Amplified Bible
James 1:9
9Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position [as a born-again believer, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God];
James 1:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
- New International Version (NIV)Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,
Context of James 1:9
7For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord, 8being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides]. Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position [as a born-again believer, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God]; 10and the rich man is to glory in being humbled [by trials revealing human frailty, knowing true riches are found in the grace of God], for like the flower of the grass he will pass away. 11For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away; so too will the rich man, in the midst of his pursuits, fade away.
Read all of James 1James 1:9 word by word
καυχάσθω δὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ ταπεινὸς ἐν τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for James 1:9
- James 2:5Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and [as believers to be] heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
- Deuteronomy 15:7“If there is a poor man among you, one of your fellow Israelites, in any of your cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not be heartless, nor close-fisted with your poor brother;
- Psalms 62:9Men of low degree are only a breath (emptiness), and men of [high] rank are a lie (delusion). In the balances they go up [because they have no measurable weight or value]; They are together lighter than a breath.
- Proverbs 17:5Whoever mocks the poor taunts his Maker, And he who rejoices at [another’s] disaster will not go unpunished.
- Proverbs 19:1Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than a [rich] man who is twisted in his speech and is a [shortsighted] fool.
- Luke 1:52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And exalted those who were humble.
- Jeremiah 9:23Thus says the Lord, “Let not the one who is wise and skillful boast in his insight; let not the one who is mighty and powerful boast in his strength; let not the one who is rich boast in his [temporal satisfactions and earthly] abundance;
- Romans 5:2Through Him we also have access by faith into this [remarkable state of] grace in which we [firmly and safely and securely] stand. Let us rejoice in our hope and the confident assurance of [experiencing and enjoying] the glory of [our great] God [the manifestation of His excellence and power].
- Philippians 3:3for we [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, set apart for His purpose and] are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory and take pride and exult in Christ Jesus and place no confidence [in what we have or who we are] in the flesh—
- 1 Samuel 2:8He raises up the poor from the dust, He lifts up the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor and glory; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the land on them.
- Psalms 113:7He raises the poor out of the dust And lifts the needy from the ash heap,
- Luke 9:48and He told them, “Whoever welcomes this child in My name welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me [also] welcomes Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you [that is, the one who is genuinely humble—the one with a realistic self-view]—he is the one who is [truly] great.”
- Luke 10:20Nevertheless do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
- Romans 8:17And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory.
- 2 Corinthians 6:10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet bestowing riches on many; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.
- Philippians 3:14I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Commentaries on James 1:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Let the brother of low degree - The poor, destitute Christian may glory in the cross of Christ, and the blessed hope laid up for him in heaven; for, being a child of God, he is an heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Let the brother of low degree - This verse seems to introduce a new topic, which has no other connection with what precedes than that the apostle is discussing the general subject of trials. Compare James 1:2. Turning from the consideration of trials in general, he passes to the consideration of a particular kind of trials, that which results from a change of circumstances in life, from poverty to affluence, and from affluence to poverty. The idea which…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9should exult: In the New Testament, boasting is often seen as negative (3:14; 4:16; Ephesians 2:9). But here it refers to being proud of what God has done (James 2:5; Romans 15:18; 1 Corinthians 1:31; Galatians 6:14).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-109-10. Translate, "But let the brother," &c. that is, the best remedy against double-mindedness is that Christian simplicity of spirit whereby the "brother," low in outward circumstances, may "rejoice" (answering to Jas 1:2) "in that he is exalted," namely, by being accounted a son and heir of God, his very sufferings being a pledge of his coming glory and crown (Jas 1:12), and the rich may rejoice "in that he is made low," by being stripped of his goods…Read the comment
Topics related to James 1:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on James 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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