Kay

LMB,

I think this part:
“But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”
makes it clear that the rulers referred to are NOT our fellow believers. We are certainly not called on to bear literal swords against one another, or be in fear of one another, and nowhere are believers called “agents of wrath to bring punishment” I agree with gengwall.