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

13 Submit for the Lord's sake to any human authority; submit to the emperor as supreme, 14 and to governors as deputed by him for the punishment of wrongdoers and the encouragement of honest people ??15 for it is the will of God that by your honest lives you should silence the ignorant charges of foolish persons. 16 Live like free men, only do not make your freedom a pretext for misconduct; live like servants of God. 17 Do honour to all, love the brotherhood, reverence God, honour the emperor.

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with perfect respect, not simply to those who are kind and reasonable but to the surly as well ??19 for it is a merit when from a sense of God one bears the pain of unjust suffering. 20 Where is the credit in standing punishment for having done wrong? No, if you stand suffering for having done right, that is what God counts a merit.

21 It is your vocation; for when Christ suffered for you, he left you an example, and you must follow his footsteps. 22 He committed no sin, no guile was ever found upon his lips; 23 he was reviled and made no retort, he suffered and never threatened, but left everything to Him who judges justly; 24 he bore our sins in his own body on the gibbet, that we might break with sin and live for righteousness; and by his wounds you have been healed. 25 You were astray like sheep, but you have come back now to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.