1 Peter 2:14 (LSB)

Passage

or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do good.

Nearby Context

1 Peter 2:12 by keeping your conduct excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good works, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

1 Peter 2:13 Be subject for the sake of the Lord to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,

1 Peter 2:14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do good.

1 Peter 2:15 For such is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.

1 Peter 2:16 Act as free people, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as slaves of God.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "governors", "sent", "punishment", "evildoers", "praise", and "good". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "governors" and "sent", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "Be subject for the sake of the..." into verse 15's "For such is the will of God...", so "governors" and "sent" 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 "governors" and "sent" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.