5:2 Give a shepherd’s care to1 God’s flock among you, exercising oversight2 not merely as a duty3 but willingly under God’s direction,4 not for shameful profit but eagerly.
tc A few important mss (א* B sa) lack ἐπισκοποῦντες (episkopountes, “exercising oversight”), but the participle enjoys otherwise good ms support (𝔓72א2 A P Ψ 33 1739 𝔐 lat). A decision is difficult because normally the shorter reading is preferred, especially when found in excellent witnesses. However, in this instance the omission may be due to a hesitation among some scribes to associate oversight with elders, since the later church viewed overseer/bishop as a separate office from elder.