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Easy-to-Read Version

James 5:1

You rich people, listen! Cry and be very sad because much trouble will come to you.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Amusements and Worldly Pleasures;   Rich, the;   Riches;   Wicked (People);   Thompson Chain Reference - Comfort-Misery;   Good;   Misery;   Sin;   Sin's;   Sinners;   Wicked, the;   The Topic Concordance - Wealth;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Amusements and Pleasures, Worldly;   Condemnation;   Riches;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Garments;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Justice;   Lending;   Mission;   Wealth;   Work;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - James;   James, the General Epistle of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - James, the Letter;   Rust;   Violence;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Beatitudes;   Wealth;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - James ;   James Epistle of;   Mourning;   Repentance;   Wailing;   Wealth;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Go;   James, Epistle of;   Wealth;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for January 26;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Come now, you rich people, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you.
King James Version (1611)
Goe to now, yee rich men, weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you.
King James Version
Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
English Standard Version
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.
New American Standard Bible
Come now, you rich people, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.
New Century Version
You rich people, listen! Cry and be very sad because of the troubles that are coming to you.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.
Berean Standard Bible
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail for the misery to come upon you.
Contemporary English Version
You rich people should cry and weep! Terrible things are going to happen to you.
Complete Jewish Bible
Next, a word for the rich: weep and wail over the hardships coming upon you!
Darby Translation
Go to now, ye rich, weep, howling over your miseries that [are] coming upon [you].
Geneva Bible (1587)
Go to nowe, ye rich men: weepe, and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you.
George Lamsa Translation
O YOU rich men, weep and howl for the miseries which shall come upon you!
Good News Translation
And now, you rich people, listen to me! Weep and wail over the miseries that are coming upon you!
Lexham English Bible
Come now, you rich people, weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming upon you!
Literal Translation
Come now, rich ones, weep, howling over your hardships coming on.
Amplified Bible
Come [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.
American Standard Version
Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you.
Bible in Basic English
Come now, you men of wealth, give yourselves to weeping and crying because of the bitter troubles which are coming to you.
Hebrew Names Version
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming on you.
International Standard Version
Now listen, you rich people! Cry and moan over the miseries that are overtaking you.Proverbs 11:28; Luke 6:24; 1 Timothy 6:9;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
O rich men, howl and weep for the miseries which are coming upon you.
Murdock Translation
O ye rich ones, wail and weep, on account of the miseries that are coming upon you.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Go to nowe ye riche men, weepe and howle on your wretchednesse that shall come vpon you.
English Revised Version
Go to now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you.
World English Bible
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming on you.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Go to now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you.
Weymouth's New Testament
Come, you rich men, weep aloud and howl for your sorrows which will soon be upon you.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Do now, ye riche men, wepe ye, yellinge in youre wretchidnessis that schulen come to you.
Update Bible Version
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming on you.
Webster's Bible Translation
Come now, [ye] rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon [you].
New English Translation
Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you.
New King James Version
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!
New Living Translation
Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.
New Life Bible
Listen, you rich men! Cry about the troubles that will come to you.
New Revised Standard
Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Come now! ye wealthy! Weep ye, howling, for your hardships which are coming upon you:
Douay-Rheims Bible
Go to now, ye rich men: weep and howl in your miseries, which shall come upon you.
Revised Standard Version
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Goo to now ye ryche men. Wepe and howle on youre wretchednes that shall come apon you.
Young's Literal Translation
Go, now, ye rich! weep, howling over your miseries that are coming upon [you];
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Goo to now ye riche men. Wepe, and howle on yor wretchednes that shal come vpon you.
Mace New Testament (1729)
As for you that are rich: weep, and lament the miserys that are falling upon you.
THE MESSAGE
And a final word to you arrogant rich: Take some lessons in lament. You'll need buckets for the tears when the crash comes upon you. Your money is corrupt and your fine clothes stink. Your greedy luxuries are a cancer in your gut, destroying your life from within. You thought you were piling up wealth. What you've piled up is judgment.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Take a deep seat all you who are rich. You think you've got it easy, but there's a mess of trouble headed your way.

Contextual Overview

1 You rich people, listen! Cry and be very sad because much trouble will come to you. 2 Your riches will rot and be worth nothing. Your clothes will be eaten by moths. 3 Your gold and silver will rust, and that rust will be a proof that you were wrong. That rust will eat your bodies like fire. You saved your treasure in the last days. 4 People worked in your fields, but you did not pay them. They are crying out against you. They harvested your crops. Now the Lord All-Powerful has heard their cries. 5 Your life on earth was full of rich living. You pleased yourselves with everything you wanted. You made yourselves fat, like an animal ready for the day of slaughter. 6 You showed no mercy to good people. They were not against you, but you killed them. 7 Brothers and sisters, be patient; the Lord will come. So be patient until that time. Look at the farmers. They have to be patient. They have to wait for their valuable crop to grow and produce a harvest. They wait patiently for the first rain and the last rain. 8 You must be patient too. Never stop hoping. The Lord is coming soon. 9 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! 10 Brothers and sisters, follow the example of the prophets who spoke for the Lord. They suffered many bad things, but they were patient.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Go: James 4:13

ye: James 1:11, James 2:6, Deuteronomy 8:12-14, Deuteronomy 32:15, Nehemiah 9:25, Nehemiah 9:26, Job 20:15-29, Psalms 17:14, Psalms 49:6-20, Psalms 73:3-9, Psalms 73:18-20, Proverbs 11:4, Proverbs 11:28, Ecclesiastes 5:13, Ecclesiastes 5:14, Jeremiah 9:23, Micah 6:12, Zephaniah 1:18, Matthew 19:23, Matthew 19:24, Luke 6:24, Luke 12:16-21, Luke 16:19-25, 1 Timothy 6:9, 1 Timothy 6:10, Revelation 6:15-17

weep: James 4:9, Isaiah 13:6, Isaiah 22:12, Isaiah 22:13, Jeremiah 4:8, Ezekiel 19:2, Joel 1:5, Joel 1:11, Joel 1:13, Amos 6:6, Amos 6:7, Zechariah 11:2, Zechariah 11:3, Luke 6:25, Luke 23:28, Luke 23:29

Reciprocal: Genesis 11:3 - they said one to another Leviticus 25:14 - General 2 Kings 5:5 - go Job 15:20 - the number Job 15:29 - neither shall Job 20:28 - and his goods Job 24:24 - are exalted Job 27:8 - General Psalms 4:6 - many Psalms 73:12 - these Psalms 103:6 - executeth Proverbs 1:19 - every Proverbs 8:18 - durable Proverbs 10:2 - Treasures Proverbs 10:22 - he Proverbs 11:17 - but Proverbs 13:11 - Wealth Proverbs 15:6 - in the revenues Proverbs 22:7 - rich Proverbs 22:16 - that oppresseth Proverbs 23:5 - riches Proverbs 30:14 - to devour Ecclesiastes 2:1 - Go to Isaiah 2:7 - land Isaiah 65:14 - ye shall Jeremiah 5:7 - I had fed Jeremiah 6:26 - make thee Jeremiah 18:11 - go to Jeremiah 25:34 - Howl Jeremiah 47:2 - then the Jeremiah 49:3 - Howl Ezekiel 18:7 - hath not Ezekiel 22:12 - greedily Ezekiel 22:27 - to get Ezekiel 26:13 - General Ezekiel 30:2 - Howl Ezekiel 34:4 - but with Ezekiel 45:8 - and my princes Hosea 7:14 - when Hosea 9:1 - Rejoice Joel 1:8 - Lament Amos 4:1 - which oppress Micah 6:10 - the treasures Habakkuk 2:6 - that increaseth Zephaniah 1:11 - Howl Zechariah 11:11 - knew Matthew 6:19 - General Matthew 24:12 - because Mark 10:24 - trust Luke 1:53 - and Luke 12:19 - Soul Luke 12:21 - he Luke 12:33 - provide Luke 16:26 - between Luke 17:28 - General Luke 18:8 - when Luke 18:24 - How Luke 21:23 - great Acts 2:45 - parted 1 Corinthians 7:31 - use 1 Thessalonians 2:16 - for James 4:2 - lust 1 John 3:7 - let

Cross-References

Genesis 2:4
This is the story about the creation of the sky and the earth. This is what happened when the Lord God made the earth and the sky.
Genesis 5:26
After Lamech was born, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:27
So Methuselah lived a total of 969 years; then he died.
Genesis 6:9
This is the history of Noah's family. He was a good man all his life, and he always followed God.
Genesis 10:1
This is the history of the families of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They are Noah's sons. These men had children after the flood.
1 Chronicles 1:1
The first generations of people were Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah.
Ecclesiastes 7:29
"There is one other thing I have learned. God made people good, but they have found many ways to be bad."
Ecclesiastes 12:1
Remember your Creator while you are young, before the bad times come—before the years come when you say, "I have wasted my life."
Matthew 1:1
This is the family history of Jesus the Messiah. He came from the family of David, who was from the family of Abraham.
1 Corinthians 11:7
But a man should not cover his head, because he is made like God and is God's glory. But woman is man's glory.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Go to now, ye rich men,.... All rich men are not here designed; there are some rich men who are good men, and make a good use of their riches, and do not abuse them, as these here are represented; and yet wicked rich men, or those that were the openly profane, are not here intended neither; for the apostle only writes to such who were within the church, and not without, who were professors of religion; and such rich men are addressed here, who, notwithstanding their profession, were not rich towards God, but laid up treasure for themselves, and trusted in their riches, and boasted of the multitude of their wealth; and did not trust in God, and make use of their substance to his glory, and the good of his interest, as they should have done:

weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you; meaning, not temporal calamities that should come upon them at the destruction of Jerusalem, in which the rich greatly suffered by the robbers among themselves, as well as by the Roman soldiers; for the apostle is not writing to the Jews in Judea, and at Jerusalem; but to the Christians of the twelve tribes scattered in the several parts of the world, and who were not distressed by that calamity; but eternal miseries, or the torments of hell are intended, which, unless they repented of their sins, would shortly, suddenly, and unavoidably come upon them, when their present joy and laughter would be turned into howling and weeping.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Go 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 expressive of very deep distress. The language is intensive in a high degree, showing that the calamities which were coming upon them were not only such as would produce tears, but tears accompanied with loud lamentations. In the East, it is customary to give expression to deep sorrow by loud outcries. Compare Isaiah 13:6; Isaiah 14:31; Isaiah 15:2; Isaiah 16:7; Jeremiah 4:8; Jeremiah 47:2; Joel 1:5.

For your miseries that shall come upon you - Many expositors, as Benson, Whitby, Macknight, and others, suppose that this refers to the approaching destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and to the miseries which would be brought in the siege upon the Jewish people, in which the rich would be the peculiar objects of cupidity and vengeance. They refer to passages in Josephus, which describe particularly the sufferings to which the rich were exposed; the searching of their houses by the zealots, and the heavy calamities which came upon them and their families. But there is no reason to suppose that the apostle referred particularly to those events. The poor as well as the rich suffered in that siege, and there were no such special judgments then brought upon the rich as to show that they were the marked objects of the divine displeasure. It is much more natural to suppose that the apostle means to say that such men as he here refers to exposed themselves always to the wrath of God, and that they had great reason to weep in the anticipation of his vengeance. The sentiments here expressed by the apostle are not applicable merely to the Jews of his time. If there is any class of men which has special reason to dread the wrath of God at all times, it is just the class of men here referred to.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER V.

The profligate rich are in danger of God's judgments, because

of their pride, fraudulent dealings, riotous living, and

cruelty, 1-6.

The oppressed followers of God should be patient, for the

Lord's coming is nigh; and should not grudge against each

other, 7-9.

They should take encouragement from the example of the

prophets, and of Job, 10, 11.

Swearing forbidden, 12.

Directions to the afflicted, 13-16.

They should confess their faults to each other, 16.

The great prevalence of prayer instanced in Elijah, 17, 18.

The blessedness of converting a sinner from the error of his

way, 19, 20.

NOTES ON CHAP. V.

Verse James 5:1. Go to nowJames 4:13; 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.


 
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