God’s Word Translation
James 1:10
10Rich believers should be proud because being rich should make them humble. Rich people will wither like flowers.
James 1:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
- New International Version (NIV)But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.
- New King James Version (NKJV)but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.
Context of James 1:10
8A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can’t make up his mind about anything. 9Humble believers should be proud because being humble makes them important. Rich believers should be proud because being rich should make them humble. Rich people will wither like flowers. 11The sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up plants. The flowers drop off, and the beauty is gone. The same thing will happen to rich people. While they are busy, they will die. 12Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Read all of James 1James 1:10 word by word
ὁ δὲ πλούσιος ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει αὐτοῦ ὅτι ὡς ἄνθος χόρτου παρελεύσεται.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- the richπλούσιοςplousios · richG4145
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- that heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- is made lowταπείνωσιςtapeinōsis · lowlinessG5014
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- the flowerἄνθοςanthos · flowerG438
- of the grassχόρτοςchortos · grassG5528
- he shall pass awayπαρέρχομαιparerchomai · to pass byG3928
Cross-references for James 1:10
- Isaiah 57:15The High and Lofty One lives forever, and his name is holy. This is what he says: I live in a high and holy place. But I am with those who are crushed and humble. I will renew the spirit of those who are humble and the courage of those who are crushed.
- Isaiah 66:2I have made all these things. “That is why all these things have come into being,” declares the Lord. I will pay attention to those who are humble and sorry ⌞for their sins⌟ and who tremble at my word.
- Matthew 5:3“Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
- Philippians 3:8It’s far more than that! I consider everything else worthless because I’m much better off knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. It’s because of him that I think of everything as worthless. I threw it all away in order to gain Christ
- 1 Timothy 6:17Tell those who have the riches of this world not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, they should place their confidence in God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
- James 4:14You don’t know what will happen tomorrow. What is life? You are a mist that is seen for a moment and then disappears.
- Job 14:2He comes up like a flower; then he withers. He is like a fleeting shadow; he doesn’t stay long.
- Psalms 37:2They will quickly dry up like grass and wither away like green plants.
- Psalms 90:5You sweep mortals away. They are a dream. They sprout again in the morning like cut grass.
- Psalms 102:11My days are like a shadow that is getting longer, and I wither away like grass.
- Psalms 103:15Human life is as short-lived as grass. It blossoms like a flower in the field.
- Isaiah 40:6A voice called, “Call out!” I asked, “What should I call out?” “Call out: All people are like grass, and all their beauty is like a flower in the field.
- Matthew 6:30That’s the way God clothes the grass in the field. Today it’s alive, and tomorrow it’s thrown into an incinerator. So how much more will he clothe you people who have so little faith?
- 1 Corinthians 7:31Those who use the things in this world should do so but not depend on them. It is clear that this world in its present form is passing away.
- 1 Peter 1:24“All people are like grass, and all their beauty is like a flower of the field. The grass dries up and the flower drops off,
- 1 John 2:17the world and its evil desires are passing away. But the person who does what God wants lives forever.
Commentaries on James 1:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10But the rich, in that he is made low - ͅ · In his humiliation - in his being brought to the foot of the cross to receive, as a poor and miserable sinner, redemption through the blood of the cross: and especially let him rejoice in this, because all outward glory is only as the flower of the field, and, like that, will wither and perish.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10But the rich, in that he is made low - That is, because his property is taken away, and he is made poor. Such a transition is often the source of the deepest sorrow; but the apostle says that even in that a Christian may find occasion for thanksgiving. The reasons for rejoicing in this manner, which the apostle seems to have had in view, were these: (1)because it furnished a test of the reality of religion, by showing that it is adapted to sustain the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10James uses irony when he describes the terrible fate waiting for ungodly rich people. These are wealthy people who make themselves powerful by mistreating those who are poor and unable to protect themselves (see 2:6–8; 5:1–6).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 1:10
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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