The text provides two ways to answer this question, both of which are accurate. The first hooks on to the task governors receive, namely, to punish evildoers and praise those who do good. Though they are sojourners and exiles in the community, Peter’s readers are to do good so as to draw the praise of the governor, whose praise in turn gives the lie to the slurs being heaped on them by the foolish people of town. The second hooks on to the leading command of this paragraph: “be subject.” Though townsfolk may resent the authorities, Christians are to willingly place themselves under those over them. That posture promotes peace in the community, if only because these “sojourners and exiles” (of whom society naturally harbours a measure of suspicion) are seen to be positive contributors (as opposed to persons who rock the boat).
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.