What Does 1 Peter 5:2 Mean in the King James?

Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

1 Peter 5:2 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The verse makes shepherding a kind of watchful tending: care is carried by willingness, and the flock is never reduced to a source of gain.

THE MEANING

Your care for the lives among you takes the shape of tending and watchfulness. It is freely offered, clear of compulsion and the pull of personal gain; the people in your care remain the purpose of the work.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that leadership is validated by how much it controls or extracts: here, its measure is willing attention to the flock.

THE ROOT

ποιμάνατε

poimánate

GROWS FROM

ποιμαίνω

poimaínō

To shepherd, tend, or care for a flock.

“Feed” in this verse is poimánate. The Greek verb means more than supplying food: it is the whole work of tending a flock. The verse’s language gathers nourishment and care into the shepherd’s ongoing attention.

ALSO GROWS

poimēn: Shepherd

ποιμήν

The person-word names the caretaker behind the action: to feed is to act as a shepherd, not merely distribute food.

poímnion: Flock

ποίμνιον

The flock is the living group being tended in this very verse, not simply a resource for the caretaker.

ἐπισκοποῦντες

episkopoúntes

GROWS FROM

⁨σκοπέω⁩ (skopeō), with ⁨ἐπί⁩ (epí, upon)

To look attentively; with ⁨ἐπί⁩, to look upon or attend to.

“Taking the oversight” in this verse is episkopoúntes. Oversight carries the image of looking upon the flock with attention. Responsibility here is expressed as noticing and attending to those in one’s care.

ALSO GROWS

epískopos: Overseer

ἐπίσκοπος

This related word names the person whose role centers on attentive regard for the flock.

episkopē: Oversight, visitation

ἐπισκοπή

The related noun links oversight with visitation, making care something present and attentive.

THE PATTERN

Care is true shepherding when it tends the flock rather than using it for the caretaker’s gain.

A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 23:1 · KJVThe image of the LORD as shepherd presents care as provision for the one being tended.

Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

Ezekiel 34:2 · KJVThe verse exposes self-serving shepherds by contrasting their gain with the flock’s need for care.

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

John 10:11 · KJVThe good shepherd’s care gives itself for the sheep rather than drawing gain from them.

THE THREAD

For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

1 Peter 2:25 · KJV

The two roles in 5:2 appear together here: ⁨ποιμήν⁩ (poimēn, shepherd) and ⁨ἐπίσκοπος⁩ (epískopos, overseer). The verse gathers tending and watchfulness into one image of care for those who have gone astray.

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