od Biblica1Vy boháči už teraz plačte a nariekajte nad pohromami, ktoré vás postihnú.2Nahromadili ste toľko potravín, že vám hnijú, šatstvo vám žerú mole,3peniaze strácajú na cene a striebro hrdzavie. Chceli ste si nazhromaždiť poklady, no navŕšili ste si iba vatru, ktorá pri poslednom súde zhorí aj s vami.4Mzda, o ktorú ste okradli robotníkov najatých, aby vám zožali vaše polia, svedčí proti vám a nárek žencov doľahol k Božiemu sluchu.5Váš život strávený v zábavách a hýrení sa podobá vykrmovaniu zvierat na zabitie.6Odsúdili ste a zabili nevinného, ktorý sa nebránil.
Buďte trpezliví, Pán je blízko
7Bratia, čakajte trpezlivo, kým príde Pán. Vezmite si príklad z roľníka, ktorý vytrvalo čaká na vytúženú úrodu zeme, kým dozrie po jesenných a jarných dažďoch.8Aj vy teda trpezlivo čakajte a majte istotu v srdci, veď príchod Pánov sa blíži.9Bratia, neponosujte sa jeden na druhého, veď sami nie ste lepší ako tí, ktorých kritizujete. Nezabudnite, že veľký sudca je už predo dvermi a bude súdiť aj vás.10Za príklad trpezlivosti v utrpení si vezmite prorokov, ktorí niesli Božie posolstvo.11Počuli ste o Jóbovej vytrvalosti a spomeňte si, že Boh napokon jeho utrpenie obrátil na dobré. Vidíte, aký je Pán plný súcitu a zľutovania.12Nehrešte tým, že by ste si brali Boha za svedka. Buďte takí pravdovravní, aby každý mohol veriť vášmu jednoduchému áno alebo nie.13Prežíva niekto z vás ťažkosti? Nech sa modlí. Má sa niekto z vás dobre? Nech spevom chváli Boha.14Je niekto z vás ťažko chorý? Nech si pozve starších zboru, aby sa zaňho modlili, a nech ho ponatierajú olejom v mene Pánovom.15Modlitba spojená s opravdivou vierou uzdraví chorého, Pán ho povzbudí, a ak ho ťaží svedomie, odpustí mu hriechy.16Vyznávajte si navzájom hriechy a modlite sa jedni za druhých, aby ste mohli byť uzdravení. Opravdivá modlitba úprimne veriaceho má veľkú moc.17Spomínate si na Eliáša? Bol to rovnako krehký človek, ako sme my, ale keď sa vrúcne modlil, aby nepršalo, jeho modlitbu Boh vypočul – nespŕchlo tri a pol roka.18Potom sa modlil znovu, no tentoraz prosil o dážď. Aj túto jeho modlitbu Boh vypočul a zem sa po daždi znova rozzelenela a dala úrodu.19Bratia moji, ak niekto zablúdi od pravdy20a iný ho privedie naspäť, zachráni jeho dušu pred zahynutím a prikryje množstvo hriechov.
1Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. (Prís 11,28; Am 6,1; Lk 6,24; Rim 3,16; 1 Tim 6,9)2Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. (Jób 13,28; Iz 50,9; Mt 6,19)3Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. (Mt 6,19; Lk 12,21; Rim 2,5; Jak 5,8)4Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. (Lv 19,13; Dt 24,15; Jób 24,10; Rim 9,29)5You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. (Jób 21,13; Jer 12,3; Lk 16,19; 1 Tim 5,6; 2 Pt 2,13)6You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. (Sk 3,14; Jak 4,2)
Patience in Suffering
7Be patient, therefore, brothers,[1] until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. (Dt 11,14)8You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. (Rim 13,11; Flp 4,5; 1 Sol 3,13; Hebr 10,25; Hebr 10,37; 1 Pt 4,7)9Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. (Mt 7,1; Mt 24,33; Mk 13,29; 1 Kor 4,5; 1 Pt 4,5; Zjv 22,12)10As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. (Mt 5,12; Mt 23,34; Sk 7,52; Hebr 11,32)11Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. (Ex 34,6; Jób 1,21; Jób 2,10; Jób 42,10; Jób 42,12)12But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. (Mt 5,34)
The Prayer of Faith
13Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. (Kol 3,16)14Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. (Mk 6,13; Mk 16,18)15And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (Iz 33,24; Mt 9,2; Mk 2,5; Lk 5,20)16Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.[2] (Gn 18,23; Gn 20,17; Nm 11,2; 1 Kr 13,6; 1 Kr 17,22; 2 Kr 4,33; 2 Kr 19,15; 2 Kr 20,2; Jób 42,8; Prís 15,29; Sk 19,18; Hebr 12,13)17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. (1 Kr 17,1; 1 Kr 18,1; Lk 4,25; Sk 14,15)18Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. (1 Kr 18,42; 1 Kr 18,45)19My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, (Ž 51,13; Dan 12,3; Mal 2,6; Mt 18,15; Lk 1,16; Gal 6,1)20let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (Neh 4,5; Ž 32,1; Ž 85,2; Prís 10,12; Rim 11,14; 1 Pt 4,8)