An Appeal to Elders
1 Peter 5Therefore, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and as one who will share in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among y’all: Y’all are to shepherd the flock of God around y’all, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly according to God’s direction; not for dishonest gain, but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to y’all, but being examples to the flock. When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away.
Likewise, y’all who are younger, be subject to the elders. All y’all should clothe yourselves in humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”+Prov 3:34 Humble yourselves* therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt y’all in due time. Cast all y’all’s worries on ʜɪᴍ, because ʜᴇ cares for y’all.
Y’all be sober-minded and alert. Y’all’s adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Y’all must resist him firmly in faith, knowing that y’all’s siblings are undergoing the same sufferings around the world. But after y’all have suffered a little while, may the God of all grace, who called y’all to his eternal glory in Christ, restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish y’all. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Closing Greetings
Through Silvanus, our faithful sibling, as I consider him, I have written to y’all briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it, y’all! She who is in Babylon, chosen together with y’all, greets y’all. So does Mark, my son. Y’all greet one another with a kiss of love.
Peace be to all of y’all who are in Christ. Amen.