James 5
New International Version
Warning to Rich Oppressors
5 Now listen,(A) you rich people,(B) weep and wail(C) because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.(D) 3 Your 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.(E) 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers(F) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries(G) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.(H) 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves(I) in the day of slaughter.[a](J) 6 You have condemned and murdered(K) the innocent one,(L) who was not opposing you.
Patience in Suffering
7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.(M) See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting(N) for the autumn and spring rains.(O) 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming(P) is near.(Q) 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters,(R) or you will be judged. The Judge(S) is standing at the door!(T)
10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets(U) who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed(V) those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance(W) and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.(X) The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.(Y)
12 Above 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.(Z)
The Prayer of Faith
13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.(AA) Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.(AB) 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders(AC) of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil(AD) in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith(AE) will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins(AF) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.(AG) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.(AH)
17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are.(AI) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.(AJ) 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.(AK)
19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth(AL) and someone should bring that person back,(AM) 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save(AN) them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.(AO)
Footnotes
- James 5:5 Or yourselves as in a day of feasting
Proverbs 16-18
New International Version
16 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.(A)
3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.(E)
6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord(J) evil is avoided.(K)
7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace(L) with them.(M)
9 In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.(P)
10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.(Q)
11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.(R)
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.(S)
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.(T)
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.(AA)
19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,[a](AE)
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.(AF)
22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,(AH)
but folly brings punishment to fools.
26 The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
29 A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.(AS)
30 Whoever winks(AT) with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;(AU)
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.(AY)
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor(BB) shows contempt for their Maker;(BC)
whoever gloats over disaster(BD) will not go unpunished.(BE)
6 Children’s children(BF) are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(BG)
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.(BH)
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,(BI)
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.(BJ)
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.(BK)
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.(BN)
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?(BQ)
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.(BR)
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.(BS)
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.(BT)
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes(BY) wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.(BZ)
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,(CA)
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,(CB)
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.(CC)
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.(CD)
18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.(CE)
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,(CF)
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.(CI)
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(CL)
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.(CM)
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;(CP)
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.(CQ)
13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.(CR)
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?(CS)
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,(CT)
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift(CU) opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes(CV)
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 A brother wronged(CW) is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.(CX)
23 The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.(DC)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:20 Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good
- Proverbs 16:21 Or words make a person persuasive
- Proverbs 16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive
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