James 5:1

James warns the unjust rich to weep over the misery coming upon them. Wealth gained and used wickedly invites God's judgment.

Cross-references · 34

• Prov 11:28He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.
• 1 Tim 6:9–10But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction.
• Prov 11:4Riches don’t profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
• Luke 12:16–21He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man produced abundantly.
• Jer 9:23Yahweh says, “Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might. Don’t let the rich man glory in his riches.
• Jas 1:11For the sun arises with the scorching wind, and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in his pursuits.
• Luke 6:24–25“But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation.
• Luke 16:19–25“Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.
• Matt 19:23–24Jesus said to his disciples, “Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty.
• Mic 6:12Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech.
• Ps 73:3–9For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
• Isa 13:6Wail; for the day of Yahweh is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.
• Zeph 1:18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh’s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.
• Rev 6:15–17The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains.
• Joel 1:11Be confounded, you farmers! Wail, you vineyard keepers; for the wheat and for the barley; for the harvest of the field has perished.
• Jas 2:6But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?
• Neh 9:25–26They took fortified cities and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns dug out, vineyards, and olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled, became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness.
• Jas 4:13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow let’s go into this city, and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.”
• Deut 32:15But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked. You have grown fat. You have grown thick. You have become sleek. Then he abandoned God who made him, and rejected the Rock of his salvation.
• Ps 73:18–20Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
• Job 20:15–29He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.
• Eccl 5:13–14There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.
• Jer 4:8For this clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of Yahweh hasn’t turned back from us.
• Ps 49:6–20Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches —
• Joel 1:5Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
• Zech 11:2–3Wail, cypress tree, for the cedar has fallen, because the stately ones are destroyed. Wail, you oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest has come down.
• Isa 22:12–13In that day, the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, called to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to dressing in sackcloth:
• Amos 6:6–7who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the best oils; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
• Ezek 19:2and say, ‘What was your mother? A lioness. She couched among lions, in the middle of the young lions she nourished her cubs.
• Jas 4:9Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom.
• Luke 23:28–29But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
• Ps 17:14from men by your hand, Yahweh, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.
• Joel 1:13Put on sackcloth and mourn, you priests! Wail, you ministers of the altar. Come, lie all night in sackcloth, you ministers of my God, for the meal offering and the drink offering are withheld from your God’s house.
• Deut 8:12–14lest, when you have eaten and are full, and have built fine houses, and lived in them;

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