The Greek adverb aischrokerdōs (αἰσχροκερδῶς) means 'greedily' or 'for shameful gain' — describing the manner in which something is done from sordid financial motivation. It is the adverbial form of aischrokerdēs (G146). The word appears only once in the New Testament, in 1 Peter 5:2, where Peter contrasts the wrong motivation of serving 'for shameful gain' with the right motivation of serving 'eagerly.'
The pastoral significance is clear: how a leader serves — their motivation, their attitude, their orientation — matters as much as what they do.
Peter's instruction to elders in 1 Peter 5:1–4 is built on a series of antitheses: not because you must, but willingly; not for shameful gain (aischrokerdōs), but eagerly; not lording it over, but as examples. The antitheses reveal the two kinds of ministry: one that uses and one that gives.
The promise that follows is the antidote to greed-motivated ministry: 'when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away' (1 Peter 5:4). The leader who serves eagerly, without financial exploitation, is laying up a reward that no earthly payment can match. This reorients the economics of ministry — the currency that matters is eternal, not temporal.