Brothers, as an example of patience in affliction, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Parallel translations
- WEB Take, brothers, for an example of suffering and of perseverance, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
- KJV Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
- NKJV My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.
- NASB As an example, brothers and sisters, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
- NLT For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The prophets who suffered for speaking God's word are examples of patient endurance. Faithful saints before us model perseverance under hardship.
Overview
James points to the Old Testament prophets, who endured suffering while faithfully proclaiming God's message, as patterns for believers under trial. Their example shows that hardship is no sign of God's disfavor but often accompanies faithfulness. Such witnesses encourage perseverance, joining the great cloud of those who endured by faith (Hebrews 11).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Heb 11:32–38And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,
- Matt 5:11–12Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
- Heb 13:7Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
- Acts 7:52Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—
- 1 Th 2:14–15For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews,
- Acts 3:21Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets.
- Luke 6:23Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For their fathers treated the prophets in the same way.
- Jer 2:30“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”
- Isa 39:8But Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “At least there will be peace and security in my lifetime.”
- 2 Chr 36:16But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.
- Jer 26:16Then the officials and all the people told the priests and prophets, “This man is not worthy of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God!”
- Luke 13:34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
- Matt 21:34–39When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit.
- Matt 23:34–37Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town.
- Jer 23:22But if they had stood in My council, they would have proclaimed My words to My people and turned them back from their evil ways and deeds.”
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Christ at the center
The wisdom from above and the royal law of love are the life of those who belong to 'our glorious Lord Jesus Christ' — faith in him made visible in works.
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Original language
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