Misinterpretations often reduce this to a ban on all pastoral compensation, ignoring that 'filthy lucre' targets dishonest greed rather than legitimate support; others limit it to professional clergy, overlooking its address to all elders; some excuse reluctant service if not motivated by money, missing the call for voluntary readiness; or apply it legalistically to secular leadership, distorting its church-specific context of humble oversight.
I Peter 5:2
King James Version (1769)
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;
Peter exhorts church elders to shepherd God's flock willingly and eagerly, not out of obligation or for personal financial gain, emphasizing selfless pastoral care rooted in genuine devotion and responsibility toward the congregation entrusted to them, modeling servant leadership that prioritizes spiritual nurturing over self-interest.