• The Christian’s View of the Superior Authorities
    The Watchtower—1990 | November 1

    • 8 Peter also affirmed that we should be subject to the secular authorities of this world when he said: “For the Lord’s sake subject yourselves to every human creation: whether to a king as being superior or to governors as being sent by him to inflict punishment on evildoers but to praise doers of good.” (1 Peter 2:13, 14) In harmony with this, Christians would also heed Paul’s admonition to Timothy: “I therefore exhort, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, offerings of thanks, be made concerning all sorts of men, concerning kings and all those who are in high station; in order that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life.”b​—1 Timothy 2:1, 2.

  • The Christian’s View of the Superior Authorities
    The Watchtower—1990 | November 1

    • b The Greek noun translated “high station,” hy·pe·ro·kheʹ, is related to the verb hy·pe·reʹkho. The word “superior” in “superior authorities” is derived from this same Greek verb, which adds to the evidence that the superior authorities are the secular authorities. The rendering of Romans 13:1 in The New English Bible, “Every person must submit to the supreme authorities,” is not correct. Humans “in high station” are not supreme, although they may be superior to other humans.