With these words, Peter makes clear to his readers that governors are themselves underlings to an authority above them, to whom they must give account. So they will govern in a way that is more agreeable to their distant overlord than to local preferences or needs or demands. Despite that reality, Christians—sojourners and exiles in a foreign land—are meant to accept even such a wonky link in the chain of command as it exists in their community. In other words, they are to willingly surrender their preferences and perceived rights for the duration of their journey to the Promised Land, the heavenly Jerusalem.
14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.