Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme;
whether it be to the king, as supreme: Peter here gives divine recognition to civil government. Christians must understand that they live in the kingdoms of men, even though their true citizenship is in heaven. There is an earthly authority called the king, "leader of the people, prince, commander, lord of the land, king" (Thayer, 98-1-935). And Christians should recognize that authority. The powers that be (Romans 13:1) included even the infamous Nero of his day.