Early and Late Rain

Now listen, you rich people! Weep and wail over the misery that is coming on you.

ἌγεI lead νῦνnow, already, at present οἱthe πλούσιοι,rich κλαύσατεI weep, weep for, mourn ὀλολύζοντεςI howl, lament loudly ἐπὶupon, concerning ταῖςthe ταλαιπωρίαιςhardship, misery ὑμῶνyou ταῖςthe ἐπερχομέναις.I approach, overtake, attack

Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.

ὁthe πλοῦτοςriches, wealth ὑμῶνyou σέσηπεν,I cause to rot καὶand, also τὰthe ἱμάτιαouter garment ὑμῶνyou σητόβρωταmoth-eaten γέγονεν,to come to be, be made

Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days!

ὁthe χρυσὸςanything made of gold ὑμῶνyou καὶand, also ὁthe ἄργυροςsilver as a metal κατίωται,be corroded, rust καὶand, also ὁthe ἰὸςpoison, rust αὐτῶνhe, his, it εἰςinto, so that μαρτύριονwitness, evidence, testimony ὑμῖνyou ἔσταιto be καὶand, also φάγεταιI eat τὰςthe σάρκαςflesh, body ὑμῶν·you ὡςas, like as, how, while, so that πῦρfire, trials ἐθησαυρίσατεI store up, treasure up, save ἐνin, by ἐσχάταιςlast, at the last, finally ἡμέραις.a day

Listen! The pay you held back from the workers who mowed your fields is shouting against you, and the cries of the people who brought in your harvest have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.

ἰδοὺSee! Lo! Behold! Look! ὁthe μισθὸςwages, reward τῶνthe ἐργατῶνa field-laborer, workman τῶνthe ἀμησάντωνI mow, reap τὰςthe χώραςregion, land, fields ὑμῶνyou ὁthe ἀφυστερημένοςhold back, withhold ἀφ’from, away from ὑμῶνyou κράζει,I cry aloud, shriek καὶand, also αἱthe βοαὶa shout τῶνthe θερισάντωνI reap, gather εἰςinto, so that τὰthe ὦταthe ear Κυρίουlord, Lord, master, sir Σαβαὼθhosts, armies εἰσεληλύθασιν·I go in, come in, enter

You have lived on the earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

ἐτρυφήσατεI live a luxurious life ἐπὶupon, concerning τῆςthe γῆςthe earth, soil, land καὶand, also ἐσπαταλήσατε,I live extravagantly ἐθρέψατεI feed, rear τὰςthe καρδίαςthe heart, inner life, intention ὑμῶνyou ἐνin, by ἡμέρᾳa day σφαγῆς.slaughter, sacrifice

You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you.

κατεδικάσατε,I condemn ἐφονεύσατεI murder τὸνthe δίκαιον.righteous οὐκnot ἀντιτάσσεταιI set myself against, resist ὑμῖν;you

So be patient, brothers, until the Lord comes. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its precious crop, being patient with it until it gets the early and the late rains.

ΜακροθυμήσατεI suffer long, have patience, am forbearing οὖν,therefore, then ἀδελφοί,a brother ἕωςuntil, as far as τῆςthe παρουσίαςpresence, a coming, arrival, advent τοῦthe κυρίου.lord, Lord, master, sir ἰδοὺSee! Lo! Behold! Look! ὁthe γεωργὸςa worker of the soil, husbandman, vine-dresser ἐκδέχεταιI wait for, expect τὸνthe τίμιονof great price, precious, honored καρπὸνfruit, result, gain τῆςthe γῆς,the earth, soil, land μακροθυμῶνI suffer long, have patience, am forbearing ἐπ’upon, concerning αὐτῷhe, his, it ἕωςuntil, as far as λάβῃI receive, take πρόϊμονearly (rain) καὶand, also ὄψιμον.late in the year

You too must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord's coming is near.

μακροθυμήσατεI suffer long, have patience, am forbearing καὶand, also ὑμεῖς,you στηρίξατεI fix firmly, strengthen τὰςthe καρδίαςthe heart, inner life, intention ὑμῶν,you ὅτιthat ἡthe παρουσίαpresence, a coming, arrival, advent τοῦthe κυρίουlord, Lord, master, sir ἤγγικεν.I come near, approach

Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look, the Judge is standing at the door!

μὴnot στενάζετε,I groan ἀδελφοί,a brother κατ’down from, against, according to, throughout, during ἀλλήλων,one another ἵναin order that, so that μὴnot κριθῆτε·I judge, decide, think good ἰδοὺSee! Lo! Behold! Look! ὁthe κριτὴςa judge πρὸbefore τῶνthe θυρῶνa door, opportunity ἕστηκεν.I cause to stand, stand

Brothers, as an example of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

ὑπόδειγμαa figure, copy, example λάβετε,I receive, take ἀδελφοί,a brother τῆςthe κακοπαθίαςsuffering, hardship καὶand, also τῆςthe μακροθυμίαςpatience, forbearance τοὺςthe προφήτας,a prophet, poet οἳwho, which ἐλάλησανto speak ἐνin, by τῷthe ὀνόματιname, character, reputation κυρίου.lord, Lord, master, sir

We call the ones who held out happy. You have heard how Job held out, and you have seen how the Lord brought it to its end: the Lord is deeply compassionate and kind.

ἰδοὺSee! Lo! Behold! Look! μακαρίζομενI deem happy τοὺςthe ὑπομείναντας·I remain behind, endure τὴνthe ὑπομονὴνendurance, steadfastness ἸὼβJob ἠκούσατε,I hear, listen καὶand, also τὸthe τέλοςan end, purpose, tax κυρίουlord, Lord, master, sir εἴδετε,to see ὅτιthat πολύσπλαγχνόςvery compassionate ἐστινto be ὁthe κύριοςlord, Lord, master, sir καὶand, also οἰκτίρμων.compassionate, merciful

Most of all, my brothers, do not take oaths, not by heaven, not by earth, not by anything else. Let your yes mean yes and your no mean no, so that you do not come under judgment.

Πρὸbefore πάντωνall, the whole, every kind of δέ,now, but ἀδελφοίa brother μου,I μὴnot ὀμνύετε,I swear, take an oath μήτεnor, neither, not even τὸνthe οὐρανὸνthe sky, the heaven μήτεnor, neither, not even τὴνthe γῆνthe earth, soil, land μήτεnor, neither, not even ἄλλονother, another, different τινὰany one, some one ὅρκον·an oath ἤτωto be δὲnow, but ὑμῶνyou τὸthe Ναὶyes, certainly, even so ναὶyes, certainly, even so καὶand, also τὸthe Οὒno, not οὔ,no, not ἵναin order that, so that μὴnot ὑπὸby, under, about κρίσινjudging, divine judgment πέσητε.I fall, fall under

Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praise.

ΚακοπαθεῖI suffer evil, endure affliction τιςany one, some one ἐνin, by ὑμῖν;you προσευχέσθω·I pray, pray for εὐθυμεῖI am cheerful τις;any one, some one ψαλλέτω.I sing psalms

Is anyone among you sick? Let him send for the church's elders, and they should pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Lord's name.

ἀσθενεῖI am weak, sick τιςany one, some one ἐνin, by ὑμῖν;you προσκαλεσάσθωcall to oneself, summon τοὺςthe πρεσβυτέρουςelder, person of old τῆςthe ἐκκλησίας,an assembly, congregation, church καὶand, also προσευξάσθωσανI pray, pray for ἐπ’upon, concerning αὐτὸνhe, his, it ἀλείψαντεςI anoint αὐτὸνhe, his, it ἐλαίῳolive oil ἐνin, by τῷthe ὀνόματιname, character, reputation τοῦthe κυρίου·lord, Lord, master, sir

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

καὶand, also ἡthe εὐχὴa prayer, vow τῆςthe πίστεωςfaith, trust σώσειI save, heal τὸνthe κάμνοντα,I am weary, ill καὶand, also ἐγερεῖI wake, arouse, raise up αὐτὸνhe, his, it ὁthe κύριος·lord, Lord, master, sir κἂνand if, even if ἁμαρτίαςa sin ᾖto be πεποιηκώς,I do, make ἀφεθήσεταιI send away, release, remit, forgive, permit αὐτῷ.he, his, it

So confess your sins to each other and pray for each other, so that you will be healed. A righteous person's prayer has great power as it does its work.

ἐξομολογεῖσθεI consent fully, confess οὖνtherefore, then ἀλλήλοιςone another τὰςthe ἁμαρτίαςa sin καὶand, also εὔχεσθεI pray, wish ὑπὲρin behalf of, above ἀλλήλων,one another ὅπωςhow, in order that, so that ἰαθῆτε.I heal πολὺmuch, great; here 'better, greater' ἰσχύειI am strong, able δέησιςsupplication, prayer δικαίουrighteous ἐνεργουμένη.I work, accomplish, am operative

Elijah was a man with a nature just like ours. He prayed hard that it would not rain, and no rain fell on the land for three years and six months.

ἨλίαςElijah ἄνθρωποςa man, one of the human race ἦνto be ὁμοιοπαθὴςof like feelings ἡμῖν,I καὶand, also προσευχῇprayer, a place for prayer προσηύξατοI pray, pray for τοῦthe μὴnot βρέξαι,I moisten, rain, send rain καὶand, also οὐκnot ἔβρεξενI moisten, rain, send rain ἐπὶupon, concerning τῆςthe γῆςthe earth, soil, land ἐνιαυτοὺςa year τρεῖςthree καὶand, also μῆναςcertainly ἕξ·six

Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its crops.

καὶand, also πάλινagain, further, on the other hand προσηύξατο,I pray, pray for καὶand, also ὁthe οὐρανὸςthe sky, the heaven ὑετὸνrain ἔδωκενI offer, give καὶand, also ἡthe γῆthe earth, soil, land ἐβλάστησενI sprout, cause to sprout, make to grow up τὸνthe καρπὸνfruit, result, gain αὐτῆς.he, his, it

My brothers, if one of you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,

Ἀδελφοίa brother μου,I ἐάνif τιςany one, some one ἐνin, by ὑμῖνyou πλανηθῇI lead astray, deceive ἀπὸfrom, away from τῆςthe ἀληθείαςtruth καὶand, also ἐπιστρέψῃI turn back to τιςany one, some one αὐτόν,he, his, it

he should know this: whoever turns a sinner back from the wrong road will save that person's soul from death and cover a great many sins.

γινωσκέτωI come to know, learn, realize ὅτιthat ὁthe ἐπιστρέψαςI turn back to ἁμαρτωλὸνsinning, sinful, a sinner ἐκout of, from πλάνηςa wandering, error ὁδοῦa way, road, journey αὐτοῦhe, his, it σώσειI save, heal ψυχὴνthe soul, life, self αὐτοῦhe, his, it ἐκout of, from θανάτουdeath καὶand, also καλύψειI veil, hide, conceal, envelop πλῆθοςa multitude ἁμαρτιῶν.a sin