English Standard Version
James 1:11
11For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
James 1:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
- New International Version (NIV)For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.
Context of James 1:11
9Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. 12Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
Read all of James 1James 1:11 word by word
ἀνέτειλεν γὰρ ὁ ἥλιος σὺν τῷ καύσωνι καὶ ἐξήρανεν τὸν χόρτον καὶ τὸ ἄνθος αὐτοῦ ἐξέπεσεν καὶ ἡ εὐπρέπεια τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἀπώλετο· οὕτως καὶ ὁ πλούσιος ἐν ταῖς πορείαις αὐτοῦ μαρανθήσεται.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- the sunἥλιοςhēlios · sunG2246
- is no sooner risenἀνατέλλωanatellō · to riseG393
- withσύνsun · withG4862
- a burning heatκαύσωνkausōn · heatG2742
- butκαίkai · andG2532
- it witherethξηραίνωxērainō · to dryG3583
- the grassχόρτοςchortos · grassG5528
- the flowerἄνθοςanthos · flowerG438
- thereofαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- fallethἐκπίπτωekpiptō · to fall outG1601
- the graceεὐπρέπειαeuprepeia · beautyG2143
- of the fashionπρόσωπονprosōpon · faceG4383
- perishethἀπολλύωapollumi · to destroyG622
- soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- shallμαραίνωmarainō · to fadeG3133
- the rich manπλούσιοςplousios · richG4145
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- waysπορείαporeia · journeyG4197
Cross-references for James 1:11
- Isaiah 49:10they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.
- Jonah 4:7But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered.
- Matthew 13:6but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.
- Mark 4:6And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.
- James 5:1Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.
- Job 21:24his pails full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist.
- Psalms 37:35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
- Psalms 49:6those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
- Psalms 73:18Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
- Ecclesiastes 5:15As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.
- Isaiah 28:1Ah, the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley of those overcome with wine!
- Isaiah 40:7The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass.
- Luke 12:16And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully,
- Luke 16:19"There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
- 1 Corinthians 7:31and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
- 1 Peter 1:4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
Commentaries on James 1:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11For the sun is no sooner risen - We need not pursue this metaphor, as St. James' meaning is sufficiently clear: All human things are transitory; rise and fall, or increase and decay, belong to all the productions of the earth, and to all its inhabitants. This is unavoidable, for in many cases the very cause of their growth becomes the cause of their decay and destruction. The sun by its genial heat nourishes and supports all plants and animals; but when…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat - Isaiah Isaiah 40:7 employs the word “wind,” referring to a burning wind that dries up the flowers. It is probable that the apostle also refers not so much to the sun itself, as to the hot and fiery wind called the simoom, which often rises with the sun, and which consumes the green herbage of the fields. So Rosenmuller and Bloomfield interpret it. It withereth the grass - Isaiah 40:7. It withereth the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-11James writes often about poverty and wealth in his letter (compare chapter 2; 4:13–5:11). When James talks about poor believers, he does not promise that they will become rich in this life. Instead, he teaches that God will reverse their situation in heaven.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. Taken from Is 40:6-8. heat--rather, "the hot wind" from the (east or) south, which scorches vegetation (Lu 12:55). The "burning heat" of the sun is not at its rising, but rather at noon; whereas the scorching Kadim wind is often at sunrise (Jon 4:8) [Middleton, The Doctrine of the Greek Article]. Mt 20:12 uses the Greek word for "heat." Is 40:7, "bloweth upon it," seems to answer to "the hot wind" here. grace of the fashion--that is of the external…Read the comment
Topics related to James 1:11
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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