James 5 5

James 5:5 kjv

Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

James 5:5 nkjv

You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.

James 5:5 niv

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

James 5:5 esv

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

James 5:5 nlt

You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.

James 5 verses

James 5 5 Meaning

James 5:5 condemns the rich for their extreme and self-absorbed lifestyle. They have lived on earth with extravagant luxury and indulgent pleasures, focused entirely on their own gratification without consideration for justice or the suffering of others. This excessive living is depicted as "fattening their hearts," a stark and chilling metaphor that likens them to animals being prepared for slaughter. The "day of slaughter" points to an imminent day of divine judgment, implying that their very prosperity and self-indulgence are leading them directly to their own destruction, rather than being a sign of divine favor.

James 5 5 Context

James 5:5 is part of a severe denunciation against the rich oppressors found in James 5:1-6. This section directly precedes James's encouragement to believers enduring suffering (James 5:7-11), making it a powerful contrast. James is addressing a specific group of wealthy individuals, likely landowners or merchants, who were exploiting their laborers by withholding wages (v. 4) and condemning the innocent (v. 6). The historical context reveals that such exploitation was common, particularly towards Jewish communities who often faced socio-economic marginalization. James, as the brother of the Lord and a prominent leader in the Jerusalem church, likely witnessed firsthand the tensions between rich landowners (who may or may not have been believers) and impoverished Christian laborers. This verse emphasizes that the rich, while indulging in their earthly luxuries, are ironically oblivious to their own impending judgment, described here with a shocking agricultural metaphor that highlights their ultimate destiny.

James 5 5 Word analysis

• You have lived on earth in luxury: (Greek: ἐτρυφήσατε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, etryphēsate epi tēs gēs).

  • ἐτρυφήσατε (etryphēsate): Aorist active indicative of τρυφάω (tryphaō), meaning "to live delicately," "luxuriously," "wantonly," "to revel." It signifies an excessive, soft, and pampered lifestyle, often implying moral indulgence and sensual pleasure rather than necessary provision. It connotes extravagance, effeminacy, and hedonism, often at the expense of others. This is not simply comfortable living but lavish self-indulgence.
  • ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς (epi tēs gēs): "on the earth." Emphasizes the transient nature of their enjoyment and implies a focus purely on earthly pleasures and possessions, neglecting spiritual and eternal realities. Their "kingdom" is limited to this present world.

• and self-indulgence: (Greek: ἐσπαταλήσατε, espatalēsate).

  • ἐσπαταλήσατε (espatalēsate): Aorist active indicative of σπαταλάω (spatalaō), meaning "to live luxuriously," "wantonly," "riotously," "to live an abandoned life." This word intensifies τρυφάω, suggesting a profligate and undisciplined existence. It often refers to a woman living in widowhood in such a way (cf. 1 Tim 5:6), indicating idleness, extravagance, and sensuality. It reinforces the idea of irresponsible and excessive consumption.

• You have fattened your hearts: (Greek: ἐθρέψατε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ethrepsate tas kardias hymōn).

  • ἐθρέψατε (ethrepsate): Aorist active indicative of τρέφω (trephō), meaning "to nourish," "feed," "rear," or "bring up." Here, it's used metaphorically. The implication is that they have nourished themselves excessively, not just their bodies but their very "hearts"—their inner selves, their desires, their will, their whole being—with worldly comforts and luxuries.
  • τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν (tas kardias hymōn): "your hearts." In biblical understanding, the "heart" is the seat of the will, intellect, emotion, and moral character. Fattening their hearts suggests an over-indulgence that has made their moral compass dull, their desires worldly, and their spiritual sensitivities unresponsive. They've cultivated a state of moral insensitivity and self-absorption.

• in a day of slaughter: (Greek: ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σφαγῆς, en hēmerā sphagēs).

  • ἡμέρᾳ (hēmerā): "day." Often used biblically to refer to a specific, significant period, particularly one of divine visitation or judgment.
  • σφαγῆς (sphagēs): Genitive singular of σφαγή (sphagē), meaning "slaughter," "carnage," "killing," or "sacrifice." This is a stark and powerful image. It's not just a general destruction, but a systematic "slaughter." The image is drawn from the practice of fattening animals for sacrifice or for the market, which implied their eventual death. Here, their very feasting and luxury have prepared them not for life, but for death, making them fit for the "day" of God's righteous judgment, which is portrayed as an unavoidable end to their wickedness. This "day of slaughter" is often seen as a reference to the "Day of the Lord," an Old Testament theme signifying God's direct intervention in history to judge the wicked and save the righteous.

James 5 5 Bonus section

The metaphor in James 5:5 is a profound piece of dramatic irony. The rich believe they are building a secure and comfortable future by accumulating wealth and enjoying pleasures, but James reveals they are unknowingly preparing for their destruction. Their luxurious consumption, which seems to signify abundance and blessing, is actually leading them to an ironic end where they become like sacrificial animals, unwittingly making themselves fit for the judgment God has planned for them. The strong prophetic language used by James resonates with Old Testament prophetic condemnations of unjust rulers and wealthy elites (e.g., Amos, Isaiah), emphasizing that divine judgment awaits those who abuse their power and neglect the cries of the poor.

James 5 5 Commentary

James 5:5 is a scathing prophetic pronouncement against the corrupt rich, using highly evocative and shocking imagery. It portrays their luxurious and self-indulgent lifestyle not as a sign of blessing, but as a deliberate act of preparing themselves for a dreadful fate. Their continuous indulgence in "luxury and self-indulgence" points to a lifestyle defined by ease, excessive pleasure, and lack of self-control, highlighting a moral degradation fueled by their wealth. The chilling metaphor of "fattening their hearts for a day of slaughter" implies that their very indulgence makes them ripe for divine judgment, much like cattle fattened for sacrifice. They are unaware that their lavish feasting is, in reality, a preparation for their own doom. This "day of slaughter" points to God's inevitable intervention, a day of reckoning where their earthly comforts will mean nothing against the justice of the Almighty. It serves as a stern warning that material prosperity, when gained and used unjustly, ultimately leads to spiritual and eternal catastrophe.

• Practical Example: Imagine a business owner who constantly hosts lavish parties, wears the finest clothes, and builds extravagant properties, while simultaneously refusing to pay fair wages to his employees, ignores their suffering, and cuts corners on safety regulations for profit. His life of "luxury and self-indulgence" is metaphorically "fattening his heart," making him insensitive to moral responsibilities and preparing him for inevitable judgment, as God hears the cries of the oppressed (cf. James 5:4).