What Does 1 Peter 2:13 Mean in the King James?
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The king may stand highest in a humanly made order, yet the reason for submitting is the Lord.
THE MEANING
You live among humanly formed structures, and this verse places your posture toward them in relation to the Lord. It names the king as standing above others in the civic order, yet says the submission is for the Lord’s sake. Authority has a place in your life without becoming the source of your deepest allegiance.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that honoring a ruler makes that ruler ultimate: the verse roots that posture in the Lord’s sake.
THE ROOT
ὑποτάγητε
hypotagēte
GROWS FROM
τάσσω
tassō
To arrange, appoint, or place in order.
“Submit” in this verse is hypotagēte. The verb carries the sense of placing oneself within an order. Submission here describes a posture toward authority; the phrase “for the Lord’s sake” names what gives that posture its reason.
ALSO GROWS
taxis: Order or arrangement.
τάξις
This related word makes the sense of ordered placement visible beneath “submit.”
hypotassō: To subject or arrange under.
ὑποτάσσω
The compound adds “under” to the idea of ordering, showing submission as a relationship within a structure.
κτίσει
ktisei
GROWS FROM
κτίζω
ktizō
To create, establish, or found.
“Ordinance” in this verse is ktisei. The Greek phrase calls this a human creation or institution. In context, the king and governing authorities are examples of a humanly constituted order, which the verse places within the reader’s relation to the Lord.
ALSO GROWS
ktisis: Creation, created order, or institution.
κτίσις
The noun behind “ordinance” can describe something created or established, bringing the human-made character of civic order into view.
ktisma: A created thing.
κτίσμα
This related word keeps the idea of something brought into being beside the civic structures named in the verse.
ὑπερέχοντι
hyperechonti
GROWS FROM
ὑπερέχω
hyperechō
To be above, surpass, or hold a higher position.
“Supreme” in this verse is hyperechonti. The king is described relationally: he stands above others in the civic arrangement. That rank explains the verse’s language about authority, while “for the Lord’s sake” places the reader’s reason for submission beyond the ruler himself.
ALSO GROWS
echō: To have or hold.
ἔχω
The compound’s second element contributes the idea of holding or occupying a position.
hyperochē: Preeminence or a higher position.
ὑπεροχή
This related noun shows the rank implied by “supreme” as a position above others.
THE PATTERN
Human authority has a place within the reader’s life, while allegiance to God remains its boundary.
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.THE THREAD
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.Romans uses the same Greek verb, ὑποτάσσω (hypotassō), that appears in Peter’s “submit.” Together, the verses show submission as a posture within public order, with Peter naming the Lord as its reason.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us