1 Peter 2:18 (KJV)

Passage

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

Nearby Context

1 Peter 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

1 Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

1 Peter 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

1 Peter 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

1 Peter 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "servants", "subject", "masters", "fear", "only", "good", "gentle", and "froward". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "servants" and "subject", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "Honour all men Love the brotherhood Fear..." into verse 19's "For this is thankworthy if a man...", so "servants" and "subject" belong inside that flow. In 1 Peter context, the local focus is hope in suffering, holy conduct, submission, and grace.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "servants" and "subject" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.