1 Peter 2:13-25 - Submission To Established Authority

¹³ Subject yourselves to every human authority for the sake of the Lord, whether to a king as having supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors as those sent out by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good. ¹⁵ For the will of God is as follows: [by] doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people. ¹⁶ [Live] as free [persons], and not using your freedom as a covering for evil, but as slaves of God. ¹⁷ Honor all [people], love the community of believers, fear God, honor the king.

¹⁸ Domestic slaves, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those [who are] good and gentle, but also to those [who are] unjust. ¹⁹ For this [finds] favor, if because of consciousness of God someone endures sorrows [while] suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit [is it] if, [when you] sin and are beaten [for it], you endure? But if you endure [when you] do good and suffer [for it], this [finds] favor with God.

²¹ For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his footsteps, ²² who did not commit sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth, ²³ who [when he] was reviled, did not revile in return; [when] suffering, he did not threaten, but entrusted [himself] to the one who judges justly, ²⁴ who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that [we] may die to sins [and] live to righteousness, by whose wounds you were healed. ²⁵ For you were going astray like sheep, but you have turned back now to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.