God’s Word Translation
1 Peter 2:13
13Place yourselves under the authority of human governments to please the Lord. Obey the emperor. He holds the highest position of authority.
1 Peter 2:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
- New International Version (NIV)Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme,
Context of 1 Peter 2:13
11Dear friends, since you are foreigners and temporary residents ⌞in the world⌟, I’m encouraging you to keep away from the desires of your corrupt nature. These desires constantly attack you. 12Live decent lives among unbelievers. Then, although they ridicule you as if you were doing wrong while they are watching you do good things, they will praise God on the day he comes to help you. Place yourselves under the authority of human governments to please the Lord. Obey the emperor. He holds the highest position of authority. 14Also obey governors. They are people the emperor has sent to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right.
Read all of 1 Peter 21 Peter 2:13 word by word
Ὑποτάγητε πάσῃ ἀνθρωπίνῃ κτίσει διὰ τὸν κύριον· εἴτε βασιλεῖ ὡς ὑπερέχοντι·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·οὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- Submit yourselvesὑποτάσσωhupotassō · to subjectG5293
- to everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
- ordinanceκτίσιςktisis · creationG2937
- of manἀνθρώπινοςanthrōpinos · humanG442
- forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- the Lord’s sakeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the Lord’s sakeκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- whether it beεἴτεeite · whetherG1535
- to the kingβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- supremeὑπερέχωhuperechō · be higherG5242
Cross-references for 1 Peter 2:13
- Proverbs 17:11A rebel looks for nothing but evil. Therefore, a cruel messenger will be sent ⌞to punish⌟ him.
- Proverbs 24:21Fear the Lord, my son. Fear the king as well. Do not associate with those who always insist upon change,
- Jeremiah 29:7Work for the good of the city where I’ve taken you as captives, and pray to the Lord for that city. When it prospers, you will also prosper.
- Matthew 22:21They replied, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Very well, give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God.”
- Mark 12:17Jesus said to them, “Give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God.” They were surprised at his reply.
- Luke 20:25He said to them, “Well, then give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God.”
- Romans 13:1Every person should obey the government in power. No government would exist if it hadn’t been established by God. The governments which exist have been put in place by God.
- Ephesians 5:21Place yourselves under each other’s authority out of respect for Christ.
- 1 Timothy 2:1First of all, I encourage you to make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and prayers of thanks for all people,
- 2 Peter 2:10This is especially true of those who follow their corrupt nature along the path of impure desires and who despise the Lord’s authority. These false teachers are bold and arrogant. They aren’t afraid to insult the ⌞Lord’s⌟ glory.
- Jude 1:8Yet, in a similar way, the people who slipped in among you are dreamers. They contaminate their bodies with sin, reject the Lord’s authority, and insult his glory.
Commentaries on 1 Peter 2:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man - In every settled state, and under every form of political government, where the laws are not in opposition to the laws of God, it may be very soundly and rationally said: "Genuine Christians have nothing to do with the laws but to obey them." Society and civil security are in a most dangerous state when the people take it into their heads that they have a right to remodel and change the laws. See the whole of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man - Greek, “to every creation of man,” ( ̓́ͅ ́ anthrōpinē ktiseiThe meaning is, to every institution or appointment of man; to wit, of those who are in authority, or who are appointed to administer government. The laws, institutes, and appointments of such a government may be spoken of as the creation of man; that is, as what man makes. Of course, what is here said must be understood with the limitation…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 A Christian conversation must be honest; which it cannot be, if there is not a just and careful discharge of all relative duties: the apostle here treats of these distinctly. Regard to those duties is the will of God, consequently, the Christian's duty, and the way to silence the base slanders of ignorant and foolish men. Christians must endeavour, in all relations, to behave aright, that they do not make their liberty a cloak or covering for…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13During Peter's time, the Roman emperor was the king. Christians were suffering under the government and would soon face harsher persecution under Emperor Nero.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. every ordinance of man--"every human institution" [Alford], literally, "every human creation." For though of divine appointment, yet in the mode of nomination and in the exercise of their authority, earthly governors are but human institutions, being of men, and in relation to men. The apostle speaks as one raised above all human things. But lest they should think themselves so ennobled by faith as to be raised above subordination to human…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Peter 2:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Peter 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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