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.
• 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!
• New Living Translation (NLT)Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.

Context of James 5:1

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Go toἄγωagō · to bringG71
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• rich menπλούσιοςplousios · richG4145
• weepκλαίωklaiō · to weepG2799
• and howlὀλολύζωololuzō · to wailG3649
• forἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• miseriesταλαιπωρίαtalaipōria · miseryG5004
• that shall come uponἐπέρχομαιeperchomai · to arrive/invadeG1904

Cross-references for James 5:1

• James 4:13Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”
• James 1:11For 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.
• James 2:6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?
• Deuteronomy 8:12Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,
• Deuteronomy 32:15Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, they became heavy and sleek. They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Savior.
• Nehemiah 9:25They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.
• Job 20:15He will spit out the riches he swallowed; God will make his stomach vomit them up.
• Psalms 17:14By your hand save me from such people, Lord, from those of this world whose reward is in this life. May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies; may their children gorge themselves on it, and may there be leftovers for their little ones.
• Psalms 49:6those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
• Psalms 73:3For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
• Proverbs 11:4Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
• Ecclesiastes 5:13I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
• Jeremiah 9:23This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches,
• Micah 6:12Your rich people are violent; your inhabitants are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully.
• Zephaniah 1:18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath.” In the fire of his jealousy the whole earth will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth.
• Matthew 19:23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich 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