1 Peter 5

Now I{, Peter,} urge those among you who are elders {who lead the assemblies of believers}; {I am also} an elder. I personally witnessed the Messiah suffer, and I will share in his glorious nature that God will soon reveal.

{You elders,} take care of the believers with you as if you were shepherds who take care of their flocks of sheep. {Take care of them} not because you must do it, but because you really want to, as God desires. Do not {do this} in a greedy manner {to get money for doing it}, but do it enthusiastically.

Do not act like domineering bosses over the people whom God has assigned to you. Instead, be {good} examples to those believers {by how you conduct your lives}.

{If you do those things,} then when Jesus, who is like our ruling shepherd, appears, he will give each of you {leaders} a reward. {That reward will be} glorious {and will} last forever. \*

In a similar way, you young men, obey the elders {who lead the assemblies of believers}. Now all of you {believers} should act humbly toward each other because {what Solomon wrote in the Scriptures is true:} “God opposes proud people, but he acts kindly toward humble people.”

Since that is true, humble yourselves before God, who has the power {to save and to punish people,} in order that he may honor you at the proper time.

Trust God to take care of everything that worries you because he cares about you. \*

Think clearly and alertly, {because} the devil is your enemy, and he is going around, looking for people to destroy. He is like a lion that roars as it searches for people to kill and eat.

Resist the devil by continuing to firmly trust {in the Messiah and his message}. {Do this} because you know that your fellow believers all over the world are suffering in similar ways. \*

But after you have suffered for a brief time, the God who acts kindly {toward you} in every way will himself restore {what you have lost} and will completely strengthen you in every way. God is the one who chose you to experience his glorious presence in heaven forever as you are joined to the Messiah.

I pray that he will rule powerfully forever. May it be so! \*

Silas has written this letter for me {as I have dictated it to him}. I consider him to be a faithful fellow believer. I have written this short letter to you in order to encourage you and to declare to you that what I have written is about the true and gracious message from God. Continue to firmly believe this message!

In {this city that we call} “Babylon,” the believers, whom God has chosen {to belong to him} just like he chose you, send their regards to you. Mark, who is like a son to me, also {sends his regards to you}.

Affectionately greet each other with a kiss to show that you love each other. I pray that God will continue to make all you who are joined to the Messiah feel peaceful.