Keraia
1 Peter 2

1 Peter 2:18

Submission to Authorities · 1 Peter 2:13–20
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Translations

Modern
Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable.
Traditional
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
Literal
Servants, be subject in all fear to your masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the crooked.
Latin
Servi, subditi estote in omni timore dominis, non tantum bonis et modestis, sed etiam dyscolis.

Original

Greek
English
Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable.

Notes

1 Peter 2:18

  • Many slaves in the Roman Empire held responsible positions and earned a decent income. However, most slaves were treated harshly, and all slaves lacked legal status and basic rights.

  • with all respect (literally with all fear): Peter might be urging slaves to fear God (see 2:17; compare 1:17) or fear the master's punishment. However, he often uses this kind of language to describe the respectful attitude that Christians should show toward others (3:16).

1 Peter 2:18–20

A slave was legally bound to a master and could not change his or her situation. In contrast, a modern employee has the right to stop working for an employer who is cruel. Some employees, however, may not be able to leave their jobs. In those cases, Peter’s advice to slaves can also apply to employees today.

1 Peter 2:13–3:7

This section focuses on the key instruction to submit to all human authority. Peter applies this instruction to several relationships:

  • Christians should accept the authority of those in government (2:13–17).

  • Christian slaves should accept the authority of their masters (2:18–25).

  • Christian wives should accept the authority of their husbands (3:1–6).

Peter appears to follow an early Christian use of the traditional household code. This code gave a series of instructions for different members of a household. Similar examples appear in Ephesians 5:21–6:9, Colossians 3:18–4:1, 1 Timothy 5:1–6:2, and Titus 2:1–10.

Parallels

Romans 13:1–7

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Gentleness Obedience Peter, First Letter of

Topics

Authority Being Proud Commandments: Other Apostles: Precepts of, Explicitly Stated or Implied in Didactic Epistles Employers Employment Example: Good Honor Masters: Authority of, Established Meekness: General Scriptures Concerning Obeying Authority Servant: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Servants: Duties of, to Masters: To be Subject to Them Servants: Duties of, to Masters: To be Submissive Even to the Froward Slavery