GOD'S JUDGMENT AGAINST THE RICH

Passage: James 5:1-6

Key verse: 1

NIV

Warning to Rich Oppressors

5 Now listen,(A) you rich people,(B) weep and wail(C) because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.(D) 3 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) 4 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) 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves(I) in the day of slaughter.[a](J) 6 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
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Warning to the Rich

5 Come now, (A)you rich, weep and howl for the (B)miseries that are coming upon you. 2 (C)Your riches have rotted and (D)your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. (E)You have laid up treasure (F)in the last days. 4 Behold, (G)the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and (H)the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of (I)the Lord of hosts. 5 (J)You have lived on the earth in luxury and (K)in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in (L)a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and (M)murdered (N)the righteous person. He does not resist you.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Misery for the wealthy (1-3) Worldly wealth can be a blessing from the Lord. But gold, silver, money or fashionable clothes cannot be our focus or hope. These things will all rot and corrode in the end. A life spent hoarding wealth for ourselves will end in misery and wailing. Our corroded worldly wealth will testify against us at the judgment. Let's rather use our money for God's kingdom work. 2. God will judge injustice (4-6) Some brothers and sisters apparently were not paid by wealthy landowners. While the wealthy indulged in luxuries, the workers suffered poverty and injustice. Their cries for help reached the Lord Almighty. God will judge those who have mistreated the poor. May God help us to love our neighbor as ourselves with our money.

Prayer: Lord, my hope is in you alone. Help me to be rich towards you and towards others.

One Word: God will judge the self-indulgent and unjust