James 1:9

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 that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. 11For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.

James 1:9 word by word

καυχάσθω δὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ ταπεινὸς ἐν τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ,Read the interlinear

• brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• of humbleταπεινόςtapeinos · lowlyG5011
• circumstances is to gloryκαυχάομαιkauchaomai · to boastG2744
• in his highὕψοςhupsos · heightG5311

Cross-references for James 1:9

• James 2:5Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
• Deuteronomy 15:7“If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother;
• Psalms 62:9Men of low degree are only vanity and men of rank are a lie; In the balances they go up; They are together lighter than breath.
• Proverbs 17:5He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker; He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.
• Proverbs 19:1Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.
• Luke 1:52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.
• Jeremiah 9:23Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;
• Romans 5:2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
• Philippians 3:3for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,
• 1 Samuel 2:8He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the world on them.
• Psalms 113:7He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the needy from the ash heap,
• Luke 9:48and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”
• Luke 10:20Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
• Romans 8:17and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
• 2 Corinthians 6:10as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
• Philippians 3:14I press on toward the goal for the 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

• Humility
• Poor
• Resignation
• Rich, the
• Thankfulness

In the dictionaries

• Entice
• Fade
• Lack
• Lay
• Liberally
• Lust
• Pure
• Receive
• Religion
• Swift

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