James 5:1

James 5:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
• New International Version (NIV)Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!

Context of James 5:1

Come 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.

James 5:1 word by word

Ἄγε νῦν οἱ πλούσιοι, κλαύσατε ὀλολύζοντες ἐπὶ ταῖς ταλαιπωρίαις ὑμῶν ταῖς ἐπερχομέναις.Read the interlinear

• Comeἄγωagō · to bringG71
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• richπλούσιοςplousios · richG4145
• weepκλαίωklaiō · to weepG2799
• wailὀλολύζωololuzō · to wailG3649
• overἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• miseryταλαιπωρίαtalaipōria · miseryG5004
• to comeἐπέρχομαιeperchomai · to arrive/invadeG1904
• upon youσύsu · youG4771

Cross-references for James 5:1

• James 4:13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.”
• James 1:11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
• James 2:6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
• Deuteronomy 8:12Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses in which to dwell,
• Deuteronomy 32:15But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked— becoming fat, bloated, and gorged. He abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation.
• Nehemiah 9:25They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.
• Job 20:15He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.
• Psalms 17:14from such men, O LORD, by Your hand— from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they leave their abundance to their children.
• Psalms 49:6They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
• Psalms 73:3For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
• Proverbs 11:4Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.
• Ecclesiastes 5:13There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
• Jeremiah 9:23This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
• Micah 6:12For the wealthy of the city are full of violence, and its residents speak lies; their tongues are deceitful in their mouths.
• Zephaniah 1:18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.
• Matthew 19:23Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Commentaries on James 5:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Go to now - See on James 4:13. Weep and howl for your miseries - St. James seems to refer here, in the spirit of prophecy, to the destruction that was coming upon the Jews, not only in Judea, but in all the provinces where they sojourned. He seems here to assume the very air and character of a prophet; and in the most dignified language and peculiarly expressive and energetic images, foretells the desolations that were coming upon this bad people.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Go to now - Notes, James 4:13. Ye rich men - Not all rich men, but only that class of them who are specified as unjust and oppressive. There is no sin in merely being rich; where sin exists peculiarly among the rich, it arises from the manner in which wealth is acquired, the spirit which it tends to engender in the heart, and the way in which it is used. Compare the Luke 6:24 note; 1 Timothy 6:9 note. Weep and howl - Greek: “Weep howling.” This would be…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The judgments of God denounced against rich unbelievers. (1-6) Exhortation to patience and meekness under tribulations. (7-11) Cautions against rash swearing Prayer recommended in afflictive and prosperous circumstances, Christians to confess their faults to each other. (12-18) The happiness of being the means of the conversion of a sinner. (19-20) Verses 1-6 Public troubles are most grievous to those who live in pleasure, and are secure and sensual…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-6This section criticizes wealthy people for being greedy and proud mistreatment of the poor (Leviticus 19:13). James warns them to change their ways while they still can. If they do not, they will encounter frightening consequences on judgment day.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-201. Go to now--Come now. A phrase to call solemn attention. ye rich--who have neglected the true enjoyment of riches, which consists in doing good. James intends this address to rich Jewish unbelievers, not so much for themselves, as for the saints, that they may bear with patience the violence of the rich (Jas 5:7), knowing that God will speedily avenge them on their oppressors [Bengel]. miseries that shall come--literally, "that are coming upon you"…Read the comment

Topics related to James 5:1

• Amusements and Worldly Pleasures
• Rich, the
• Riches
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Convert
• Grudge
• Howl
• Nourish
• Pitiful
• Tender
• Wanton
• Go
• Wealth, Wealthy

Commentaries on James 5

• 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
• 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