Instructions to Elders

1Elders who are among you, I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of the Christ, and of the glory about to be revealed a partaker, 2feed the flock of God that is among you, overseeing not constrainedly, but willingly, neither for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, 3neither as exercising lordship over the heritages, but patterns becoming of the flock, 4and at the manifestation of the chief Shepherd, ye shall receive the unfading crown of glory.

Cast Your Cares on Him

5In like manner, ye younger, be subject to elders, and all to one another subjecting yourselves; with humble-mindedness clothe yourselves, because God the proud doth resist, but to the humble He doth give grace;

6be humbled, then, under the powerful hand of God, that you He may exalt in good time, 7all your care having cast upon Him, because He careth for you. 8Be sober, vigilant, because your opponent the devil, as a roaring lion, doth walk about, seeking whom he may swallow up, 9whom resist, stedfast in the faith, having known the same sufferings to your brotherhood in the world to be accomplished.

Benediction and Final Greetings

10And the God of all grace, who did call you to His age-during glory in Christ Jesus, having suffered a little, Himself make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you; 11to Him is the glory, and the power -- to the ages and the ages! Amen.

12Through Silvanus, to you the faithful brother, as I reckon, through few words I did write, exhorting and testifying this to be the true grace of God in which ye have stood. 13Salute you doth the assembly in Babylon jointly elected, and Markus my son. 14Salute ye one another in a kiss of love; peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus! Amen.