James 5
Expanded Bible
A Warning to the Rich
5 You rich people, ·listen [L Come now; 4:13]! Cry [Weep] and be very sad because of the ·troubles [miseries] that are coming to you. 2 Your riches have rotted, and your clothes have been eaten by moths. 3 Your gold and silver have ·rusted [corroded], and that ·rust [corrosion] will be a ·proof that you were wrong [L witness/testimony/evidence against you]. It will eat your ·bodies [flesh] like fire. You ·saved [hoarded; stored up] your treasure ·for [or in] the last days [C just before judgment day, when such treasures will be useless]. 4 [L Listen; T Behold] The ·pay [wages] you ·did not give [defrauded from] the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you [Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:14–15], and the cries of the ·workers [L harvesters] have ·been heard by [L reached the ears of] the Lord ·All-Powerful [of Hosts/Armies; L Sabaoth; C God’s warrior name referring to the angelic army]. 5 Your life on earth was full of ·rich living [luxury] and ·pleasing yourselves with everything you wanted [pleasure; self-indulgence]. You made ·yourselves [L your hearts] fat, ·like an animal ready to be killed [in/for a day of slaughter; C a farm animal gorging itself, unaware it is being fattened for slaughter]. 6 You have ·judged guilty [condemned] and then murdered innocent people, who ·were not against [did not resist/oppose] you.
Be Patient
7 [L Therefore] Brothers and sisters [C fellow believers], be patient until the Lord comes again. [L See; T Behold,] A farmer patiently waits for his ·valuable [precious] ·crop [fruit] to grow from the earth and for it to receive the ·autumn and spring [L early and late] rains [Deut. 11:14]. 8 You, too, must be patient. ·Do not give up hope [L Strengthen your hearts], because ·the Lord is coming soon [L the Lord’s coming draws near/is at hand]. 9 Brothers and sisters [C fellow believers], do not ·complain [grumble] against each other or you will be judged guilty [Matt. 7:1]. ·And [L Look; T Behold] the Judge is ·ready to come [L standing at the door]! 10 Brothers and sisters [C fellow believers], follow the example of the prophets who spoke ·for [L in the name of] the Lord. They suffered many hard things, but they ·were patient [endured]. 11 [L Look; or Indeed] ·We say they are happy [or We consider them blessed] because they ·did not give up [endured; persevered]. You have heard about Job’s ·patience [or endurance; perseverance], and you know the Lord’s purpose for him in the end. You know the Lord is full of mercy and is ·kind [compassionate].
Be Careful What You Say
12 My brothers and sisters [C fellow believers], above all, do not ·use an oath when you make a promise [swear; take a vow]. Don’t use the name of heaven, earth, or anything else to prove what you say. ·When you mean yes, say only yes, and when you mean no, say only no [T Let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no; Matt. 5:33–37] so you will not be ·judged guilty [condemned].
The Power of Prayer
13 Anyone who is ·having troubles [suffering] should pray. Anyone who is ·happy [joyful] should ·sing praises [sing psalms]. 14 Anyone who is sick should call the church’s elders. They should pray for and ·pour oil on the person [L anoint that person with olive oil; C anointing probably indicates dedicating or setting aside the person to God’s care; Mark 6:13] in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer that is said with faith will ·make the sick person well [save the sick; C the same Greek word is commonly used for both physical healing and spiritual salvation]; the Lord will ·heal [L raise up] that person [1 Cor. 12:9, 28]. And if the person has sinned, the sins will be forgiven. 16 [L Therefore,] Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. ·When a believing person prays, great things happen [L The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective]. 17 Elijah was a human being just like us. He prayed [earnestly; L with prayer] that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years! 18 Then Elijah prayed again, and ·the rain came down from the sky [or heaven gave rain], and the land produced crops again [1 Kin. 17—18].
Saving a Soul
19 My brothers and sisters [C fellow believers], if one of you ·wanders away [strays] from the truth, and someone helps that person come back, 20 ·remember [L know] this: Anyone who brings a sinner back from the ·wrong way [L error/wandering of his ways] will save that sinner’s soul from death and will ·cause many sins to be forgiven [L cover a multitude of sins].
James 5
Contemporary English Version
Warning to the Rich
5 You rich people should cry and weep! Terrible things are going to happen to you. 2 (A) Your treasures have already rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 (B) Your money has rusted, and the rust will be evidence against you, as it burns your body like fire. Yet you keep on storing up wealth in these last days. 4 (C) You refused to pay the people who worked in your fields, and now their unpaid wages are shouting out against you. The Lord All-Powerful has surely heard the cries of the workers who harvested your crops.
5 While here on earth, you have thought only of filling your own stomachs and having a good time. But now you are like fat cattle on their way to be butchered. 6 (D) You have condemned and murdered innocent people, who couldn't even fight back.
Be Patient and Kind
7 My friends, be patient until the Lord returns. Think of farmers who wait patiently for the autumn and spring rains to make their valuable crops grow. 8 Be patient like those farmers and don't give up. The Lord will soon be here! 9 Don't grumble about each other or you will be judged, and the judge is right outside the door.
10 My friends, follow the example of the prophets who spoke for the Lord. They were patient, even when they had to suffer. 11 (E) In fact, we praise the ones who endured the most. You remember how patient Job was and how the Lord finally helped him. The Lord did this because he is so merciful and kind.
12 (F) My friends, above all else, don't take an oath. You must not swear by heaven or by earth or by anything else. “Yes” or “No” is all you need to say. If you say anything more, you will be condemned.
13 If you are having trouble, you should pray. And if you are feeling good, you should sing praises. 14 (G) If you are sick, ask the church leaders[a] to come and pray for you. Ask them to put olive oil[b] on you in the name of the Lord. 15 If you have faith when you pray for sick people, they will get well. The Lord will heal them, and if they have sinned, he will forgive them.
16 (H) If you have sinned, you should tell each other what you have done. Then you can pray for one another and be healed. The prayer of an innocent person is powerful, and it can help a lot. 17 (I) Elijah was just as human as we are, and for three and a half years his prayers kept the rain from falling. 18 (J) But when he did pray for rain, it fell from the skies and made the crops grow.
19 My friends, if any followers have wandered away from the truth, you should try to lead them back. 20 (K) If you turn sinners from the wrong way, you will save them from death, and many of their sins will be forgiven.
Santiago 5
La Biblia de las Américas
Advertencias a los ricos
5 ¡Oíd [a] ahora(A), ricos(B)! Llorad y aullad por las miserias que vienen sobre vosotros(C). 2 Vuestras riquezas se han podrido(D) y vuestras ropas están comidas de polilla. 3 Vuestro oro y vuestra plata se han oxidado, su herrumbre será un testigo contra vosotros y consumirá vuestra carne como fuego. Es en[b] los últimos días que habéis acumulado tesoros(E). 4 Mirad, el jornal de los obreros que han segado vuestros campos(F) y que ha sido retenido por vosotros, clama contra vosotros; y el clamor de los segadores(G) ha llegado a los oídos del Señor de los ejércitos[c](H). 5 Habéis vivido lujosamente sobre la tierra(I), y habéis llevado una vida de placer desenfrenado; habéis engordado[d] vuestros corazones en el día de la matanza(J). 6 Habéis condenado y dado muerte[e](K) al justo(L); él no os hace resistencia.
Exhortación a la paciencia
7 Por tanto, hermanos(M), sed pacientes hasta la venida del Señor(N). Mirad cómo el labrador espera el fruto precioso de la tierra(O), siendo paciente en ello hasta que recibe la lluvia temprana y la tardía(P). 8 Sed también vosotros pacientes(Q); fortaleced vuestros corazones(R), porque la venida del Señor(S) está cerca(T). 9 Hermanos(U), no os quejéis unos contra otros(V), para que no seáis juzgados; mirad, el Juez(W) está a[f] las puertas(X). 10 Hermanos(Y), tomad como ejemplo de paciencia y aflicción a los profetas(Z) que hablaron en el nombre del Señor. 11 Mirad que tenemos por bienaventurados(AA) a los que sufrieron[g]. Habéis oído de la paciencia[h](AB) de Job, y habéis visto el resultado del proceder[i] del Señor(AC), que el Señor es muy compasivo, y misericordioso(AD).
Exhortaciones varias
12 Y sobre todo, hermanos míos(AE), no juréis, ni por el cielo, ni por la tierra, ni con ningún otro juramento; antes bien, sea vuestro sí[j], sí, y vuestro no[k], no(AF), para que no caigáis bajo juicio.
13 ¿Sufre alguno entre vosotros(AG)? Que haga oración(AH). ¿Está alguno alegre? Que cante alabanzas(AI). 14 ¿Está alguno entre vosotros enfermo? Que llame a los ancianos de la iglesia(AJ) y que ellos oren por él, ungiéndolo[l] con aceite en el nombre del Señor(AK); 15 y la oración de fe(AL) restaurará[m] al enfermo(AM), y el Señor lo levantará(AN), y si ha cometido pecados le serán perdonados[n]. 16 Por tanto, confesaos vuestros pecados unos a otros(AO), y orad unos por otros para que seáis sanados(AP). La oración[o] eficaz(AQ) del justo puede lograr mucho. 17 Elías era un hombre de pasiones semejantes a las nuestras[p](AR), y oró fervientemente[q] para que no lloviera(AS), y no llovió sobre la tierra por tres años y seis meses(AT). 18 Y otra vez oró(AU), y el cielo dio lluvia(AV) y la tierra produjo su fruto.
19 Hermanos míos, si alguno de entre vosotros(AW) se extravía de la verdad(AX) y alguno le hace volver, 20 sepa[r] que el que hace volver a un pecador del error de su camino salvará su alma de muerte(AY), y cubrirá multitud de pecados(AZ).
Footnotes
- Santiago 5:1 Lit., Vamos
- Santiago 5:3 O, para
- Santiago 5:4 Gr., Sabaot
- Santiago 5:5 Lit., nutrido
- Santiago 5:6 O, asesinado
- Santiago 5:9 Lit., de pie, delante de
- Santiago 5:11 O, perseveraron
- Santiago 5:11 O, firmeza
- Santiago 5:11 Lit., fin
- Santiago 5:12 Lit., el sí
- Santiago 5:12 Lit., el no
- Santiago 5:14 Lit., habiéndolo ungido
- Santiago 5:15 O, salvará
- Santiago 5:15 Lit., le será perdonado
- Santiago 5:16 Lit., súplica
- Santiago 5:17 O, con una naturaleza como la nuestra
- Santiago 5:17 Lit., con oración
- Santiago 5:20 Algunos mss. dicen: sabed
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