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.
• New International Version (NIV)Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on 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!

Context of James 5:1

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming upon you. 2Your riches have rotted and your clothes have become moth-eaten. 3Your gold and your silver have rusted and their rust will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure 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 4:13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.”
• James 1:11For the sun arises with a scorching heat and withers the grass, and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed. So also the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will wither away.
• James 2:6But you have dishonored the poor person. Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
• Deuteronomy 8:12Otherwise, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and lived in them,
• Deuteronomy 32:15But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked— you got fat, you grew thick, you gorged! He forsook God who made him. He mocked the Rock of his salvation.
• Nehemiah 9:25They captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took possession of houses full of every good thing—hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, and an abundance of fruit trees. They ate and were satisfied, and grew fat. They enjoyed Your great goodness.
• Job 20:15He swallows riches and vomits them up; God empties it out of his stomach.
• Psalms 17:14from men, with Your hand, Adonai, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their belly with Your treasure —with plenty of children— and leave their surplus to their babes.
• Psalms 49:6Why should I fear in evil days? when the iniquity of my deceivers surrounds me?
• Psalms 73:3For I envied the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
• Proverbs 11:4Riches make no profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
• Ecclesiastes 5:13or wealth lost in a bad investment, and when he fathers a son, there is nothing in his hand.
• Jeremiah 9:23But let one who boasts boast in this: that he understands and knows Me. For I am Adonai who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth. For in these things I delight.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
• Micah 6:12For the rich of the city are full of violence and its inhabitants speak lies. Their tongue in their mouth is deceit.
• Zephaniah 1:18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to rescue them on the day of Adonai’s wrath. With the fire of His passion the entire earth will be consumed. For He will make a total, dreadful annihilation of all the inhabitants of the earth.
• Matthew 19:23Then Yeshua said to His disciples, “Amen, I tell you, it is hard for a rich man 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