1 Peter 5:2

Plain English Version

You church leaders have to look after God’s people. God gave you the job to look after them, so you have to do it properly, like a man with sheep looks after them properly. God wants you leaders to be happy while you do that job. Don’t just do it because you think you have to, or because you want money. Do it because you want to help God’s people.

Cross References

Acts 20:29

I know that after I go away from here, other people will come to you, and they will teach you lies. They will try to trick all of God’s people. They will be like cheeky dingoes that kill sheep. Even in your own group of Christians, some men will get up and say things to trick other Christians. They will change the true story and tell it wrong, so they can get people to follow them.

Acts 21:13

But Paul said, “Stop crying and trying to make me change my mind. Stop telling me not to go to Jerusalem. I work for our leader Jesus, so I’m ready for people to put me in prison in Jerusalem, and I’m even ready for them to kill me.”

Romans 1:15

So I want to come to Rome and tell God’s good news to all you mob there too.

1 Corinthians 9:7

You know, everyone that works gets some sort of pay for their work. You know about soldiers. They don’t have to buy their own food or their gear. And you know about gardeners. They work, and they always eat some of the food they grow. And it is the same for people that look after cows. They work, and they can drink some of the milk they get. You see, it’s right for people to work and then get something for it. So, if my work is to tell you about Jesus, it’s right for you to give me something for my work. But I never ask you to give me anything.

1 Timothy 3:3

He can’t be a drunken man, or a man that gets into fights. – He has to be a quiet man that is not hard on people. – He can’t be a man that loves money. –

1 Timothy 3:8

It is the same too for the people that are helpers in the church. – They have to be really good honest people. – They can’t be people that get drunk. – They can’t be greedy, wanting lots of money and things. –

Titus 1:11

Those people teach things that are wrong. They trick whole families. And they only do that to get money from people. So you have to stop them.

Titus 1:7

Church leaders are in charge of God’s work on earth, so they have to be really good people, and then nobody will say anything bad about them. Whenever you pick people to be church leaders, – Don’t pick people that think they are better than everyone else. – Don’t pick people that get angry too easily. – Don’t pick people that drink a lot of grog. – Don’t pick people that get into fights. – Don’t pick greedy people, that want lots of money and things.

Titus 2:14

Jesus died to save us from all the bad things of this world. He did that to change us into his own special people, like he properly cleaned us inside, and now we don’t want to do anything bad, but we only want to do good things.

Titus 3:1

Tell the Christians there to remember what we taught them, that they have to follow the government’s rules. They have to follow the rules of all the government bosses, and they always have to be ready to do good things.

Philemon 1:14

But first I have to ask you about it. I don’t want to do anything unless you agree. I don’t want to force you to do anything. It’s better if you, yourself, want to do it.

2 Peter 2:3

Those lying teachers only want your money. So they will tell you tricky lies to get you to give them money. A long time ago, God said that he will punish them, and he is ready to do that. One day, he will properly finish up those liars.