zle, boj se, neboť ne nadarmo nosí meč. Je Božím služebníkem, vykonavatelem hněvu nad tím, kdo činí zlo.

Nova Bible Kralicka (NT only)
Vždyť je Božím služebníkem pro tvé dobro. Jestliže však jednáš zle, boj se, neboť ne nadarmo nosí meč. Je přece Božím služebníkem, mstitelem k [vykonání] hněvu nad tím, kdo páchá zlo.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he is: Romans 13:6, 1 Kings 10:9, 2 Chronicles 19:6, Psalms 82:2-4, Proverbs 24:23, Proverbs 24:24, Proverbs 31:8, Proverbs 31:9, Ecclesiastes 8:2-5, Isaiah 1:17, Jeremiah 5:28, Ezekiel 22:27, Micah 3:1-4, Micah 3:9

be: Proverbs 16:14, Proverbs 20:2, Proverbs 20:8, Proverbs 20:26

revenger: Romans 12:19, Numbers 35:19-27, Joshua 20:5, Joshua 20:9, Ezekiel 25:14

Reciprocal: Genesis 9:6 - by Exodus 21:20 - punished Leviticus 19:18 - not avenge Numbers 31:2 - Avenge Deuteronomy 19:20 - General Deuteronomy 21:2 - General Deuteronomy 32:35 - To me Joshua 4:14 - they feared him 1 Samuel 9:17 - reign over 2 Samuel 3:39 - weak 2 Samuel 20:19 - peaceable 2 Kings 9:7 - I may avenge Nehemiah 13:21 - I will lay Nehemiah 13:28 - I chased Job 29:8 - young men Jeremiah 21:12 - deliver Ezekiel 11:9 - and will Nahum 1:2 - revengeth Luke 18:3 - Avenge John 8:11 - Neither Acts 18:16 - General Romans 13:3 - rulers Hebrews 10:30 - Vengeance 1 Peter 2:14 - for the punishment

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For he is the minister of God to thee for good,.... He is a minister of God's appointing and commissioning, that acts under him, and for him, is a kind of a vicegerent of his, and in some, sense represents him; and which is another reason why men ought to be subject to him; and especially since he is appointed for their "good", natural, moral, civil, and spiritual, as Pareus observes: for natural good, for the protection of men's natural lives, which otherwise would be in continual danger from wicked men; for moral good, for the restraining of vice, and encouragement of virtue; profaneness abounds exceedingly, as the case is, but what would it do if there were no laws to forbid it, or civil magistrates to put them in execution? for civil good, for the preservation of men's properties, estates, rights, and liberties, which would be continually invaded, and made a prey of by others; and for spiritual and religious good, as many princes and magistrates have been; a sensible experience of which we have under the present government of these kingdoms, allowing us a liberty to worship God according to our consciences, none making us afraid, and is a reason why we should yield a cheerful subjection to it:

but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid: of the punishment of such evil threatened by law, and to be inflicted by the civil magistrate;

for he beareth not the sword in vain. The "sword" is an emblem of the power of life and death, the civil magistrate is invested with, and includes all sorts of punishment he has a right to inflict; and this power is not lodged in him in vain; he may and ought to make use of it at proper times, and upon proper persons:

for he is the minister of God; as is said before, he has his mission, commission, power and authority from him; and is

a revenge to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil; he is a defender of the laws, a vindicator of divine justice, an avenger of the wrongs of men; and his business is to inflict proper punishment, which is meant by wrath, upon delinquents.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The minister of God - The “servant” of God he is appointed by God to do his will, and to execute his purposes. “To thee.” For your benefit.

For good - That is, to protect you in your rights; to vindicate your name, person, or property; and to guard your liberty, and secure to you the results of your industry. The magistrate is not appointed directly to “reward” people, but they “practically” furnish a reward by protecting and defending them, and securing to them the interests of justice.

If thou do that ... - That is, if any citizen should do evil.

Be afraid - Fear the just vengeance of the laws.

For he beareth not the sword in vain - The “sword” is an instrument of punishment, as well as an emblem of war. Princes were accustomed to wear a sword as an emblem of their authority; and the “sword” was often used for the purpose of “beheading,” or otherwise punishing the guilty. The meaning of the apostle is, that he does not wear this badge of authority as an unmeaningful show, but that it will be used to execute the laws. As this is the design of the power intrusted to him, and as he will “exercise” his authority, people should be influenced “by fear” to keep the law, even if there were no better motive.

A revenger ... - In Romans 12:19, vengeance is said to belong to God. Yet he “executes” his vengeance by means of subordinate agents. It belongs to him to take vengeance by direct judgments, by the plague, famine, sickness, or earthquakes; by the appointment of magistrates; or by letting loose the passions of people to prey upon each other. When a magistrate inflicts punishment on the guilty, it is to be regarded as the act of God taking vengeance “by him;” and on this principle only is it right for a judge to condemn a man to death. It is not because one man has by nature any right over the life of another, or because “society” has any right collectively which it has not as individuals; but because “God” gave life, and because he has chosen to take it away when crime is committed by the appointment of magistrates, and not by coming forth himself visibly to execute the laws. Where “human” laws fail, however, he often takes vengeance into his own hands, and by the plague, or some signal judgments, sweeps the guilty into eternity.

To execute wrath - For an explanation of the word “wrath,” see the notes at Romans 1:18. It denotes here “punishment,” or the just execution of the laws. It may be remarked that this verse is an “incidental” proof of the propriety of “capital punishment.” The sword was undoubtedly an instrument for this purpose, and the apostle mentions its use without any remark of “disapprobation.” He enjoins subjection to those who “wear the sword,” that is, to those who execute the laws “by that;” and evidently intends to speak of the magistrate “with the sword,” or in inflicting capital punishment, as having received the appointment of God. The tendency of society now is “not” to too sanguinary laws. It is rather to forget that God has doomed the murderer to death; and though humanity should be consulted in the execution of the laws, yet there is no humanity in suffering the murderer to live to infest society, and endanger many lives, in the place of his own, which was forfeited to justice. Far better that one murderer should die, than that he should be suffered to live, to imbrue his hands perhaps in the blood of many who are innocent. But the authority of God has settled this question Genesis 9:5-6, and it is neither right nor safe for a community to disregard his solemn decisions; see “Blackstone’s Commentaries,” vol. iv. p. 8, (9.)

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 13:4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good — Here the apostle puts the character of the ruler in the strongest possible light. He is the minister of God-the office is by Divine appointment: the man who is worthy of the office will act in conformity to the will of God: and as the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears open to their cry, consequently the ruler will be the minister of God to them for good.

He beareth not the sword in vain — His power is delegated to him for the defence and encouragement of the good, and the punishment of the wicked; and he has authority to punish capitally, when the law so requires: this the term sword leads us to infer.

For he is the minister of God, a revenger — θεου διακονος εστιν εκδικος, For he is God's vindictive minister, to execute wrath; εις οργην, to inflict punishment upon the transgressors of the law; and this according to the statutes of that law; for God's civil ministers are never allowed to pronounce or inflict punishment according to their own minds or feeling, but according to the express declarations of the law.