James — Chapter 5

1Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.

2Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes.

3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days.

4Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.

5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.

6You have condemned and murdered the righteous, who did not resist you.

7Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.

8You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.

9Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look, the Judge is standing at the door!

10Brothers, as an example of patience in affliction, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

11See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

12Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.

13Is any one of you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.

14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

15And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.

17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth yielded its crops.

19My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,

20consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

1Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

2Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.

3Your 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.

4Behold, 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.

5Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

6Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

7Be 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.

8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

9Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

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

11Behold, 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.

12But 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.

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

14Is 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:

15And 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.

16Confess 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.

17Elias 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.

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

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

20Let 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.

1Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you.

2Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.

3Your gold and your silver are rusted; and their rust shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days.

4Behold, the hire of the laborers who mowed your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth out: and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

5Ye have lived delicately on the earth, and taken your pleasure; ye have nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter.

6Ye have condemned, ye have killed the righteous [one]; he doth not resist you.

7Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain.

8Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

9Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that ye be not judged: behold, the judge standeth before the doors.

10Take, brethren, for an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spake in the name of the Lord.

11Behold, we call them blessed that endured: ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.

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

13Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise.

14Is any among you sick? 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:

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

16Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.

17Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months.

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

19My brethren, if any among you err from the truth, and one convert him;

20let him know, that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins.

1Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you.

2Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten.

3Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure!

4Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

5You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

6You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, although he does not resist you.

7So be patient, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s return. Think of how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the ground and is patient for it until it receives the early and late rains.

8You also be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the Lord’s return is near.

9Do not grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be judged. See, the judge stands before the gates!

10As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name.

11Think of how we regard as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

12And above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. But let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall into judgment.

13Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises.

14Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with olive oil in the name of the Lord.

15And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up—and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

16So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.

17Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months!

18Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.

19My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back,

20he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

1Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming on you.

2Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten.

3Your gold and your silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be for a testimony against you, and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up your treasure in the last days.

4Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you have kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of those who reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Armies.

5You have lived in luxury on the earth, and taken your pleasure. You have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter.

6You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous one. He doesn’t resist you.

7Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rain.

8You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

9Don’t grumble, brothers, against one another, so that you won’t be judged. Behold, the judge stands at the door.

10Take, brothers, for an example of suffering and of perseverance, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

11Behold, we call them blessed who endured. You have heard of the perseverance of Job, and have seen the Lord in the outcome, and how the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

12But above all things, my brothers, don’t swear— not by heaven, or by the earth, or by any other oath; but let your “yes” be “yes”, and your “no”, “no”; so that you don’t fall into hypocrisy.

13Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises.

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

15and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

16Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.

17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it didn’t rain on the earth for three years and six months.

18He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

19Brothers, if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back,

20let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.