1As a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you:
2Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed, but out of eagerness;
3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
5Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.
7Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
8Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
9Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.
10And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you.
11To Him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
12Through Silvanus, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.
13The church in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does my son Mark.
14Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
1 Peter 5 Verse Notes
1 Pet 5:1-2
First Peter's Authorial Claim
The letter of 1 Peter explicitly claims to be written by Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. This claim is made at the beginning of the letter and reinforced later, where the author identifies himself as a 'fellow elder' and a 'witness of the sufferings of Christ,' suggesting an eyewitness account of Jesus' life and passion.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 25: The Other Apostles Speak | The Letters of Peter · watch the clip
1 Pet 5:8
Satan as a roaring lion
First Peter 5 describes Satan as 'your adversary the devil [who] prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.' This imagery, while drawing on the 'roaming' aspect of the Satan in Job, clearly portrays him as a malevolent chief demon actively seeking to harm believers.
Summarized by AI · Demons and Ghosts in the Bible · Lecture 8: Satan in Early Christianity · watch the clip
Satan as the Adversary in 1 Peter
The First Epistle of Peter warns believers to be alert because their 'adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion.' This passage connects Satan to the social opposition and persecution faced by early Christians, emphasizing the external challenges to their faith.
Summarized by AI · Demons and Ghosts in the Bible · Lecture 9: Satan and Early Christian "Heretics" (I) · watch the clip
1 Pet 5:12-14
Peter's Association with Paul's Companions
The letter of 1 Peter associates Peter with companions of Paul, specifically Silvanus (Silas) and Mark. Silvanus is identified as the scribe, and Mark is referred to as Peter's 'son,' likely indicating spiritual fatherhood. This connection is notable because both Silvanus and Mark are known from other New Testament texts to have been associates of Paul in his ministry.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 25: The Other Apostles Speak | The Letters of Peter · watch the clip
1 Pet 5:13-14
Babylon as a Cipher for Rome
First Peter indicates that the author is writing from 'Babylon' and sends greetings from 'she who is at Babylon.' Scholars generally interpret 'Babylon' as a symbolic reference to Rome. This interpretation is supported by Rome's role in destroying the Second Jewish Temple, echoing ancient Babylon's destruction of the First Temple, and by consistent early church tradition placing Peter in Rome.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 25: The Other Apostles Speak | The Letters of Peter · watch the clip
1 Pet 5:13
New Testament Mentions of Mark
The New Testament mentions a person named Mark in several passages, including the book of Acts and some of Paul's letters. Additionally, 1 Peter refers to Mark as 'my son,' which some interpret as a spiritual son or convert, suggesting a connection between Peter and Mark.
Summarized by AI · The Genius of Mark: Jesus the Secret Messiah · Lecture 8: Who Wrote Mark? And Why Does It Matter? · watch the clip
Peter's prominence and Mark's authorship
The prominence of Peter in Mark's Gospel, from his call in Mark 1:16 to his mention at the tomb, along with his presence at exclusive events (Jairus's daughter, Transfiguration, Gethsemane), could lead to the inference that Peter was a key witness. Given 1 Peter 5:13, which refers to 'my son Mark,' it could then be inferred that Mark wrote down Peter's account.
Summarized by AI · The Mysteries of the Synoptic Gospels: Discovering Matthew, Mark, and Luke · Lecture 11: Who Wrote the Synoptic Gospels? · watch the clip
Mark's Connection to Peter and 1 Peter 5:13
The Gospel of Mark prominently features Peter, suggesting a strong connection to Peter's memory and experiences. While not written by Peter, the tradition that Mark was a follower or 'spiritual son' of Peter, as mentioned in 1 Peter 5:13, could have led to the gospel being attributed to Mark as a way to link it to apostolic authority.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 14: The Fourfold Gospel | Untangling Truth and Tradition · watch the clip
First Peter's Reference to Babylon as Rome
The book of 1 Peter, which claims to be written by Peter but is likely pseudonymous due to its sophisticated Greek and theological content, concludes with greetings from 'Babylon.' After 70 AD, 'Babylon' became a common code word for Rome among Christians, as seen in Revelation, due to Rome's destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. This suggests an early, though likely post-mortem, association of Peter with Rome, dating to the late first century.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Peter Really Found the Church in Rome? · watch the clip
First Clement's Ambiguous Mention of Peter's Martyrdom
First Clement, a letter from the church in Rome to Corinth around 95 AD, mentions the martyrdom of Peter and Paul. While some interpret this as evidence of their martyrdom in Rome, the text itself does not explicitly state the location. Thus, it offers only a loose connection between Peter's martyrdom and Rome.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Peter Really Found the Church in Rome? · watch the clip
Babylon as a code word for Rome
First Peter concludes with greetings from 'Babylon,' which is understood by scholars as a Christian code word for Rome, as seen in the Book of Revelation. This code word emerged after Rome's destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in 70 CE, mirroring Babylon's destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · But Could Peter Write Anything? · watch the clip
Dating of First Peter and Peter's martyrdom
The use of 'Babylon' as a code for Rome implies a post-70 CE date for First Peter, as this symbolism became prevalent after Rome's destruction of Jerusalem. However, tradition holds that Peter was martyred around 64 CE, meaning he would not have been alive to write a letter using this post-70 CE code word.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · But Could Peter Write Anything? · watch the clip
