James
Chapter 5
1 Listen now, you rich people, cry and wail because of the troubles that are going to happen to you.
2 Your wealth has gone bad, and your clothes have been eaten by moths.
3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up wealth for the last days.
4 Look, the pay of the workers who harvested your fields, which you unfairly kept from them, is calling out; and their cries have reached God’s ears.
5 You have enjoyed life on Earth and lived recklessly; you have filled your hearts, as if it were a day to kill animals for feasting.
6 You condemned and killed the righteous person; he did not fight against you.
7 So, my friends, wait patiently for the Lord to come. Think about farmers who wait for their valuable crops to grow. They wait patiently for the rain in the fall and spring.
8 Be patient too; make your hearts strong because God’s coming is near.
9 Do not hold grudges against each other, brothers, or you may be judged: see, the judge is right at the door.
10 Look at the prophets who spoke for God as examples of those who suffered and were patient.
11 Look, we think those who endure are happy. You have heard about Job’s patience, and you know how God’s story ended; God is very compassionate and kind.
12 My friends, don’t make promises using the name of heaven or earth or anything else. Just say “yes” when you mean yes, and “no” when you mean no, so you won’t be judged.
13 If any of you are having trouble, pray. If anyone is happy, sing songs of praise.
14 If anyone among you is sick, they should call for the church leaders to pray over them and anoint them with oil in God’s name.
15 The faithful prayer will heal the sick, God will lift him up, and if he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
16 Admit your mistakes to each other, and pray for each other, so you can be healed. The powerful and earnest prayer of a good person has great impact.
17 Elijah was a person with feelings like ours, and he prayed hard for no rain: and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
18 He prayed once more, and the sky sent rain, and the land produced its crops.
19 Friends, if anyone of you wanders away from the truth and someone brings them back,
20 Let him understand that one who turns a sinner from the wrong path will save a soul from death and cover many sins.