# First Hevetic Confession
Article 27 - Of Magistrates
Every magistrate is from God, and his duty (unless he prefers to exercise tyranny), is to defend and ensure that religion is defended against all blasphemy, and just as the prophet teaches from the Word of the Lord, to execute it in maturity. In this respect, he must take care above all, that the pure Word of God is preached to the people in a pure and sincere manner, and that the gospel truth is not withheld from any people. He must quickly see to it that all citizens are formed by correct and diligent training and discipline, that there is a just provision of the ministers of the church, and that the poor are cared for. This part, the church’s authorities oversee.

Finally, magistrates, judge the people according to unbiased laws: to preserve the public peace, to foster the republic, and you are to punish the offender with wealth, body, and life. For what he does, he renders the worship due to God.

We know that we, (even if we are free in Christ) both in body and in all our faculties, and in the earnest [truth] of the soul with faith, are to submit to the magistrate in holiness (inasmuch as the dominions of this man do not openly fight with him for whose sake we honour the magistrate).

[Matthew 22](/get-passage/Matthew+22); [Acts 4](/get-passage/Acts+4); [Romans 13](/get-passage/Romans+13); [1 Corinthians 9](/get-passage/1+Corinthians+9); [1 Corinthians 16](/get-passage/1+Corinthians+16); [1 Timothy 5](/get-passage/1+Timothy+5).
