New King James Version
James 1:9
9Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,
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 Living Translation (NLT)Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them.
Context of James 1:9
7For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11For 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.
Read all of James 1James 1:9 word by word
καυχάσθω δὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ ταπεινὸς ἐν τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for James 1:9
- James 2:5Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen 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 among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother,
- Psalms 62:9Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, They are altogether lighter than vapor.
- Proverbs 17:5He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
- Proverbs 19:1Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
- Luke 1:52He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.
- Jeremiah 9:23Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
- Romans 5:2through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
- Philippians 3:3For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
- 1 Samuel 2:8He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. “For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He has set the world upon them.
- Psalms 113:7He raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of the ash heap,
- Luke 9:48and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.”
- Luke 10:20Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
- Romans 8:17and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
- 2 Corinthians 6:10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
- Philippians 3:14I press 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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries