Warning to the Rich
1Come now,you rich, weep, wailing over the miseries thatare coming upon you.2Your riches have rotted, and your garments have become moth-eaten.3Your gold and silver have corroded, and their rust will be for a testimony against you and will eat your flesh like fire.
You have treasured up inthe last days.4Behold, the wage of the workmen having harvested your fields, having been kept back by you, cries out, and the cries of those having harvested have entered into the ears ofthe Lord of Hosts.
5You lived in luxury and lived in self-indulgence upon the earth. You have fattened your hearts inthe day of slaughter.6You have condemnedand have put to death the righteous; he does not resist you.
Patience in Suffering
(Job 1:1-5)
7Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the earth, being patient for it until it receivesthe early and latterrains.8You also be patient; strengthen your hearts, because the coming of the Lord has drawn near.9Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing before the doors.
10Brothersas an example of suffering evils and of patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name ofthe Lord.11Behold, we count blessed those having persevered. You have heard of the perseverance of Job, and you have seen the outcome fromthe Lord, that the Lord is full of compassion andis merciful.
12But before all things, my brothers, do not swear, neitherby heaven, nor the earth, nor any other oath. But let your “Yes” be yes, and the “No,” no, so that you might not fall under judgment.
The Prayer of Faith
13Is anyone among you suffering hardships? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises.14Is anyone among you sick? Let him call near the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, having anointed him with oil in the name of the Lord.15And the prayer of faith will save the one ailing, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he might beone having committed sins, it will be forgiven him.
16Therefore confess the sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.The prayer of a righteousman being made effective prevails much.17Elijah was a man of like nature to us, and with fervent prayer he prayedfor it not to rain, and it did not rain upon the earth three years and six months.18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
Restoring a Sinner
19My brothers, if anyone among you might wander from the truth, and someone should bring him back,20let him know that theone having brought back a sinner fromthe error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover over a multitude of sins.
