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Warning to Rich Oppressors

Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure[a] for the last days. Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you.

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Footnotes

  1. James 5:3 Or will eat your flesh, since you have stored up fire

Warning to Rich Oppressors

Now listen,(A) you rich people,(B) weep and wail(C) because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.(D) 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) 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) You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves(I) in the day of slaughter.[a](J) You have condemned and murdered(K) the innocent one,(L) who was not opposing you.

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Footnotes

  1. James 5:5 Or yourselves as in a day of feasting

41 For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

Temptations to Sin

42 “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me,[a] it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell,[b] to the unquenchable fire.[c] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell.[d][e] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell,[f] 48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

49 “For everyone will be salted with fire.[g] 50 Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it?[h] Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 9:42 Other ancient authorities lack in me
  2. Mark 9:43 Gk Gehenna
  3. Mark 9:43 Verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48) are lacking in the best ancient authorities
  4. Mark 9:45 Gk Gehenna
  5. Mark 9:45 Verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48) are lacking in the best ancient authorities
  6. Mark 9:47 Gk Gehenna
  7. Mark 9:49 Other ancient authorities either add or substitute and every sacrifice will be salted with salt
  8. Mark 9:50 Or how can you restore its saltiness?

41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.(A)

Causing to Stumble

42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,(B) it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.(C) 43 If your hand causes you to stumble,(D) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell,(E) where the fire never goes out.(F) [44] [a] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble,(G) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.(H) [46] [b] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble,(I) pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,(J) 48 where

“‘the worms that eat them do not die,
    and the fire is not quenched.’[c](K)

49 Everyone will be salted(L) with fire.

50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?(M) Have salt among yourselves,(N) and be at peace with each other.”(O)

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 9:44 Some manuscripts include here the words of verse 48.
  2. Mark 9:46 Some manuscripts include here the words of verse 48.
  3. Mark 9:48 Isaiah 66:24