Θεοῦ γὰρ διάκονός ἐστι σοὶ εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν. ἐὰν δὲ τὸ κακὸν ποιῇς, φοβοῦ· οὐ γὰρ εἰκῇ τὴν μάχαιραν φορεῖ· Θεοῦ γὰρ διάκονός ἐστιν εἰς ὀργὴν, ἔκδικος τῷ τὸ κακὸν πράσσοντι. (Romans 13:4)
For he is a servant of God for your good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to the one who practices evil.
Declension Analysis Table
| Greek Form | Morphology | Case & Syntactic Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Θεοῦ | 2nd declension masculine singular | Genitive singular, genitive of possession | Marks God as the one to whom the servant belongs; repeated twice for emphasis. |
| διάκονος | 2nd declension masculine singular | Nominative singular predicate noun | Appositional to the subject (implicit governing authority), identifying role as “servant.” |
| σοί | 2nd person pronoun, dative singular | Dative of advantage | Indicates the beneficiary: “for you.” |
| τὸ ἀγαθόν | 2nd declension neuter singular with article | Accusative singular object of preposition εἰς | Marks the goal or purpose: “for good.” |
| τὸ κακόν | 2nd declension neuter singular with article | Accusative singular direct object of ποιῇς and πράσσοντι | Represents “evil” as the prohibited action and target of divine justice. |
| τὴν μάχαιραν | 1st declension feminine singular with article | Accusative singular object of φορεῖ | Symbol of judicial authority, especially capital punishment. |
| ὀργήν | 1st declension feminine singular | Accusative singular object of εἰς | Marks purpose/result: “for wrath.” |
| ἔκδικος | 2nd declension masculine singular | Nominative singular predicate noun | Describes the official as “one who exacts justice/vengeance.” |
| τῷ … πράσσοντι | Definite article + present active participle, masculine dative singular | Dative singular of disadvantage | “To the one who practices” — recipient of punitive action. |
Case Functions in Context
- Genitives (Θεοῦ) root the authority’s legitimacy in divine commission.
- Datives (σοί, τῷ πράσσοντι) mark the relational poles: the beneficiary of good and the recipient of judgment.
- Accusatives (e.g., τὸ ἀγαθόν, τὸ κακόν, τὴν μάχαιραν, ὀργήν) delineate purposes, instruments, and moral objects.
- Nominatives (e.g., διάκονος, ἔκδικος) label the essential identity of the authority figure.
Syntax and Theological Implication
This verse hinges on the repetition of Θεοῦ διάκονος, structurally sandwiching the warning against doing evil. The genitive of possession grounds the magistrate’s authority in God, while the accusatives define the scope of action—either for good or for wrath. The dative contrast (σοί vs. τῷ πράσσοντι) encapsulates the dual role of civil authority: protector of the righteous, punisher of the wicked.
Justice Embodied in Grammar
In Paul’s syntax, the state official is not an autonomous ruler but a grammatically defined servant of God. The genitives declare ownership, the nominatives declare identity, the accusatives set mission and limits, and the datives draw relational boundaries—turning civil authority into a tangible outworking of divine order.
