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Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.

Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Warning to the Rich

Come now, you rich(A) people! Weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you. Your wealth is ruined and your clothes are moth-eaten.(B) Your silver and gold are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You stored up treasure in the last days!(C) Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers(D) who reaped your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.[a](E) You have lived luxuriously on the land and have indulged yourselves. You have fattened your hearts(F) for[b] the day of slaughter.(G) You have condemned—you have murdered—the righteous man; he does not resist you.(H)

Waiting for the Lord

Therefore, brothers, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.(I) You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.(J)

Brothers, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door!(K)

10 Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. 11 See, we count as blessed those who have endured.[c] You have heard of Job’s endurance(L) and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is very compassionate and merciful.(M)

Truthful Speech

12 Now above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath.(N) Your “yes” must be “yes,” and your “no” must be “no,” so that you won’t fall under judgment.[d]

Effective Prayer

13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.(O) 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over him after anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord.(P) 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will restore him to health; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.(Q) 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.(R) 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours; yet he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land.(S) 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.(T)

19 My brothers, if any among you strays from the truth,(U) and someone turns him back,(V) 20 let him know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his life from death and cover a multitude of sins.(W)

Footnotes

  1. James 5:4 Gk Sabaoth; this word is a transliteration of the Hb word for Hosts, or Armies.
  2. James 5:5 Or hearts in
  3. James 5:11 Or have persevered
  4. James 5:12 Other mss read fall into hypocrisy

Go to now, ye rich, weep, howling over your miseries that [are] coming upon [you].

Your wealth is become rotten, and your garments moth-eaten.

Your gold and silver is eaten away, and their canker shall be for a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye have heaped up treasure in [the] last days.

Behold, the wages of your labourers, who have harvested your fields, wrongfully kept back by you, cry, and the cries of those that have reaped are entered into the ears of [the] Lord of sabaoth.

Ye have lived luxuriously on the earth and indulged yourselves; ye have nourished your hearts [as] in a day of slaughter;

ye have condemned, ye have killed the just; he does not resist you.

Have patience, therefore, brethren, till the coming of the Lord. Behold, the labourer awaits the precious fruit of the earth, having patience for it until it receive [the] early and [the] latter rain.

*Ye* also have patience: stablish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is drawn nigh.

Complain not one against another, brethren, that ye be not judged. Behold, the judge stands before the door.

10 Take [as] an example, brethren, of suffering and having patience, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of [the] Lord.

11 Behold, we call them blessed who have endured. Ye have heard of the endurance of Job, and seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is full of tender compassion and pitiful.

12 But before all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath; but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay, that ye do not fall under judgment.

13 Does any one among you suffer evil? let him pray. Is any happy? let him sing psalms.

14 Is any sick among you? let him call to [him] the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of [the] Lord;

15 and the prayer of faith shall heal the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he be one who has committed sins, it shall be forgiven him.

16 Confess therefore your offences to one another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. [The] fervent supplication of the righteous [man] has much power.

17 Elias was a man of like passions to us, and he prayed with prayer that it should not rain; and it did not rain upon the earth three years and six months;

18 and again he prayed, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth caused its fruit to spring forth.

19 My brethren, if any one among you err from the truth, and one bring him back,

20 let him know that he that brings back a sinner from [the] error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall cover a multitude of sins.

Come agō now nyn, you ho rich people plousios, weep klaiō and wail ololyzō over epi the ho miseries talaipōria that ho are coming eperchomai your way hymeis. · ho Your hymeis riches ploutos have rotted sēpō and kai · ho your hymeis clothes himation are ginomai moth-eaten sētobrōtos. · ho Your hymeis gold chrysos and kai your ho silver argyros have rusted katioō and kai · ho their autos rust ios will be eimi a witness martyrion against you hymeis, and kai it will consume esthiō · ho your hymeis flesh sarx like hōs fire pyr. You have stored up treasure thēsaurizō for en the last eschatos days hēmera. Look idou, the ho wages misthos you have held back apostereō from the ho workers ergatēs who ho mowed amaō · ho your hymeis fields chōra · ho are crying out krazō against apo you hymeis, and kai the ho cries boē of the ho harvesters therizō have reached eiserchomai the ho ears ous of the Lord kyrios of Hosts Sabaōth. You have lived tryphaō on epi the ho earth in self-indulgence and kai luxury spatalaō. You have fattened trephō · ho your hymeis hearts kardia for en a day hēmera of slaughter sphagē. You condemn katadikazō the ho innocent dikaios and put him to death phoneuō; he does not ou resist antitassō you hymeis.

Be patient makrothumeō, therefore oun, dear friends adelphos, until heōs the ho coming parousia of the ho Lord kyrios. Note idou how the ho farmer geōrgos waits for ekdechomai the ho precious timios harvest karpos of the ho earth , being patient makrothumeō for epi it autos until heōs it receives lambanō the early proimos and kai latter opsimos rains . You hymeis too kai must be patient makrothumeō; strengthen stērizō · ho your hymeis hearts kardia, for hoti the ho coming parousia of the ho Lord kyrios is near engizō. Do not complain stenazō against kata one another allēlōn, my brothers adelphos, lest hina mē you be judged krinō. Look idou, the ho judge kritēs is standing histēmi at pro the ho doors thura. 10 As an example hypodeigma of ho suffering kakopatheia and kai patience makrothumia, brothers adelphos, take lambanō · ho the ho prophets prophētēs who hos spoke laleō in en the ho name onoma of the Lord kyrios. 11 For sure idou, we regard as blessed makarizō those ho who persevered hypomenō. You have heard of akouō the ho perseverance hypomonē of Job Iōb and kai have seen the ho result telos of the Lord' s kyrios activity, that hoti the ho Lord kyrios is eimi exceedingly compassionate polysplanchnos and kai merciful oiktirmōn. 12 Above pro all pas, · de my egō brothers adelphos, do not swear omnyō, either mēte by ho heaven ouranos or mēte by ho earth or mēte by any tis other allos oath horkos. Rather de let your hymeis Yes nai be eimi · ho yes nai and kai your ho No ou,” no ou, so that hina you may piptō not fall piptō under hypo judgment krisis.

13 Is anyone tis among en you hymeis suffering kakopatheō? He should pray proseuchomai. Is anyone tis cheerful euthumeō? He should sing praises psallō. 14 Is anyone tis among en you hymeis sick astheneō? He should call for proskaleō the ho elders presbyteros of the ho church ekklēsia and kai have them pray proseuchomai over epi him autos, anointing aleiphō him autos with oil elaion in en the ho name onoma of the ho Lord kyrios; 15 and kai the ho prayer euchē offered in ho faith pistis will restore sōzō the ho one who is sick kamnō and kai the ho Lord kyrios will raise egeirō him autos up . And if kan he has eimi committed poieō sins hamartia, he autos will be forgiven aphiēmi. 16 Therefore oun confess exomologeomai your ho sins hamartia to one another allēlōn and kai pray euchomai for hyper one another allēlōn so that hopōs you may be healed iaomai. The active energeō prayer deēsis of dikaios a righteous person dikaios has great polys power ischuō. 17 Elijah ēlias was eimi a man anthrōpos exactly homoiopathēs like us hēmeis, and kai he prayed earnestly proseuchē that it would not rain brechō, and kai for eniautos three treis years eniautos and kai six hex months mēn no ou rain fell brechō on epi the ho earth . 18 Then kai he prayed proseuchomai again palin, and kai the ho heavens ouranos poured down didōmi rain hyetos and kai the ho earth produced blastanō · ho its autos harvest karpos.

19 My egō brothers adelphos, if ean anyone tis among en you hymeis strays planaō from apo the ho truth alētheia and kai someone tis brings him autos back epistrephō, 20 he should know ginōskō that hoti the ho one who brings epistrephō a sinner hamartōlos back from ek the error planē of his autos way hodos will save sōzō that person’ s autos soul psychē from ek death thanatos and kai cover kalyptō a multitude plēthos of sins hamartia.

Ill-Gotten Riches Will Yield a Treasure of Miseries

Come now, rich ones, weep while wailing over your miseries coming-upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have become corroded[a]. And their corrosion will be for a testimony against you, and will eat your flesh like fire. You stored-up treasure[b] in the last days! Behold— the wages of the workers having mowed your fields, the wages having been fraudulently-withheld by you, cry-out. And the outcries of the ones having reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth[c]. You lived-in-luxury upon the earth, and you lived-indulgently[d]. You fattened your hearts in[e] a day of slaughter. You condemned, you murdered the righteous. He does not oppose[f] you!

Be Patient and Endure Hardship Until The Lord Comes

Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold— the farmer waits-for the precious fruit of the land, being-patient with it until it receives the early and late rain. You also be-patient. Establish your hearts, because the coming of the Lord has drawn-near. Do not be groaning against one another, brothers, in order that you may not be judged. Behold— the Judge stands in front of the doors. 10 Take as an example of suffering-hardship and patience, brothers, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold— we consider-blessed the ones having endured! You heard of the endurance of Job, and you saw the outcome from the Lord: that the Lord is large-hearted[g] and compassionate.

Above All, Be True To Your Word. Be Praying And Singing-Praise

12 And above all, my brothers, do not be swearing[h]— neither by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath. But let your yes be yes and your no be no, in order that you may not fall under judgment. 13 Is anyone among you suffering-hardship? Let him be praying. Is anyone cheerful? Let him be singing-praise.

Pray For One Another So That You May Be Healed

14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him summon the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, having anointed[i] him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of [j] faith will restore[k] the one being ill, and the Lord will raise him. And if he has committed[l] sins, it will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore be confessing-out[m] your sins to one another, and be praying for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer[n] of a righteous person can-do much while working[o]. 17 Elijah was a person of-like-nature to us, and he prayed with prayer[p] that it not rain. And it did not rain upon the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Try To Turn Back Those Who Stray From The Truth

19 My brothers, if anyone among you errs[q] from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that the one having turned-back a sinner from the error of his way will save his[r] soul[s] from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.

Footnotes

  1. James 5:3 Or, tarnished.
  2. James 5:3 Or, wrath, witnesses.
  3. James 5:4 Or, hosts, armies.
  4. James 5:5 Or, lived-for-pleasure.
  5. James 5:5 That is, in connection with.
  6. James 5:6 Or, resist, set himself in array against.
  7. James 5:11 Or, very-affectionate, very-kind.
  8. James 5:12 That is, swearing an oath to strengthen or guarantee your word.
  9. James 5:14 Or, rubbed, smeared. A medicinal use of oil may be in view here, as in Lk 10:34; or, a symbolic use of oil, as in Mk 6:13. In the latter case, the oil may be symbolic of the healing power of the Holy Spirit.
  10. James 5:15 That is, characterized by; or, proceeding from.
  11. James 5:15 Or, save from disease.
  12. James 5:15 That is, if he is in a state of having committed sins, resulting in his sickness.
  13. James 5:16 Or, openly acknowledging.
  14. James 5:16 That is, prayer request, petition.
  15. James 5:16 Or, while at-work. Or this may be rendered ‘the working prayer of a righteous person can do much’, in which case the working (or, effective) prayer means the prayer that God answers.
  16. James 5:17 he prayed with prayer. This is a Hebrew way of speaking, meaning he prayed earnestly.
  17. James 5:19 Or, wanders, goes astray, is led astray.
  18. James 5:20 That is, the sinner’s.
  19. James 5:20 Or, life.