James 5 6

James 5:6 kjv

Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

James 5:6 nkjv

You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.

James 5:6 niv

You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

James 5:6 esv

You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

James 5:6 nlt

You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.

James 5 verses

James 5 6 Meaning

James 5:6 delivers a scathing indictment against the wealthy oppressors who have used their power to unjustly condemn and destroy the righteous. This verse signifies not only a judicial injustice but also a socio-economic violence that effectively "murders" the lives and livelihoods of the innocent, rendering them powerless to resist. It highlights the stark reality of the righteous suffering at the hands of the corrupt, without means of self-defense or recourse in human systems, leaving their vindication to divine judgment.

James 5 6 Context

James 5:6 is part of James's strong prophetic denunciation of the wealthy (Jas 5:1-6). This passage immediately follows warnings against favoritism towards the rich and injustice against the poor in the assembly (Jas 2:1-7) and warnings against prideful boasting (Jas 4:13-17). The context of James 5:1-6 describes a class of rich individuals hoarding wealth, defrauding their laborers, living in luxury and self-indulgence, and finally, committing the severe sin of condemning and killing the righteous who cannot resist. Historically, early Christians, particularly the poor among them, faced economic exploitation and judicial corruption from the wealthy elite, some of whom were Jewish or Roman. James, deeply rooted in Old Testament prophetic tradition, casts this social and economic injustice as a grave spiritual offense, deserving of God's imminent judgment. The "innocent person" likely refers to faithful, but powerless, Christians facing such persecution.

James 5 6 Word analysis

• You (ὑμεῖς - hymeis): Plural, emphatic. Directly addresses the wealthy oppressors from 5:1.
• have condemned (κατεδικάσατε - katedikasate): Aorist active indicative, from katadikazo. Meaning "to condemn, to pass judgment against, to find guilty." This is a legal term, indicating that the oppressors used the existing legal system or their influence to bring unjust judgments against the righteous. It implies a misuse of power to legalize injustice.
• and (καὶ - kai): Conjunction, connecting the acts of condemning and murdering, showing a progression or an intertwined reality.
• murdered (ἐφονεύσατε - ephōneusate): Aorist active indicative, from phoneuō. Meaning "to murder, kill, slay." This can be understood literally as causing physical death, especially in judicial execution or extrajudicial violence. However, it can also encompass acts of extreme oppression, exploitation, or deprivation that lead to the ruin or functional "death" of a person's life, livelihood, or social standing, akin to slow destruction. In biblical terms, injustice leading to severe hardship or loss often equates to taking life (e.g., defrauding a laborer of wages essential for life).
• the innocent person / the just (τὸν δίκαιον - ton dikaion): Accusative singular masculine article and adjective. Dikaios means "righteous, just, upright." It refers to a person who is morally upright, acting justly, and standing in a right relationship with God, often implying an adherent of Christ's teachings. This highlights the severe perversion of justice: not only are they condemned, but they are condemned because they are righteous, or at least despite their righteousness. The suffering is therefore undeserved.
• he (αὐτὸς - autos): Pronoun, referring back to "the just person."
• does not resist (οὐκ ἀντιτάσσεται - ouk antitassetai): Present middle indicative, from antitassō. Anti means "against" and tassō means "to arrange, order." So, "to arrange oneself against, to oppose, to resist, to stand in array against." The negative ouk emphasizes that the righteous person offers no opposition. This portrays the victim's powerlessness, their inability to fight back in the face of such overwhelming oppression and legal maneuvering. It can also evoke the non-resistance of Christ-like suffering, trusting God for ultimate vindication.
• you (ὑμῖν - hymin): Dative plural, again addressing the oppressors directly.

Words-group analysis:

• "You have condemned and murdered": This powerful phrase signifies a progression from legal injustice to lethal outcomes. It illustrates how judicial condemnation, coupled with severe oppression, leads to the effective or literal killing of the innocent. It’s a complete violation of God's justice.
• "the innocent person": Emphasizes the victim's moral uprightness and undeserved suffering, amplifying the gravity of the oppressors' sin. Their target is not merely someone they dislike, but someone who is "just" in God's eyes.
• "he does not resist you": Highlights the utter helplessness and vulnerability of the righteous under such tyranny. It is a key element defining the depth of their oppression – there is no legal, social, or physical means for them to defend themselves against these powerful individuals. This vulnerability serves as an implicit appeal to God's ultimate justice.

James 5 6 Bonus section

The passive non-resistance of the "innocent person" can be interpreted not merely as powerlessness but also as a Christ-like bearing of suffering for righteousness' sake, trusting in divine vindication rather than earthly struggle (compare with Jesus's lack of resistance during His trial and crucifixion, or the persecuted church's call to endurance). While the verse primarily condemns the rich, it implicitly provides encouragement to the suffering righteous, assuring them that God is a witness to their injustice, and their suffering, though endured without resistance, will ultimately be addressed by the Lord's coming, which James introduces in the very next verse. The term "innocent person" (dikaios) is a deliberate choice, contrasting sharply with the guilt of their oppressors and emphasizing the divine justice that will be meted out.

James 5 6 Commentary

James 5:6 culminates James’s forceful indictment against wealthy individuals within or impacting the early Christian communities who engaged in extreme forms of economic and social injustice. Their actions, beginning with greed and luxury (5:1-3) and moving to wage exploitation (5:4), escalate to legal perversion and deadly oppression. The phrase "condemned and murdered" highlights not merely an abuse of judicial power but also a comprehensive attack on the very life and livelihood of the righteous. This "murder" might have been literal physical violence or capital punishment imposed through corrupt courts. It also likely includes the socio-economic devastation inflicted by withheld wages and unfair practices, which in a subsistence economy could quickly lead to death through starvation, exposure, or disease for the poor. The key point is that the actions of these wealthy people ultimately stripped the righteous of their right to live, legally or practically. The detail that "he does not resist you" further accentuates the helplessness of the victims. This helplessness elevates the crime and assures that the judgment rests solely with God, as the oppressed have no earthly avenue for appeal. This verse stands as a stark reminder of God's unwavering concern for justice and the severe consequences awaiting those who oppress the vulnerable. It echoes Old Testament prophetic warnings against social injustice, serving as a warning to those who gain power and wealth at the expense of others, specifically those who are righteous in God’s eyes and have no means to fight back.