The Meaning of 1 Peter 2:13 Explained

1 Peter 2:13

KJV: Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

YLT: Be subject, then, to every human creation, because of the Lord, whether to a king, as the highest,

Darby: Be in subjection therefore to every human institution for the Lord's sake; whether to the king as supreme,

ASV: Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

<3767> Submit yourselves  to every  ordinance  of man  for  the Lord's sake:  whether it be  to the king,  as  supreme; 

What does 1 Peter 2:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This section of the letter clarifies what it means to function obediently as God"s people in a hostile world. It contains one of the tables of household duties in the New Testament ( 1 Peter 2:13 to 1 Peter 3:7; cf. Ephesians 5:21 to Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:18 to Colossians 4:1). Luther referred to these sections as Haustafeln, and some scholars still use this technical term when referring to these lists. However, this one begins with instructions regarding the Christian"s relationship to the state, which is similar to Romans 13:1-7. It is particularly our duties in view of suffering for our faith that concerned Peter, as is clear from his choice of material.

Context Summary

1 Peter 2:11-17 - The Christian Pilgrim's Walk
Strong desires must be kept under the stronger hand of the Christian soul-not extirpated but turned into right directions as God's providence points the way. Our desires ultimately rule our prayers and our life. We must therefore keep them above all else, for out of the heart are the issues of life. "Cleanse thou the thoughts of our heart by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee." God does not wish the extirpation of any element of our nature, but its consecration. We must not allow wrong things; and we must not allow the abuse or excess of right ones. The silent witness of a holy life or a well-ordered home is of incalculable worth. Oh that people in contact with us may turn from us to glorify God! See 1 Peter 2:12.
Though we do not belong to this world, but are passing through it to our home, we should show ourselves willing to conform to the institutions and customs of the world around us, so far as we can do so without injury to conscience or betrayal of the rights of Christ. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Peter 2

1  He exhorts to put away wickedness;
4  showing that Christ is the foundation whereupon they are built
11  He beseeches them also to abstain from sinful desires;
13  to be obedient to authorities;
18  and teaches servants how to obey their masters;
20  patiently suffering for well doing, after the example of Christ

Greek Commentary for 1 Peter 2:13

Be subject to [υποταγητε]
Second aorist passive imperative second person plural of υποτασσω — hupotassō to subject to, as in 1 Peter 3:22. [source]
Every ordinance of man [πασηι αντρωπινηι κτισει]
Dative case of old and common word κτισις — ktisis (from κτιζω — ktizō to create, to found), act of creation (Romans 1:20), a creature or creation (Romans 1:25), all creation (Colossians 1:15), an institution as here (in Pindar so). For αντρωπινος — anthrōpinos (human) see James 3:7. Peter here approves no special kind of government, but he supports law and order as Paul does (Romans 13:1-8) unless it steps in between God and man (Acts 4:20).For the Lord‘s sake (δια τον κυριον — dia ton kurion). For Jesus‘ sake. That is reason enough for the Christian not to be an anarchist (Matthew 22:21). The heathen were keen to charge the Christians with any crime after Nero set the fashion. “It should not be forgotten that, in spite of the fine language of the philosophers, the really popular religions in Greece and Rome were forms of devil-worship, intimately blended with magic in all its grades” (Bigg).As supreme Dative singular of present active participle of υπερεχω — huperechō old verb (intransitive), to stand out above (to have it over), as in Romans 13:1. It is not the divine right of kings, but the fact of the king as the outstanding ruler. [source]
For the Lord‘s sake [δια τον κυριον]
For Jesus‘ sake. That is reason enough for the Christian not to be an anarchist (Matthew 22:21). The heathen were keen to charge the Christians with any crime after Nero set the fashion. “It should not be forgotten that, in spite of the fine language of the philosophers, the really popular religions in Greece and Rome were forms of devil-worship, intimately blended with magic in all its grades” (Bigg). [source]
As supreme [ως υπερεχοντι]
Dative singular of present active participle of υπερεχω — huperechō old verb (intransitive), to stand out above (to have it over), as in Romans 13:1. It is not the divine right of kings, but the fact of the king as the outstanding ruler. [source]
Submit yourselves [ὑποτάγητε]
Rev., be subject. See Romans 13:1sq. [source]
Ordinance of man [ἀνθρωπίνῃ κτίσει]
Lit., to every human creation or institution. Rev., creation, in margin. [source]
King []
The emperor, styled king by Greek writers. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Peter 2:13

Romans 13:1 To the higher powers [εχουσιαις υπερεχουσαις]
Abstract for concrete. See note on Mark 2:10 for εχουσια — exousia υπερεχω — Huperechō is an old verb to have or hold over, to be above or supreme, as in 1 Peter 2:13. Except by God (ει μη υπο τεου — ei mē hupo theou). So the best MSS. rather than απο τεου — apo theou (from God). God is the author of order, not anarchy. The powers that be “The existing authorities” (supply εχουσιαι — exousiai). Art ordained Periphrastic perfect passive indicative of τασσω — tassō “stand ordained by God.” Paul is not arguing for the divine right of kings or for any special form of government, but for government and order. Nor does he oppose here revolution for a change of government, but he does oppose all lawlessness and disorder. [source]
1 Corinthians 10:13 Common to man [ἀνθρώπινος]
The word means what belongs to men, human. It occurs mostly in this epistle; once in Romans 6:19, meaning after the manner of men, popularly (see note). See James 3:7; 1 Peter 2:13; 1 Corinthians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 4:3. It may mean here a temptation which is human, i.e., incident or common to man, as A.V., or, inferentially, a temptation adapted to human strength; such as man can bear, Rev. The words are added as an encouragement, to offset the warning “let him that thinketh,” etc. They are in danger and must watch, but the temptation will not be beyond their strength. [source]
1 Peter 2:16 As free [ως ελευτεροι]
Note nominative again connected with υποταγητε — hupotagēte in 1 Peter 2:13, not with πιμοιν — phimoin in 1 Peter 2:14 (a parenthesis in fact). For this ethical sense of ελευτερος — eleutheros see Galatians 4:26. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Peter 2:13 mean?

Be in subjection to every human institution for the sake of the Lord whether to [the] king as being supreme
Ὑποτάγητε πάσῃ ἀνθρωπίνῃ κτίσει διὰ τὸν Κύριον εἴτε βασιλεῖ ὡς ὑπερέχοντι

Ὑποτάγητε  Be  in  subjection 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Passive, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ὑποτάσσω  
Sense: to arrange under, to subordinate.
πάσῃ  to  every 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
ἀνθρωπίνῃ  human 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀνθρώπινος  
Sense: human.
κτίσει  institution 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: κτίσις  
Sense: the act of founding, establishing, building etc.
διὰ  for  the  sake  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
Κύριον  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
εἴτε  whether 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: εἴτε  
Sense: if … if.
βασιλεῖ  to  [the]  king 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: βασιλεύς  
Sense: leader of the people, prince, commander, lord of the land, king.
ὑπερέχοντι  being  supreme 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ὑπερέχω  
Sense: to have or hold over one.