Charles Ellicott Commentary Romans 13:3

"For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. And wouldest thou have no fear of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same:" — Romans 13:3 (ASV)

To good works.—Literally, to the good work, as if it were personified. Human law can only take account of what is actually done, not of the intention.

In this and the following verse, it is clearly the ideal aspect of the magistracy that the Apostle has in view.

So Bishop Butler, in the paragraph next to the one just quoted, continues: “If it is objected that good actions, and those that are beneficial to society, are often punished (as in the case of persecution and in other cases), and that ill and mischievous actions are often rewarded, it may be answered distinctly: first, that this is in no way necessary, and consequently not natural, in the sense in which it is necessary and therefore natural, that ill or mischievous actions should be punished; and second, that good actions are never punished when considered as beneficial to society, nor ill actions rewarded when considered as hurtful to it.

So it holds true... that the Author of Nature has as truly directed that vicious actions, considered as mischievous to society, should be punished, and has put mankind under a necessity of punishing them, as He has directed and necessitated us to preserve our lives by food.” Occasional failures of justice on the part of the executive do not make the strict administration of justice any less its proper duty and office.