James 5:9

Amplified Bible

Do not complain against one another, believers, so that you will not be judged [for it]. Look! The Judge is standing right at the door.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Brothers and sisters, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door!

King James Version (1611)
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the Iudge standeth before the doore.

King James Version
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

English Standard Version
Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

New American Standard Bible
Do not complain, brothers and sisters, against one another, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.

New Century Version
Brothers and sisters, do not complain against each other or you will be judged guilty. And the Judge is ready to come!

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.

Berean Standard Bible
Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look, the Judge is standing at the door!

Contemporary English Version
Don't grumble about each other or you will be judged, and the judge is right outside the door.

Complete Jewish Bible
Don't grumble against one another, brothers, so that you won't come under condemnation — look! the Judge is standing at the door!

Darby Translation
Complain not one against another, brethren, that ye be not judged. Behold, the judge stands before the door.

Easy-to-Read Version
Brothers and sisters, don't complain against each other. If you don't stop complaining, you will be judged guilty. And the Judge is ready to come!

Geneva Bible (1587)
Grudge not one against another, brethren, least ye be condemned: behold, the iudge standeth before the doore.

George Lamsa Translation
Complain not one against another, my brethren, lest you be condemned: for behold judgment is at hand.

Good News Translation
Do not complain against one another, my friends, so that God will not judge you. The Judge is near, ready to appear.

Lexham English Bible
Brothers, do not complain against one another, in order that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge stands before the doors!

Literal Translation
Do not murmur against one another, brothers, that you not be condemned. Behold, the Judge stands before the door.

American Standard Version
Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that ye be not judged: behold, the judge standeth before the doors.

Bible in Basic English
Say no hard things against one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged; see, the judge is waiting at the doors.

Hebrew Names Version
Don't grumble, brothers, against one another, so that you won't be judged. Behold, the judge stands at the door.

International Standard Version
Do not complain about each other, brothers, or you will be condemned. Look! The Judge is standing at the door!Matthew 24:33; 1 Corinthians 4:5; James 4:11;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Groan [fn] not one against another, my brethren, that you be not judged; for, behold, the Judge standeth before the door.

Murdock Translation
Be not querulous one against another, my brethren, lest ye be judged: for lo, the judgment, standeth before the door.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Grudge not one agaynst another brethren, lest ye be dampned: Beholde, the iudge standeth before the doore.

English Revised Version
Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that ye be not judged: behold, the judge standeth before the doors.

World English Bible
Don't grumble, brothers, against one another, so that you won't be judged. Behold, the judge stands at the door.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Murmur not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned; behold the judge standeth before the door.

Weymouth's New Testament
Do not cry out in condemnation of one another, brethren, lest you come under judgement. I tell you that the Judge is standing at the door.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Britheren, nyle ye be sorewful ech to other, that ye be not demed. Lo! the iuge stondith niy bifor the yate.

Update Bible Version
Don't murmur, brothers, one against another, that you are not judged: look, the judge stands before the doors.

Webster's Bible Translation
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

New English Translation
Do not grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be judged. See, the judge stands before the gates!

New King James Version
Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. [fn] Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!

New Living Translation
Don't grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!

New Life Bible
Do not complain about each other, Christian brothers. Then you will not be judged. See! The Judge is standing at the door.

New Revised Standard
Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors!

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Be not sighing, brethren, one against another, lest ye be judged, - Lo! the Judge, before the doors, is standing.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Grudge not, brethren, one against another, that you may not be judged. Behold the judge standeth before the door.

Revised Standard Version
Do not grumble, brethren, against one another, that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the doors.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Grodge not one agaynst another brethre lest ye be dapned. Beholde the iudge stondeth before the dore.

Young's Literal Translation
murmur not against one another, brethren, that ye may not be condemned; lo, the Judge before the door hath stood.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Grodge not one agaynst another brethren, lest ye be damned. Beholde, the iudge stondeth before the dore.

Mace New Testament (1729)
don't repine, my brethren, against one another, for fear you should be condemn'd. behold, the judge is at the gate.

THE MESSAGE
Friends, don't complain about each other. A far greater complaint could be lodged against you, you know. The Judge is standing just around the corner.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Don't moan and complain about what others do and you won't be judged; and the Judge is standing at the gate.

Contextual Overview

¹Come [quickly] now, you rich [who lack true faith and hoard and misuse your resources], weep and howl over the miseries [the woes, the judgments] that are coming upon you. ²Your wealth has rotted and is ruined and your [fine] clothes have become moth-eaten. ³Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up your treasure in the last days [when it will do you no good]. ⁴Look! The wages that you have [fraudulently] withheld from the laborers who have mowed your fields are crying out [against you for vengeance]; and the cries of the harvesters have come to the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. ⁵On the earth you have lived luxuriously and abandoned yourselves to soft living and led a life of wanton pleasure [self-indulgence, self-gratification]; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. ⁶You have condemned and have put to death the righteous man; he offers you no resistance. ⁷So wait patiently, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits [expectantly] for the precious harvest from the land, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains. ⁸You too, be patient; strengthen your hearts [keep them energized and firmly committed to God], because the coming of the Lord is near. ⁹Do not complain against one another, believers, so that you will not be judged [for it]. Look! The Judge is standing right at the door.¹⁰As an example, brothers and sisters, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord [as His messengers and representatives].

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Grudge not: or, Groan not, or, grieve not, James 4:11, Leviticus 19:18, Psalms 59:15, Mark 6:19, *marg. 2 Corinthians 9:7, Galatians 5:14, Galatians 5:26, 1 Peter 4:9

lest: Matthew 6:14, Matthew 6:15, Matthew 7:1, Matthew 7:2

the Judge: Genesis 4:7, Matthew 24:33, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 1 Corinthians 10:11, Revelation 3:20

Reciprocal: Numbers 11:29 - Enviest Deuteronomy 15:9 - thine eye 1 Samuel 18:9 - eyed David 1 Kings 14:14 - but what Ezekiel 7:12 - time Ezekiel 12:23 - The days Ezekiel 30:3 - the day is Ezekiel 36:8 - at hand Joel 1:15 - the day of Zephaniah 1:14 - it is Malachi 3:5 - I will come Matthew 20:15 - Is thine Matthew 24:44 - General Mark 13:29 - know Luke 21:31 - the kingdom Acts 6:1 - there Philippians 2:14 - without Philippians 4:5 - The James 5:7 - unto James 5:8 - for 1 Peter 2:1 - laying 1 Peter 4:5 - that 1 Peter 4:7 - the end Revelation 1:3 - for Revelation 3:11 - I come

Cross-References

1 Chronicles 1:2
Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared,

Luke 3:37
the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Grudge not one against another, brethren,.... On account of any happiness, temporal or spiritual, which another enjoys; do not inwardly repine at it; or secretly sigh and groan in an envious manner at it, though nothing may be said, as the word used signifies; much less complain of, accuse, and condemn one another, or meditate and seek revenge:

lest ye be condemned; hereafter, at the bar of Christ, by the Judge of the whole earth, who is privy to the secret murmurings and grumblings, and the envious sighs and groans of men; see Matthew 7:1

behold the judge standeth before the door; there is another that judgeth, who is the Lord, and he is at hand; he is just at the door; a little while and he will come, and not tarry; which may refer not to Christ's coming to destroy Jerusalem, but to his second coming to judgment, which will be quickly; for the Gospel times are the last times; there will be no other age; at the end of this, Christ will come.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Grudge not one against another - Margin, “groan, grieve.” The Greek word (στενάζω stenazō) means, “to sigh, to groan,” as of persons in distress, Romans 8:23; and then to sigh or groan through impatience, fretfulness, ill-humor; and hence “to murmur, to find fault, to complain.” The exact idea here is, not that of grudging in the sense of dissatisfaction with what others possess, or of being envious; it is that of being fretful and impatient - or, to use a common word which more exactly expresses the sense that of grumbling. This may arise from many causes; either because others have advantages which we have not, and we are discontented and unhappy, as if it were wrong in them to have such enjoyments; or because we, without reason, suppose they intend to slight and neglect us; or because we are ready to take offence at any little thing, and to “pick a quarrel” with them. There are some persons who are always grumbling. They have a sour, dissatisfied, discontented temper; they see no excellence in other persons; they are displeased that others are more prospered, honored, and beloved than they are themselves; they are always complaining of what others do, not because they are injured, but because others seem to them to be weak and foolish; they seem to feel that it becomes them to complain if everything is not done precisely as in their estimation it should be. It is needless to say that this spirit - the offspring of pride - will make any man lead a wretched life; and equally needless to say that it is wholly contrary to the spirit of the gospel. Compare Luke 3:14; Phi 4:11; 1 Timothy 6:8; Hebrews 13:5.

Lest ye be condemned - That is, for judging others with this spirit - for this spirit is in fact judging them. Compare the notes at Matthew 7:1.

Behold, the judge standeth before the door - The Lord Jesus, who is soon to come to judge the world. See James 5:8. He is, as it were, even now approaching the door - so near that he can hear all that you say.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 9. Grudge not — μη στεναζετε. Groan not; grumble not; do not murmur through impatience; and let not any ill treatment which you receive, induce you to vent your feelings in imprecations against your oppressors. Leave all this in the hands of God.

Lest ye be condemned — By giving way to a spirit of this kind, you will get under the condemnation of the wicked.

The judge standeth before the door. — His eye is upon every thing that is wrong in you, and every wrong that is done to you; and he is now entering into judgment with your oppressors.