--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The magistrates of whom Paul wrote were…" description: "\"The magistrates of whom Paul wrote were natural, ungodly, persecuting, and yet lawful magistrates, to be obeyed in all lawful civil things.\" — Roger Wi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/roger-williams-11064_magistrates_the-magistrates-of-whom-paul-wrote-were_2153527.png" --- # The magistrates of whom Paul wrote were natural, ungodly… ![“The magistrates of whom Paul wrote were natural, ungodly, persecuting, and yet lawful magistrates, to be obeyed in all lawful civil things.” quote by Roger Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/roger-williams-11064_magistrates_the-magistrates-of-whom-paul-wrote-were_2153527.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/roger-williams-11064_magistrates_the-magistrates-of-whom-paul-wrote-were_2153527.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/roger-williams-11064_magistrates_the-magistrates-of-whom-paul-wrote-were_2153527.png) > “The magistrates of whom Paul wrote were natural, ungodly, persecuting, and yet lawful magistrates, to be obeyed in all lawful civil things.” [Roger Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage argues that even corrupt magistrates must be obeyed in civil matters, distinguishing civil obedience from moral approval. **In simple terms:** Obey civil law even if leaders are immoral. Key Takeaway Separate civil duty from moral judgment. Themes law morality authority Mood serious analytical Type political ethical When to use this quote - government service - legal compliance - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts political theory civil obedience Questions to Reflect On - When should civil disobedience be considered? - How to balance respect for law with moral convictions? A Different Perspective Blind obedience can enable injustice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [If the civil magistrate be a Christian, a disciple or follower of the meek Lamb of God, he is bound to be far from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/if-the-civil-magistrate-be-a-christian-a-disciple-or-follower-of-the/) [Roger Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-williams/) > [Even if the civil magistrate is so gifted as to prophesy in the church, yet in the sphere of his civil duties he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/even-if-the-civil-magistrate-is-so-gifted-as-to-prophesy-in-the/) [Roger Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-williams/) > [But who is to decide who truly fears the Lord? The magistrate has no power to enforce religious demands. 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In all the affairs of this world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/religion-in-a-magistrate-strengthens-his-authority-because-it/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [None of the modes by which a magistrate is appointed, popular election, the accident of the lot, or the accident of birth, affords, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/none-of-the-modes-by-which-a-magistrate-is-appointed-popular-election/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [Fear God, and offend not the Prince nor his laws, and keep thyself out of the magistrate's claws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-tusser/fear-god-and-offend-not-the-prince-nor-his-laws-and-keep-thyself-out/) [Thomas Tusser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-tusser/) > [To make an empire durable, the magistrates must obey the laws and the people the magistrates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solon/to-make-an-empire-durable-the-magistrates-must-obey-the-laws-and-the/) [Solon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solon/) > [... we have gratefully to receive from the hand of God the institution of the state with its magistrates as a means of preservation……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/we-have-gratefully-to-receive-from-the-hand-of-god-the-institution-of/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [To extraordinary powers of labor, both mental and physical, he unites that tact and judgement which are requisite to the successful direction of such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/to-extraordinary-powers-of-labor-both-mental-and-physical-he-unites/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [ Every answer he \[President John Adams\] gives to his addressers unmasks more and more his principles and views. His language to the young men… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/every-answer-he-president-john-adams-gives-to-his-addressers-unmasks/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [The power of Kings and Magistrates is nothing else, but what is only derivative, transferrd and committed to them in trust from the People,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-power-of-kings-and-magistrates-is-nothing-else-but-what-is-only/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [He who takes the oath today to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States only assumes the solemn obligation which every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-cleveland/he-who-takes-the-oath-today-to-preserve-protect-and-defend-the/) [Grover Cleveland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-cleveland/) > [A magistrate is not a father; he must be just and severe. Only tyrants are fathers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-magistrate-is-not-a-father-he-must-be-just-and-severe-only-tyrants/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [In cities men cannot be prevented from concerting together, and from awakening a mutual excitement which prompts sudden and passionate resolutions. Cities may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/in-cities-men-cannot-be-prevented-from-concerting-together-and-from/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Protection, therefore, against the tyranny of the magistrate is not enough; there needs protection against the tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling, against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/protection-therefore-against-the-tyranny-of-the-magistrate-is-not/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [ This scripture \[Romans 13:1-6\] is wrested from the scope of God's Spirit, and the nature of the place, and cannot truly be interpreted to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/this-scripture-romans-13-1-6-is-wrested-from-the-scope-of-god-s/) [Roger Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-williams/) Browse all 108 Magistrates quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The magistrates of whom Paul wrote were natural, ungodly, persecuting, and yet lawful magistrates, to be obeyed in all lawful civil things.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger Williams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/the-magistrates-of-whom-paul-wrote-were-natural-ungodly-persecuting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Magistrates" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/the-magistrates-of-whom-paul-wrote-were-natural-ungodly-persecuting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/roger-williams-11064_magistrates_the-magistrates-of-whom-paul-wrote-were_2153527.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/roger-williams-11064_magistrates_the-magistrates-of-whom-paul-wrote-were_2153527.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/roger-williams-11064_magistrates_the-magistrates-of-whom-paul-wrote-were_2153527.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The magistrates of whom Paul wrote were natural, ungodly, persecuting, and yet lawful magistrates, to be…” — Roger Williams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Roger Williams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-williams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The magistrates of whom Paul wrote...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/the-magistrates-of-whom-paul-wrote-were-natural-ungodly-persecuting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/the-magistrates-of-whom-paul-wrote-were-natural-ungodly-persecuting/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```