James 5

(Proverbs 23:1–5; 1 Timothy 6:17–19)

1ComeG71 nowG3568, you who are richG4145, weepG2799 and wailG3649 overG1909 theG3588 miseryG5004 to comeG1904 upon youG4771. 2YourG4771 richesG4149 have rottedG4595 andG2532 moths have eatenG1096G4598 yourG4771 clothesG2440. 3YourG4771 goldG5557 andG2532 silverG696 are corrodedG2728. TheirG846 corrosionG2447 willG1510 testifyG3142 against youG4771 andG2532 consumeG5315 yourG4771 fleshG4561 likeG5613 fireG4442.

You have hoarded treasureG2343 inG1722 the lastG2078 daysG2250. 4LookG2400, theG3588 wagesG3408 you withheldG650 from theG3588 workmenG2040 whoG3588 mowedG270 yourG4771 fieldsG5561 are crying outG2896 againstG575 youG4771. TheG3588 criesG995 of theG3588 harvestersG2325 have reachedG1525G1519 theG3588 earsG3775 of the LordG2962 of HostsG4519.

5You have lived onG1909 earthG1093 in luxuryG5171 andG2532 self-indulgenceG4684. You have fattenedG5142 yourG4771 heartsG2588 inG1722 the dayG2250 of slaughterG4967. 6You have condemnedG2613 and murderedG5407 theG3588 righteousG1342, who did not resistG3756G498 youG4771.

Patience in Suffering

(Job 1:1–5)

7Be patientG3114, thenG3767, brothersG80, untilG2193 theG3588 Lord’sG2962 comingG3952. See howG2400 theG3588 farmerG1092 awaitsG1551 theG3588 preciousG5093 fruitG2590 of theG3588 soilG1093—how patient he isG3114 forG1909G846G2193G2983 the fall andG2532 spring rains.1 8YouG4771, tooG2532, be patientG3114 and strengthenG4741 yourG4771 heartsG2588, becauseG3754 theG3588 Lord’sG2962 comingG3952 is nearG1448. 9Do notG3361 complainG4727 aboutG2596 one anotherG240, brothersG80, so thatG2443 you will not be judgedG3361G2919. LookG2400, theG3588 JudgeG2923 is standingG2476 atG4253 theG3588 doorG2374!

10BrothersG80, as an exampleG5262 of patienceG3115 in afflictionG2552, takeG2983 theG3588 prophetsG4396 whoG3739 spokeG2980 inG1722 theG3588 nameG3686 of the LordG2962. 11See howG2400 blessed we considerG3106 those whoG3588 have perseveredG5278. You have heardG191 of Job’sG2492 perseveranceG5281 andG2532 have seenG3708 theG3588 outcomeG5056 from the LordG2962. TheG3588 LordG2962 isG1510 full of compassionG4184 andG2532 mercyG3629.

12AboveG1161G4253 allG3956, myG1473 brothersG80, do notG3361 swearG3660, notG3383 by heavenG3772 or earthG1093 or by anyG5100 otherG243 oathG3727. SimplyG1161 let yourG4771 “YesG3483” beG1510 yesG3483, andG2532 your “NoG3756,” noG3756, so thatG2443 you will not fallG3361G4098 underG5259 judgmentG2920.

The Prayer of Faith

13Is any oneG5100 ofG1722 youG4771 sufferingG2553? He should prayG4336. Is anyoneG5100 cheerfulG2114? He should sing praisesG5567. 14Is any oneG5100 ofG1722 youG4771 sickG770? He should callG4341 theG3588 eldersG4245 of theG3588 churchG1577 to prayG4336 overG1909 himG846 and anointG218 himG846 with oilG1637 inG1722 theG3588 nameG3686 of theG3588 LordG2962. 15AndG2532 theG3588 prayer offeredG2171 in faithG4102 will restoreG4982 the one whoG3588 is sickG2577. TheG3588 LordG2962 will raise him upG1453G846. IfG2579 heG1510 has sinnedG4160G266, he will be forgivenG863G846.

16ThereforeG3767 confessG1843 your sinsG266 to each otherG240 andG2532 prayG2172 forG5228 each otherG240 so thatG3704 you may be healedG2390. The prayerG1162 of a righteousG1342 man has great powerG4183G1754 to prevailG2480. 17ElijahG2243 wasG1510 a manG444 just likeG3663 usG1473. He prayed earnestlyG4335G4336 that it would notG3361 rainG1026, andG2532 it did not rainG3756G1026 onG1909 theG3588 landG1093 for threeG5140 andG2532 a half yearsG1763. 18AgainG2532G3825 he prayedG4336, andG2532 theG3588 heavensG3772 gaveG1325 rainG5205, andG2532 theG3588 earthG1093 yieldedG985 itsG846 cropsG2590.

Restoring a Sinner

19MyG1473 brothersG80, ifG1437 oneG5100 ofG1722 youG4771 should wanderG4105 fromG575 theG3588 truthG225 andG2532 someoneG5100 should bring him backG1994G846, 20considerG1097 thisG3754: WhoeverG3588 turnsG1994 a sinnerG268 fromG1537 the errorG4106 of hisG846 wayG3598 will saveG4982 hisG846 soulG5590 fromG1537 deathG2288 andG2532 cover overG2572 a multitudeG4128 of sinsG266.