1 Peter 2:17
“Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
What does 1 Peter 2:17 mean?
Peter is giving his readers a simple but challenging framework for how to live together. Honor everyone around you, not just people you like or agree with. At the same time, cultivate a special love for other believers, those walking the same faith journey you are. Underneath it all, let reverence for God be your foundation, and extend respect even to those in authority over you, including your ruler. What makes this memorable is how it holds these loyalties in tension: we're called to broad human dignity for everyone while also nurturing something particular and deep within our faith community.