Dual Panel1AND now, you men of affluence, is the time for you to weep and wail because of the miseries in store for you!
2Your riches are mined, your fine clothes are motheaten,
3your gold and silver are tarnished. Yes, their very tarnish will be evidence against you, and they will burn your flesh like fire. You have made a fine pile in these last days, haven't you?
4But look, here is the pay of the reaper you hired and whom you never paid, and is cries out against you! And the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts himself.
5Yes, you have had a magnificent time on this earth, and have indulged yourselves to the full.
6You have picked out just what you wanted like soldiers looting after battle. You have condemned and ruined innocent men, and they are powerless to stop you.
7But be patient, my brothers, as you wait for the Lord to come. Look at the farmer quietly awaiting the precious harvest of his land. See how he has to possess his soul in patience till the early and late rains have fallen.
8So must you be patient, resting your hearts on the ultimate certainty. The Lord's coming is very near.
9Don't make complaints against each other in the meantime, my brothersyou may be the one at fault yourself. The judge himself is already at the door.
10For our example of the patient endurance of suffering we can take the prophets who have spoken in the Lord's name.
11Remember that it is those who have patiently endured to whom we accord the word "blessed". You have heard of Job's patient endurance and how the Lord dealt with him in the end, and therefore you have seen that the Lord is merciful and full of understanding pity.
12It is of the highest importance, my brothers, that your speech should be free from oaths (whether they are "by" heaven or earth or anything else). Your yes should be a plain yea, and your no a plain no, and then you cannot go wrong in the matter.
13If any of you is in trouble let him pray. If anyone is flourishing let him sing praises to God.
14If anyone is ill he should send for the church elders. They should pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Lord's name.
15Believing prayer will save the sick man; the Lord will restore him and any sins that he has committed will be forgiven.
16You should get into the habit of admitting your sins to each other, and praying for each other, so that you may be healed. Tremendous power is made available through a good man's earnest prayer.
17Do you remember Elijah? He was a man as human as we are but he prayed earnestly that it should not rain. In fact, not a drop fell on the land for three and a half years.
18Then he prayed again, the heavens gave the rain and the earth sprouted with vegetation again.
19My brothers, if any of you should wander away from the truth and another should turn him back on to the right path,
20then the latter may be sure that in turning a man back from his wandering course he has rescued a soul from death, and in so doing will "cover a multitude of sins".