This verse indicates the result of obedience to the preceding exhortations. If the church elders act as indicated, then they will receive the glorious crown when the Chief Shepherd appears. The Chief Shepherd refers to Christ; already he has been referred to as the shepherd in 2.25, but since the church elders are also described as shepherds, it is natural to add the designation “chief” to him (compare Hebrews 13.20 “the great shepherd of the sheep”). This also serves as a reminder to the church elders that they do not act independently or of their own accord, but are ultimately responsible to the Chief Shepherd, and furthermore, that while they are shepherds, they too are part of the flock which is under one Shepherd.
In translating the Chief Shepherd it is important to avoid a rendering which will mean “the chief who acts like a shepherd” or “the shepherd who is a chief.” The Chief Shepherd is “the shepherd who is over all other shepherds” or “the shepherd whom other shepherds should obey.” Therefore the Chief Shepherd may in some instances be rendered as “he who is the shepherd over all other shepherds.”
Appears translates an aorist passive participle (literally “is manifested”), but it is best to take it with a present active sense, as the Good News Translation and most modern translations do. The verb itself is used of the incarnation (1.20; 1 Tim 3.16) and of the second coming (Col 3.4; 1 John 2.28). Here it is used in this second sense; the second coming of Christ has been previously alluded to several times; in conformity with previous passages, it is here viewed as very imminent, so imminent in fact that the church elders will still be acting out their role as shepherds to the flock when this happens.
The glorious crown which will never lose its brightness is literally “the unfading crown of glory.” The crown is a symbol of victory; it was the practice in ancient times to bestow a crown of flowers to victorious athletes; today we probably would call these crowns “garlands.” “Glory” here may describe the crown, hence glorious (Good News Translation, Barclay, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy; compare Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “wonderful”), or may be the crown itself, if the genitive here is interpreted as epexegetic so that it would mean “the crown that is glory.” Interpreted in this latter sense, “glory” may be either “divine glory,” that is, the power and greatness which Christ possesses and which will be made known at his second coming and in which Christians will share (compare 5.1), or else the blessed state of believers when they receive the final salvation.
In some languages the term crown suggests only a symbol of ruling rather than a symbol of reward as the result of being victorious. It may therefore be relevant in some instances to translate the glorious crown as “the glorious prize.” Similarly, the substitute passive you will receive may be made explicitly active with Christ as the agent, for example, “Christ will give you the glorious prize” or “… the wonderful prize.”
“Unfading” translates the Greek word amarantinon, for which see 1.4. It is possible, however, that amarantinon is derived from “amaranth” which is the name for a flower which doesn’t wither or fade, and which can be revived easily by being moistened with water; as such it is a symbol of immortality. “Unfading” goes with “crown” in the text (Good News Translation and most translations); it is possible, however, to take it with “glory” if the second interpretation (see above) is accepted (compare Jerusalem Bible “the crown of unfading glory”).
If the term crown is translated as “prize,” then the unfading character of this prize may be expressed as “which will always last” or “which will always be wonderful.”
Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The First Letter from Peter. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .