1 Peter 5:2
Good News Translation
to be shepherds of the flock that God gave you and to take care of it willingly, as God wants you to, and not unwillingly. Do your work, not for mere pay, but from a real desire to serve.

New Revised Standard Version
to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it—not for sordid gain but eagerly.

Contemporary English Version
Just as shepherds watch over their sheep, you must watch over everyone God has placed in your care. Do it willingly in order to please God, and not simply because you think you must. Let it be something you want to do, instead of something you do merely to make money.

New American Bible
Tend the flock of God in your midst, [overseeing] not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking care of it, not by constraint but willingly, according to God: not for filthy lucre's sake but voluntarily:

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking care of it, not by constraint but willingly, according to God: not for filthy lucre's sake but voluntarily:

Feed.

Songs 1:8 To my company of horsemen, in Pharao's chariots, have I likened thee, O my love.

Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather together the lambs with his arm, and shall take them up in his bosom, and he himself shall carry them that are with young.

Ezekiel 34:2,3,23 Son of man, prophesy concerning the shepherds of Israel: prophesy, and say to the shepherds: Thus saith the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel, that fed themselves: should not the flocks be fed by the shepherds? . . .

Micah 5:4 Therefore will he give them up even till the time wherein she that travaileth shall bring forth: and the remnant of his brethren shall be converted to the children of Israel.

Micah 7:14 Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thy inheritance, them that dwell alone in the forest, in the midst of Carmel: they shall feed in Basan and Galaad, according to the days of old.

John 21:15-17 When therefore they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs. . . .

Acts 20:28 Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood.

the flock.

Isaiah 63:11 And he remembered the days of old of Moses, and of his people: Where is he that brought them up out of the sea, with the shepherds of his flock? where is he that put in the midst of them the spirit of his Holy One?

Jeremiah 13:17,20 But if you will not hear this, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride: weeping it shall weep, and my eyes shall run down with tears, because the flock of the Lord is carried away captive. . . .

Ezekiel 34:31 And you my flocks, the flocks of my pasture are men: and I am the Lord your God, saith the Lord God.

Zechariah 11:17 O shepherd, and idol, that forsaketh the flock: the sword upon his arm and upon his right eye: his arm shall quite wither away, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a kingdom.

1 Corinthians 9:7 Who serveth as a soldier, at any time, at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth the flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

which is among you.

Psalm 78:71,72 To feed Jacob his servant and Israel his inheritance. . . .

Acts 20:26,27 Wherefore I take you to witness this day that I am clear from the blood of all men. . . .

taking.

Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently, lest any man be wanting to the grace of God: lest any root of bitterness springing up do hinder and by it many be defiled:

*Gr:

not by.

Isaiah 6:8 And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send? and who shall go for us? And I said: Lo, here am I, send me.

1 Corinthians 9:16,17 For if I preach the gospel, it is no glory to me: for a necessity lieth upon me. For woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel. . . .

not for.

Isaiah 56:11 And most impudent dogs, they never had enough: the shepherds themselves knew no understanding: all have turned aside into their own way, every one after his own gain, from the first even to the last.

Jeremiah 6:13 For from the least of them even to the greatest, all are given to covetousness: and from the prophet even to the priest, all are guilty of deceit.

Jeremiah 8:10 Therefore will I give their women to strangers, their fields to others for an inheritance: because from the least even to the greatest all follow covetousness: from the prophet even to the priest all deal deceitfully.

Micah 3:11 You that build up Sion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

Malachi 1:10 Who is there among you, that will shut the doors, and will kindle the fire on my altar gratis? I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts: and I will not receive a gift of your hand.

Acts 20:33,34 I have not coveted any man's silver, gold or apparel, as . . .

2 Corinthians 12:14,15 Behold now the third time I am ready to come to you and I will not be burthensome unto you. For I seek not the things that are yours, but you. For neither ought the children to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. . . .

1 Timothy 3:3,8 Not given to wine, no striker, but modest, not quarrelsome, not covetous, but . . .

Titus 1:7,11 For a bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not proud, not subject to anger, nor given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre: . . .

2 Peter 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you. Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not: and their perdition slumbereth not.

Revelation 18:12,13 Merchandise of gold and silver and precious stones: and of pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet: and all thyine wood: and all manner of vessels of ivory: and all manner of vessels of precious stone and of brass and of iron and of marble: . . .

of.

Acts 21:13 Then Paul answered and said: What do you mean, weeping and afflicting my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but to die also in Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Romans 1:15 So (as much as is in me) I am ready to preach the gospel to you also that are at Rome.

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and might cleanse to himself a people acceptable, a pursuer of good works.

Titus 3:1 Admonish them to be subject to princes and powers, to obey at a word, to be ready to every good work.

Context
Instructions to Elders
1The ancients therefore that are among you, I beseech who am myself also an ancient and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as also a partaker of that glory which is to be revealed in time to come: 2Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking care of it, not by constraint but willingly, according to God: not for filthy lucre's sake but voluntarily: 3Neither as lording it over the clergy but being made a pattern of the flock from the heart.…
Cross References
Numbers 18:7
But thou and thy sons look ye to the priesthood: and all things that pertain to the service of the altar, and that are within the veil, shall be executed by the priests. If any stranger shall approach, he shall be slain.

John 21:16
He saith to him again: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith to him: yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs.

Acts 20:28
Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Acts 20:29
I know that after my departure ravening wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

1 Timothy 3:8
Deacons in like manner: chaste, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre:

Philemon 1:14
But without thy counsel I would do nothing: that thy good deed might not be as it were of necessity, but voluntary.

1 Peter 5:1
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