1 Petrus 2:12-15

2:12 and maintain good conduct ¹  among the non-Christians, ²  so that though ³  they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears. ⁴ 

Submission to Authorities

2:13 Be subject to every human institution ⁵  for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme 2:14 or to governors as those he commissions ⁶  to punish wrongdoers and praise ⁷  those who do good. 2:15 For God wants you ⁸  to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.

1 Petrus 2:19

2:19 For this finds God’s favor, ⁹  if because of conscience toward God ¹⁰  someone endures hardships in suffering unjustly.

[2:12]  ¹ tn Grk “keeping your conduct good.”

[2:12]  ² tn Grk “the Gentiles,” used here of those who are not God’s people.

[2:12]  ³ tn Grk “in order that in what they malign you.”

[2:12]  ⁴ tn Or “when he visits.” Grk “in the day of visitation,” denoting a time when God intervenes directly in human affairs, either for blessing (Luke 1:68, 78; 7:16; 19:44) or for judgment (Isa 10:3; Jer 6:15). This phrase may be a quotation from Isa 10:3, in which case judgment is in view here. But blessing seems to be the point, since part of the motive for good behavior is winning the non-Christian over to the faith (as in 3:1; also apparently in 3:15; cf. Matt 5:16).

[2:13]  ⁵ tn Or “every human being”; Grk “every human creation,” denoting either everything created for mankind (NRSV mg: “every institution ordained for human beings”) or every creature who is human. The meaning of the verb “be subject” and the following context supports the rendering adopted in the text.

[2:14]  ⁶ tn Grk “those sent by him.”

[2:14]  ⁷ tn Grk “for the punishment…and the praise.”

[2:15]  ⁸ tn Grk “because thus it is God’s will.”

[2:19]  ⁹ tn Grk “For this [is] favor/grace,” used as a metonymy of that which pleases him, which he looks on with favor (cf. BDAG 1079 s.v. χάρις 2). Cf. 1 Pet 2:20.

[2:19]  ¹⁰ tc The expression “consciousness/conscience of God” (συνείδησιν θεοῦ; suneidhsin qeou) is unusual, occurring only here in the NT. Because θεοῦ was liable to misinterpretation, several witnesses altered the text, either replacing it with ἀγαθήν (agaqhn; C Ψ 323 614 630 945 1241 1505 1739 al sy) or expanding the expression by adding ἀγαθήν before θεοῦ (Ì⁷² [A* 33] 81). Replacing θεοῦ with ἀγαθήν conforms to other NT phrases, notably in this same letter (Acts 23:1; 1 Tim 1:5, 19; 1 Pet 3:16, 21), suggesting that such a reading is motivated. The reading θεοῦ, however, has superior support (א A^c B P 049 Ï lat co), and best explains the rise of the other readings.

[2:19]  tn Grk “conscious(ness) of God,” an awareness of God and allegiance to him.