<p>2:2 <i>F</i><i>or kings, and all that are in high place, that</i><i> we may live a calm and quiet life in all Godliness and dignity</i>- This implies that environment does indeed affect our spirituality, and we should pray for that environment to be such that it allows us to live in &quot;proper conduct&quot;. And perhaps it follows that we ought to consciously seek environments which enable us to lead Godly lives. Yet on the other hand, according to the parable of the vineyard in Isaiah 5, God seeks our spiritual fruitfulness and gives us ultimately the optimal environment for that. Also remember that Paul is writing to Timothy about the situation in Ephesus, where the believers were very much at the mercy of the mood of the governing bodies towards them.</p><p>The Greek for &ldquo;dignity&rdquo; conveys the idea of soberness, gravity, seriousness. This is indeed appropriate for those who are face moment by moment with the very real issues of eternity, eternal life or death... both for themselves and others. Perhaps this was a reference to Timothy's need to &quot;flee youthful passions&quot; (2 Tim. 2:22 ESV). He needed to act with a gravity beyond his years.</p><p>God's own Son made the point that He did not pray for the world, but for His own people (Jn. 17:9). The way He tells the Father this in prayer would seem to emphasize how strongly He felt about this. The commands to pray for the world are in the context of requesting that human Governments might permit God's people to live spiritual lives among them (Jer. 29:7; 1 Tim. 2:2); not for the Governments etc. in themselves.</p>