A thoughtful guide for your walk of faith Read with context, practice with grace.
General Letters · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

1 Peter 5

Exiled believers are called to holy hope and faithful witness amid suffering.

New Testament

1 Peter 5

1Therefore I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed:

2shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily; not for dishonest gain, but willingly;

3not as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock.

4When the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the crown of glory that doesn’t fade away.

5Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility and subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time,

7casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.

8Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

9Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings.

10But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

11To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

12Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

13She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, greets you. So does Mark, my son.

14Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to all of you who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Exiled believers are called to holy hope and faithful witness amid suffering. Read 1 Peter 5 within the complete 1 Peter overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in 1 Peter 5

1 Peter 5 contains 14 verses and about 290 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “Therefore I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed:” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 14 closes: “Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to all of you who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include glory, yourselves, christ, will, grace, therefore. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About 1 Peter 5

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, 1 Peter 5:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer