Jam 5 | Comm | STEP | Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.

‏ James 5

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out against you; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you. 7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rains. 8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Do not grumble, brethren, against one another, that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we call those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no be no, that you may not fall under condemnation. 13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain and the earth produced its fruit. 19 My brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.