1 Peter 5:3 (KJV)

Passage

Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

Nearby Context

1 Peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

1 Peter 5:2 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 5:3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "neither", "lords", "over", "heritage", "ensamples", and "flock". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "neither" and "lords", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "Feed the flock of God which is..." into verse 4's "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear...", so "neither" and "lords" belong inside that flow. In 1 Peter context, the local focus is hope in suffering, holy conduct, submission, and grace.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "neither" and "lords" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.