1 Peter 2:13

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man. The aorist passive ( ὑποτάγητε ) is used, as often, in a middle sense. The word for "ordinance" is κτίσις , which in classical Greek means "foundation," as of a city; but in the New Testament is used elsewhere only of the works of God, in the sense of "creation," or "a creature". Hence some, as De Wette, translate the words, "to every human creature," supporting their view by 1 Peter 5:5 . But on the whole this seems unlikely; ἀνθρωπίνη κτίσις is a strange and awkward periphrasis for ἄνθρωπος . It is better to understand it as meaning a human creation or foundation. Certainly "there is no power but of God" ( Romans 13:1 ); but the form which that power assumes is a human institution. St. Peter bids his readers to submit themselves to the de facto form of government. For the Lord's sake. Not from human motives, as fear of punishment; but for the Lord's sake, because "the powers that be are ordained of God," and in obeying them we obey the ordinance of God. Christians were commonly accused of insubordination, of doing "contrary to the decrees of Caesar" ( Acts 17:7 ); they must show by their conduct that these accusations are false, that the progress of the gospel be not hindered. Whether it be to the king, as supreme . By "the king" is meant the Roman emperor, who was frequently so described in the Greek writers. Nero was emperor when St. Peter wrote. Christians were to obey even him, wicked tyrant as he was; for his power was given him from above, as the Lord himself had said of Pilate ( John 19:11 ).