"... The enslaved human condition notwithstanding, however, these texts still seem to view humans as complicit in their evil actions to some degree; they still do the will of the flesh and so must take some responsibility for their wrongdoing—hence the occasional language of punishment and accountability (see Romans 10:3, 16–21, treated more extensively in part five, chapter nineteen). Moreover, these explanations from disputed letters are to my mind authentically Pauline in tenor and partly confirmatory of accountability by the apostle’s notorious discussion of imperial government in Romans 13. Paul recognizes a degree of divine authorization within the Roman government to the point that an experience of “the sword” by wrongdoers is an appropriate experience of God’s wrath and punishment (Rom. 13:3–4: Gk ἔκδικος εἰς ὀργήν). This perspective also explains Paul’s quotation of Deuteronomy 32:35 in Romans 12:19. Paul seems to believe that one reason for Christians to refrain from revenge is that God reserves that right for himself! Not only does the nonretaliation of Christians heap burning coals on the heads of hostile non-Christians, but the endurance of ongoing hostility might simultaneously increase their future punishment ..."