1 Peter 5:1-4

Leading and Living in God’s Flock

5:1 So as your fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings and as one who shares in the glory that will be revealed, I urge the elders among you: 5:2 Give a shepherd’s care to 1  God’s flock among you, exercising oversight 2  not merely as a duty 3  but willingly under God’s direction, 4  not for shameful profit but eagerly. 5:3 And do not lord it over 5  those entrusted to you, 6  but be examples to the flock. 5:4 Then 7  when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away.

1 tn Grk “shepherd,” “tend,” “pastor.”

2 tc A few important mss (א* B sa) lack ἐπισκοποῦντες (episkopounte", “exercising oversight”), but the participle enjoys otherwise good ms support (Ì72 א2 A P Ψ 33 1739 Ï lat). A decision is difficult because normally the shorter reading is preferred, especially when found in excellent witnesses. However, in this instance the omission may be due to a hesitation among some scribes to associate oversight with elders, since the later church viewed overseer/bishop as a separate office from elder.

3 tn Or “not under compulsion/coercion.”

4 tn Grk “according to God.”

5 tn Grk “not as lording it over…but being examples.” The participles continue the command of v. 2 by describing how the shepherding should be carried out.

6 tn Grk “the ones allotted,” referring to those God has given over to their care.

7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then” to reflect the logical sequence of events.