James 5:1–12

A Warning to Rich People

5You rich people, listen to me. Cry and sob, because you will soon be suffering.

²Your riches have rotted. Moths have eaten your clothes. ³Your gold and silver have lost their brightness. Their dullness will give witness against you. Your wanting more and more will eat your body like fire. You have stored up riches in these last days.

⁴You have even failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields. Their pay is crying out against you. The cries of those who gathered the harvest have reached the ears of the Lord who rules over all.

⁵You have lived an easy life on earth. You have given yourselves everything you wanted. You have made yourselves fat like cattle that will soon be butchered. ⁶You have judged and murdered people who aren’t guilty. And they weren’t even opposing you.

Be Patient When You Suffer

⁷Brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord comes. See how the farmer waits for the land to produce its rich crop. See how patient he is for the fall and spring rains. ⁸You too must be patient. You must stand firm. The Lord will soon come back.

⁹Brothers and sisters, don’t find fault with one another. If you do, you will be judged. And the Judge is standing at the door!

¹⁰Brothers and sisters, think about the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. They are an example of how to be patient when you suffer. ¹¹As you know, we think that people who don’t give up are blessed. You have heard that Job was patient. And you have seen what the Lord finally did for him. The Lord is full of tender mercy and loving concern.

¹²My brothers and sisters, don’t take an oath when you make a promise. Don’t call on heaven or earth or anything else to back up what you say. Let your “Yes” be yes. And let your “No” be no. If you don’t, you will be judged.