Shepherd the Flock of God

5 So I exhort the elders among you, ^(A)as a fellow elder and ^(B)a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: ^2 (C)shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,^{[a] (D)}not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;^{[b] (E)}not for shameful gain, but eagerly; ³ not ^(F)domineering over those in your charge, but ^(G)being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when ^(H)the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the ^(I)unfading ^(J)crown of glory. ⁵ Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. ^(K)Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ^(L)“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

^6 (M)Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ^7 (N)casting all your anxieties on him, because ^(O)he cares for you. ^8 (P)Be sober-minded; ^(Q)be watchful. Your ^(R)adversary the devil ^(S)prowls around ^(T)like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ^9 (U)Resist him, ^(V)firm in your faith, knowing that ^(W)the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. ¹⁰ And ^(X)after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, ^(Y)who has called you to his ^(Z)eternal glory in Christ, will himself ^(AA)restore, ^(AB)confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ^11 (AC)To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

¹² By ^(AD)Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, ^(AE)I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is ^(AF)the true grace of God. ^(AG)Stand firm in it. ¹³ She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does ^(AH)Mark, my son. ^14 (AI)Greet one another with the kiss of love.

^(AJ)Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Greeting

1 Simeon^[c] Peter, a servant^[d] and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained ^(AK)a faith of equal standing with ours ^(AL)by the righteousness of our ^(AM)God and Savior Jesus Christ:

^2 (AN)May grace and peace be multiplied to you ^(AO)in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Confirm Your Calling and Election

³ His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him ^(AP)who called us to^[e] his own glory and excellence,^{[f] 4} by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become ^(AQ)partakers of the divine nature, ^(AR)having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith ^(AS)with virtue,^[g] and virtue ^(AT)with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control ^(AU)with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ⁷ and godliness ^(AV)with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection ^(AW)with love. ⁸ For if these qualities^[h] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or ^(AX)unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he ^(AY)is blind, having forgotten that he was ^(AZ)cleansed from his former sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers,^[i] be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and ^(BA)election, for if you practice these qualities ^(BB)you will never fall. ¹¹ For in this way there will be richly provided for you ^(BC)an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

¹² Therefore I intend ^(BD)always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in ^(BE)the truth that you have. ¹³ I think it right, as long as I am in this ^(BF)body,^{[j] (BG)}to stir you up by way of reminder, ^14 (BH)since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, ^(BI)as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. ¹⁵ And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Christ's Glory and the Prophetic Word

¹⁶ For we did not follow ^(BJ)cleverly devised ^(BK)myths when we made known to you ^(BL)the power and ^(BM)coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but ^(BN)we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷ For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ^(BO)“This is my beloved Son,^[k] with whom I am well pleased,” ¹⁸ we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on ^(BP)the holy mountain. ¹⁹ And ^(BQ)we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention ^(BR)as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until ^(BS)the day ^(BT)dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, ²⁰ knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. ²¹ For ^(BU)no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God ^(BV)as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.