1Now 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.4Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.[1]6You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.
Patience in suffering
7Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.9Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!10Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.11As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.12Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear – not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Otherwise you will be condemned.
The prayer of faith
13Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.14Is anyone among you ill? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.17Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.19My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back,20remember this: whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
James 5
English Standard Version
Warning to the Rich
1Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. (Pr 11:28; Am 6:1; Lu 6:24; Ro 3:16; 1Ti 6:9)2Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. (Job 13:28; Isa 50:9; Mt 6:19)3Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. (Mt 6:19; Lu 12:21; Ro 2:5; Jas 5:8)4Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. (Le 19:13; De 24:15; Job 24:10; Ro 9:29)5You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. (Job 21:13; Jer 12:3; Lu 16:19; 1Ti 5:6; 2Pe 2:13)6You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. (Ac 3:14; Jas 4:2)
Patience in Suffering
7Be patient, therefore, brothers,[1] until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. (De 11:14)8You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. (Ro 13:11; Php 4:5; 1Th 3:13; Heb 10:25; Heb 10:37; 1Pe 4:7)9Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. (Mt 7:1; Mt 24:33; Mr 13:29; 1Co 4:5; 1Pe 4:5; Re 22:12)10As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. (Mt 5:12; Mt 23:34; Ac 7:52; Heb 11:32)11Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. (Ex 34:6; Job 1:21; Job 2:10; Job 42:10; Job 42:12)12But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. (Mt 5:34)
The Prayer of Faith
13Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. (Col 3:16)14Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. (Mr 6:13; Mr 16:18)15And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (Isa 33:24; Mt 9:2; Mr 2:5; Lu 5:20)16Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.[2] (Ge 18:23; Ge 20:17; Nu 11:2; 1Ki 13:6; 1Ki 17:22; 2Ki 4:33; 2Ki 19:15; 2Ki 20:2; Job 42:8; Pr 15:29; Ac 19:18; Heb 12:13)17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. (1Ki 17:1; 1Ki 18:1; Lu 4:25; Ac 14:15)18Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. (1Ki 18:42; 1Ki 18:45)19My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, (Ps 51:13; Da 12:3; Mal 2:6; Mt 18:15; Lu 1:16; Ga 6:1)20let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (Ne 4:5; Ps 32:1; Ps 85:2; Pr 10:12; Ro 11:14; 1Pe 4:8)