1 Peter 5

Peter exhorts elders to shepherd God's flock willingly and as humble examples, not lording over them, promising a crown of glory from the Chief Shepherd. He then calls all believers to humility, to cast their cares upon God, and to be vigilant against the devil, resisting him steadfastly in faith. The chapter concludes with a prayer for God to perfect and strengthen them after suffering, and final greetings.

The apostle Peter, identifying himself as an elder, begins by exhorting fellow elders to faithfully shepherd God's flock. He instructs them to serve willingly, not for personal gain or by lording over the heritage, but by being humble examples, promising a crown of glory from the Chief Shepherd. Peter then addresses the younger, urging submission to elders, and all believers to be clothed with humility, for God opposes the proud but grants grace to the humble. He encourages them to humble themselves under God's hand and to cast all their anxieties upon Him, knowing He cares for them. Furthermore, Peter warns believers to be sober and vigilant against their adversary, the devil, who seeks to devour, urging them to resist him steadfastly in faith, remembering the shared sufferings of their brethren. The chapter concludes with a prayer that the God of all grace will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle them after a period of suffering, followed by a doxology and final greetings from Babylon and Marcus.

The fifth chapter of 1 Peter opens with the apostle Peter, identifying himself as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ's sufferings, exhorting the elders among the scattered believers. He instructs them to "feed the flock of God," emphasizing that this oversight should be undertaken willingly, not under compulsion, nor for "filthy lucre," but with a "ready mind." Furthermore, elders are cautioned against "lording over God's heritage," but rather to serve as "ensamples to the flock," with the promise of an unfading "crown of glory" upon the appearance of the "chief Shepherd." Following this charge to leadership, Peter addresses the entire congregation, urging the younger to "submit yourselves unto the elder." More broadly, he calls all believers to "be subject one to another" and to "be clothed with humility," citing the principle that "God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." This humility is to be exercised "under the mighty hand of God," with the assurance that He will exalt them "in due time." A significant comfort is offered: to cast "all your care upon him; for he careth for you." The epistle then shifts to a crucial warning and exhortation for spiritual vigilance. Believers are commanded to "be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." They are to "resist stedfast in the faith," drawing strength from the knowledge that similar "afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." Peter concludes with a powerful benediction, praying that "the God of all grace," who has called them to "his eternal glory by Christ Jesus," will, "after that ye have suffered a while," "make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." A doxology follows, attributing "glory and dominion for ever and ever" to God. The chapter closes with a note about Silvanus as the scribe, a reaffirmation of the "true grace of God," and greetings from "the church that is at Babylon" and Marcus, concluding with an instruction to "greet ye one another with a kiss of charity" and a final blessing of "Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen."