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You rich people, listen to me. Cry and weep, because you will soon be suffering. 2 Your riches have rotted. Moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver have lost their brightness. Their dullness will be a witness against you. Your wanting more and more will eat your body like fire. You have stored up riches in these last days. 4 You 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. He rules over all. 5 You 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. 6 You have judged and murdered people who aren't guilty. And they weren't even opposing you. 7 Brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord comes. See how the farmer waits for the land to produce its rich crop. See how patient the farmer is for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too must be patient. You must remain strong. The Lord will soon come back. 9 Brothers and sisters, don't find fault with one another. If you do, you will be judged. And the Judge is standing at the door!
10 Brothers 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. 11 As 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.
5:1–11 The Jewish believers James wrote to were being treated badly by rich people. James wrote against the evil things those rich people were doing. They were keeping what they had all to themselves. They made sure that they had everything they wanted. They did this even though other people didn't have enough. They didn't pay workers for their work. In court they treated people who hadn't done wrong unfairly. James warned them that God would judge them for this. They would suffer after Jesus' return to earth. James shared this warning to encourage those who were being treated badly by the rich. While they suffered, the Jewish believers could trust God's tender mercy and loving concern for them. They must be patient like farmers. They must also be patient like Job was. Like the prophets, they must be strong in their faith and not give up. They mustn't judge one another but must trust God to be the Judge.
12 My brothers and sisters, here is what is most important. Don't make a promise by giving your word. Don't promise by heaven or earth. And don't promise by anything else to back up what you say. All you need to say is a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. If you do more than this, you will be judged.
13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Then that person should pray. Is anyone among you happy? Then that person should sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you ill? Then that person should send for the elders of the church to pray over them. They should ask the elders to anoint them with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer offered by those who have faith will make the ill person well. The Lord will heal them. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 So confess your sins to one another. Pray for one another so that you might be healed. The prayer of a godly person is powerful. Things happen because of it.
17 Elijah was a human being, just as we are. He prayed hard that it wouldn't rain. And it didn't rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Then he prayed again. That time it rained. And the earth produced its crops.
19 My brothers and sisters, suppose one of you wanders away from the truth. And suppose someone brings that person back. 20 Then here is what I want you to remember. Anyone who keeps a sinner from going astray will save them from death. God will erase many sins by forgiving them.
5:12–20 The words and prayers of believers are powerful. Believers are to be honest so that others can fully trust what they say. James mentions three ways that believers can use their words and prayers to help each other. One way is to sing praises to God when they are happy. This encourages other believers. Another way is to pray for one another when they are in trouble or are ill. Church elders and everyone with faith in God can do this. They can pray for one another in Jesus' name. They can anoint one another with oil like the oil from olive trees. This shows that they trust Jesus as the Lord who brings healing. Another way is to talk openly with one another about their sins. Confessing their sins helps believers to be humble and not judge each other. It also allows them to help each other avoid sin. This helps believers stay away from ways of living that lead to death.