5 1 He warneth the Elders not to usurp authority over the Church, 5 willing the younger sort to be willing to be taught, and to be modest, 8 to be sober and watchful to resist the cruel adversary.
1 The [a]Elders which are among you, [b]I beseech which am also an Elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed,
2 [c][d]Feed the [e]flock of God, [f]which dependeth upon you, [g]caring for it not by constraint, but willingly: not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind:
3 Not as though ye were Lords over God’s [h]heritage, but that ye may be examples to the flock.
4 [i]And when that chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory.
5 [j]Likewise ye younger submit yourselves unto the Elders, and submit yourselves every man, one to another: (A)deck yourselves inwardly in lowliness of mind: [k]for (B)God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble (C)yourselves therefore [l]under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.
7 (D)Cast all your care on him: for he careth for you.
8 [m]Be sober, and watch: for (E)your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, [n]knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your [o]brethren which are in the world.
10 [p]And the God of all grace, which hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a little, make you perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
11 To him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.
12 [q]By Silvanus a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, have I written briefly, exhorting and testifying how that this is the true grace of God, wherein ye stand.
13 [r]The Church that is at [s]Babylon elected together with you, saluteth you, and Mark my son.
14 Greet ye one another with the (F) kiss of love. Peace be with you all which are in Christ Jesus, Amen.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 5:1 He describeth peculiarly the office of the Elders, that is to say, of them that have the care of the Church.
- 1 Peter 5:1 He useth a preface touching the circumstance of his own person: to wit, that he as their companion, communeth with them not of matters which he knoweth not, but wherein he is as well experienced as any, and propoundeth unto them no other condition but that which he himself hath sustained before them, and doth still take the same pains, and also hath one selfsame hope together with them.
- 1 Peter 5:2 The first rule: He that is a shepherd, let him feed the flock.
- 1 Peter 5:2 He saith not, Offer for the quick and dead, and sing patched shreds in a strange tongue, but (Feed.)
- 1 Peter 5:2 The second: Let the shepherd consider, that the flock is not his, but God’s.
- 1 Peter 5:2 The third: Let not the shepherds invade other men’s flocks, but let them feed that which God hath committed unto them.
- 1 Peter 5:2 Let the shepherds govern the Church with the word and example of godly and unblamable life, not by constraint but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, not as Lords over God’s portion and heritage, but as his ministers.
- 1 Peter 5:3 Which is the Christian people.
- 1 Peter 5:4 That the shepherds’ minds be not overcome either with the wickedness of men, or their cruelty, he warneth them to cast their eyes continually upon that chief Shepherd, and the crown which is laid up for them in heaven.
- 1 Peter 5:5 He commendeth many peculiar Christian virtues, and especially modesty: which admonition all of us stand in need of, but especially the younger sort, by reason of the outwardness and pride of that age.
- 1 Peter 5:5 Because pride seemeth to many, to be the way unto the glory of this life, the Apostle witnesseth on the contrary side, that ignominy and shame is the reward of pride, and glory the reward of modesty.
- 1 Peter 5:6 Because those proud and lofty spirits threaten the modest and humble, the Apostle warneth us to set the power of God against the vanity of proud men, and to hang wholly upon his providence.
- 1 Peter 5:8 The cruelty of Satan, who seeketh by all means to devour us, is overcome by watchfulness and faith.
- 1 Peter 5:9 The persecutions which Satan stirreth up are neither new nor proper to any one man, but from old and ancient time common to the whole Church, and therefore we must suffer that patiently wherein we have such and so many fellows of our conflicts and combats.
- 1 Peter 5:9 Amongst your brethren which are dispersed throughout the world.
- 1 Peter 5:10 He sealeth up as it were with a seal the former exhortation with a solemn prayer, again willing them to ask increase of strength at his hands of whom they had the beginning, and hope to have the accomplishment, to wit, of God the Father in Jesus Christ in whom we are sure of the glory of eternal life.
- 1 Peter 5:12 Continuance and perseverance in the doctrine of the Apostles, is the only ground and foundation of Christian strength: Now the sum of the Apostles’ doctrine, is salvation freely given of God.
- 1 Peter 5:13 Familiar salutations.
- 1 Peter 5:13 In that famous city of Assyria, where Peter the Apostle of the circumcision then was.