I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed.
elders -- The “elder” is the same leader as the “shepherd” (i.e., pastor, v. 2), and “overseer” (i.e., bishop, v. 2; see note on Acts 20:28). The word “elder” emphasizes their spiritual maturity. As in almost all other uses of the word (with the exception of Peter’s reference to himself here and John’s in 2 John 1 and 3 John 1), Peter wrote in the plural, indicating it was usual to have a plurality of godly leaders who oversaw and fed the flock. - MSB