1. Let everyone be subject to the authorities. For there is no authority that does not come from God, and the offices have been established by God.

2. Whoever, therefore, resists authority goes against a decree of God, and those who resist deserve to be condemned.

3. In fact, who fears authority? Not those who do good, but those who do evil. Do you want to be without fear of a person in authority? Do good and you will receive praise.

4. They are the stewards of God for your good. But if you do not behave, fear them for they do not carry arms in vain; they are at the service of God when they judge and punish wrongdoers.

5. It is necessary to obey, not through fear but as a matter of conscience.

6. In the same way you must pay taxes, and the collectors are God's officials.

7. Pay to all what is due them; to whomever you owe contributions, make a contribution; to whom taxes are due, pay taxes; to whom respect is due, give respect; to whom honor is due, give honor.

8. Do not be in debt to anyone. Let this be the only debt of one to another: Love. The one who loves his or her neighbor fulfilled the Law.

9. For the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not covet and whatever else are summarized in this one: You will love your neighbor as yourself.

10. Love cannot do the neighbor any harm; so love fulfills the whole Law.

11. You know what hour it is. This is the time to awake, for our salvation is now nearer than when we first believed;

12. the night is almost over and day is at hand. Let us discard, therefore, everything that belongs to darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

13. As we live in the full light of day, let us behave with decency; no banquets with drunkenness, no prostitution or vices, no fighting or jealousy.

14. Put on, rather, the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not be led by the will of the flesh nor follow its desires.





“Os corações fortes e generosos não se lamentam, a não ser por grandes motivos e,ainda assim,não permitem que tais motivos penetrem fundo no seu íntimo.(P.e Pio) São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina