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1 Peter 5

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Exhortation to the Elders 1–4

1
The elders therefore among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: ​
2
Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; ​
3
neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves ensamples to the flock. ​
4
And when the chief Shepherd shall be manifested, ye shall receive the crown of glory that fadeth not away. ​

Humility and Submission 5–7

5
Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. ​
6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;
7
casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you. ​

Warning Against the Adversary 8–9

8
Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ​
9
whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world. ​

Final Prayer and Doxology 10–11

10
And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, establish, strengthen you. ​
11
To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Concluding Greetings and Benediction 12–14

12
By Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I accounthim, I have written unto you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God: stand ye fast therein. ​
13
She that is in Babylon, elect together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Mark my son. ​
14
Salute one another with a kiss of love. Peace be unto you all that are in Christ.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Peter 5

Verse 1

who am also an elder — Sympresbyteros, 'co-elder', found only here in the New Testament: the apostle ranks himself beside those he exhorts. He was 'a witness' (martys) of the sufferings and, with James and John, one of the 'eyewitnesses of his majesty' (2 Pet 1:16).

Verse 2

Feed the flock of God — Poimaino is to tend as a shepherd, and 'taking the oversight' is episkopeo, to oversee (the root of 'bishop'). Paul gave the same charge to the Ephesian elders: 'to feed the church of God' (Acts 20:28). The flock is God's, not the elder's.

Verse 3

lords over God's heritage — Katakyrieuo, to rule down upon, as in Christ's words on the Gentile rulers: 'exercise dominion over them… But it shall not be so among you' (Matt 20:25–26). 'Heritage' is kleros, an allotted portion; the pattern is 'ensamples' (typos, a stamped mould).

Verse 4

the chief Shepherd — Archipoimen, found only here in the New Testament. The elders tend the flock under him, as Christ is 'the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls' (1 Pet 2:25). 'Fadeth not away' is amarantinos, also only here, the 'crown of glory' that, unlike a wreath, does not wither.

Verse 5

be clothed with humility — Enkomboomai, to gird oneself, from the apron tied on over the clothes; it occurs only here. The reason given, 'God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble', is quoted from Prov 3:34 and repeated in James 4:6.

Verse 7

Casting all your care upon him — Epirrhipto, to throw upon, used elsewhere only of casting garments on the colt for Christ (Luke 19:35). 'Care' is merimna, anxious distraction. The line follows Ps 55:22, 'Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee'; the reason is 'he careth for you'.

Verse 8

your adversary the devil — Antidikos is an opponent in a lawsuit (Matt 5:25; Luke 18:3); diabolos is the slanderer. He is pictured 'as a roaring lion' that 'walketh about', as Satan told the LORD he did on the earth (Job 2:2). 'Sober' and 'vigilant' are the watch against him.

Verse 9

Whom resist stedfast in the faith — Stereos, solid, firm; the resistance is made by faith, as James 4:7 promises: 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.' 'The same afflictions' are borne by 'your brethren that are in the world' (adelphotes, the whole brotherhood).

Verse 10

make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you — Four verbs: katartizo (to mend, fit together), sterizo (to fix fast), sthenoo (to strengthen), themelioo (to lay a foundation). 'A while' sets the suffering against the 'eternal glory', as in 2 Cor 4:17.

Verse 12

By Silvanus — The same Silvanus who joined Paul and Timothy in preaching Christ to Corinth (2 Cor 1:19) and in writing to Thessalonica (1 Thess 1:1). 'By' (dia) names him as the one through whom the letter was sent. Epimartyreo, 'testifying', is a witness added to the 'exhorting'.

Verse 13

The church that is at Babylon — 'Elected together with you' is syneklektos, found only here. Babylon is also the name written on the woman of Rev 17:5, 'MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT'. 'Marcus' is Mark, 'John, whose surname was Mark' (Acts 12:12), whom Peter calls 'my son'.