Paul writes in Romans 13:1 that everyone must be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God,
he is addressing everyone personally (every person
). He therefore commands us all to be subject to the authorities. He is not here speaking here about slavish submission, however, as seems to be suggested by the NLT which translates the verb as submit to.
He is rather here promoting respect and obedience in contrast to rebellion and obstinacy. Everyone must therefore cooperate with the higher powers
(KJV), for they occupy a higher position (huperechousai) and as such exercise authority (exousiai). Paul here employs the plural, which is best translated as authorities,
or higher powers,
which is something different from the modern, Western concept government.
Not everyone who occupies a higher position holds genuine authority over others, but it is those who do about whom Paul is speaking here—the actual people in authority.
The idea that Paul is speaking here about angelic powers, who work in and through earthly authorities, is unlikely. This theory was somewhat popular in the twentieth century and was famously promoted by the Lutheran theologian Oscar Cullmann1 (for an extensive discussion of this theory, see Cranfield,2 who increasingly distanced himself from this interpretation). In what follows Paul speaks about taxes and other debts which would of course be completely out of place if he had been referring to heavenly powers.3,4
1 Que toute personne soit soumise aux autorités supérieures; car il n'y a point d'autorité qui ne vienne de Dieu, et les autorités qui existent ont été instituées de Dieu.